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The unpredictable nature of the Orioles is still setting traps.
Adley Rutschman avoided the seven-day concussion list, serving as designated hitter Wednesday and starting behind the plate yesterday. The Orioles usually don’t carry three catchers until rosters expand in September, and the next decision appeared to come down to whether they'd designate Chadwick Tromp for assignment or option Maverick Handley. One of them would step aside for the next reinstatement - whether Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg or Ramón Laureano.
Cowser singled and walked twice last night at Triple-A Norfolk, and Westburg had a single and double.
Cedric Mullins wasn’t supposed to go on the injured list. Cooper Hummel wasn’t supposed to keep his locker in the home clubhouse. He hadn’t used it until yesterday because the Orioles signed him Sunday while in Boston and designated him for assignment the following day.
News of Hummel's return led to assumptions about the backup catchers, but they proved to be nothing more than a Tromp trap. A Handley hazard.
As it turned out, keeping Hummel was in the works all along.
The Orioles made it clear to Hummel that they wanted him back and the only risk was a waiver claim. He passed through and the sides reached agreement early yesterday morning.
“Let’s just say that Monday’s move was an administrative move,” he said with a smile on his face and a little bit of hesitancy. “I’m gonna leave it at that. I knew there was a role here and it worked out well.”
The locker was a hint. His nameplate stayed above it all week, which is unusual for a player who’s designated or optioned. But Hummel was prepared for anything after opting out of his contract with the Yankees.
“Is baseball ever normal?” he quipped. “It wouldn’t be a normal year without something kind of like that, in my opinion. Yeah, it’s a little weird.”
Hummel hung out in Baltimore and waited for the process to play out.
“I walked around the Inner Harbor a little bit, kind of over by Little Italy. Tried some restaurants,” he said.
“We had some bad weather, so we couldn’t walk too far, but got to know it a little bit.”
Hummel doesn’t know how long he’s staying. Cowser, Westburg and Laureano require three moves. One of the catchers can go. The Orioles technically have four counting Hummel, which might be a franchise record.
Westburg could bump Hummel or Emmanuel Rivera, who was the designated hitter last night for the first time with the Orioles. They still could be forced to decide between Dylan Carlson and Heston Kjerstad. Having Carlson around to play center field is appealing with Mullins missing.
Laureano took batting practice yesterday and worked out on the field. He was eligible to return yesterday and might not need to go on a rehab assignment because he played 11 days ago.
Mullins, Cowser and Tyler O’Neill started in the outfield on Opening Day, and Laureano and Kjerstad were the reserves. Kjerstad is the only one of the quintet who remains on the active roster.
The IL shrank to nine players but went back up to 11 yesterday and could reach a dozen today after Ryan Mountcastle exited yesterday's game in the top of the eighth inning with right hamstring discomfort. He's being evaluated again and corner infielder Coby Mayo is in Baltimore.
Cowser is expected to stay on his assignment until the Orioles are on the West Coast next week with stops in Seattle and Sacramento. O’Neill is taking batting practice. Mullins was supposed to be waiting for them, but the Orioles can't catch a health break.
"It seems like we’ve been dealing with that for a while now going back to last year," said Ryan O'Hearn. "We’re going to keep rocking. We’ve got guys coming back. Looking forward to Cowser and Westburg coming back, I know they’re on rehab assignments right now and they’re going to plug right in and, hopefully, be ready to roll, and they’re going to be huge for us."
