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ST. LOUIS – Travis Lakins Sr. is back in the Orioles bullpen for their series against the Cardinals that begins tonight at Busch Stadium.

Reliever Jorge López has been placed on the bereavement list this afternoon due to the death of his grandfather. Lakins was on the taxi squad.

The Orioles optioned Lakins after Thursday’s game to create a roster spot for left-hander Logan Allen but kept him in Baltimore as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader.

López is allowed to be away from the team for three to seven games. The Orioles travel to Detroit after Thursday’s series finale against the Royals.

Lakins hasn’t pitched since May 1 against the Red Sox, when he tossed two scoreless innings, returned for the ninth and served up his second grand slam of the season.

López has emerged as the Orioles closer. He’s allowed two earned runs and four total in 16 innings and recorded four saves.

Manager Brandon Hyde used López in the ninth inning yesterday with a 6-1 lead and the right-hander walked two batters and struck out one in a scoreless frame.

Kyle Bradish makes his third major league start on a night when the Orioles are in St. Louis for the first time since 2003.

Bradish allowed two earned runs and three total in six innings in his debut against the Red Sox, and four earned runs in four innings versus the Twins. Tonight marks his first road game.

Orioles starters have strung together three quality starts in a row.

Austin Hays has reached base safely in 12 of his last 14 plate appearances, with nine hits, two walks and a hit by pitch. He’s batting .571 (12-for-21) during a six-game hitting streak, with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs and six runs scored.

Ryan Mountcastle has an RBI in five straight games.

Trey Mancini is 11-for-24 (.458) in his last six games.

Félix Bautista threw fastballs to Kansas City’s MJ Melendez on Monday afternoon clocked at 101.4 and 100.8 mph, the two highest readings by an Orioles pitcher this season.

The Orioles have won six of their last nine games.

Infielder Shed Long Jr. started a minor league rehab assignment today with Single-A Delmarva, was hit by a pitch in the first inning and came out of the game. Long was in the lineup as the second base and committed a throwing error in the top of the first.

Juan De Los Santos allowed one run and three hits in six innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts in a 1-0 loss to the Salem Red Sox.

Double-A Bowie’s Gunnar Henderson had two more hits today, a walk and an RBI in the Baysox’s 6-2 loss in Reading. He’s batting .321 with a .989 OPS.