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TAMPA – The Orioles filled the opening on their 26-man roster by signing reliever Corbin Martin to a one-year major league contract.
Martin was designated for assignment Sunday before the Orioles knew that reliever Scott Blewett would go on the injured list with right elbow discomfort. Martin declined an outright assignment, became a free agent and signed a new contract.
The 40-man roster is full.
Zach Eflin’s rehab assignment was transferred to the Florida Complex League and he could be reinstated from the injured list if he gets through it without any setbacks.
Catcher Chadwick Tromp begins his rehab assignment at Class A Delmarva.
Coby Mayo is starting at first base tonight against the Rays and Jacob Stallings is behind the plate.
Jordan Westburg is playing third base and batting second. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.
Tyler O’Neill is on the bench.
Right fielder Ramón Laureano has a .960 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season, the eighth highest in the majors in a minimum 150 plate appearances, according to STATS. Nine of his 11 home runs have come against right-handers.
Charlie Morton has lowered his ERA to 5.18 by allowing only three runs this month in 11 1/3 innings. He hasn’t pitched since Game 1 of a July 10 doubleheader against the Mets, when he held them to one run in six innings.
Morton faced the Rays on June 19 in Tampa and held them to one run in six innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts. In his last five starts, he’s surrendered seven runs and struck out 31 batters in 27 1/3 innings. And this stretch doesn’t include the June 1 start when he allowed an unearned run over 6 2/3 innings against the White Sox. His ERA was 7.09 going into that game.
Yandy Díaz is 3-for-9 against him.
Morton is 5-0 with a 2.70 earned run average in his last eight starts.
The Orioles have won or split five consecutive road series against the Rays, their longest streak versus Tampa Bay all-time and their longest active streak against any opponent, per STATS.
The Orioles will attempt to sweep consecutive road series for the first time since August 2020.
Taj Bradley faced the Orioles twice in June and allowed a combined 11 earned runs and 12 total with 14 hits in 6 2/3 innings. In Tampa, he surrendered six earned runs and seven total over 1 1/3 innings. Colton Cowser hit a three-run homer and Cedric Mullins had a solo shot.
Bradley can’t gain any sort of consistency this season. He didn’t allow an earned run in seven innings against the Astros on June 1, but gave up seven runs in four innings against the Marlins in his next start. He followed the disastrous home start against the Orioles with 6 2/3 scoreless innings and only two hits allowed in Kansas City.
The Orioles rocked him again in Baltimore, scoring five runs with eight hits in 5 1/3, but he held the Red Sox to one run and two hits in six innings at Fenway Park on July 10.
Gunnar Henderson is 7-for-17 with a double and home run against Bradley. O’Hearn is 5-for-12 with two doubles and a home run.
Tampa Bay closed the first half with a four-game losing streak and has dropped 11 of 14. The Rays fell into fourth place at 50-47 and are 1 ½ back for the last Wild Card.
For the Orioles
Jackson Holliday 2B
Jordan Westburg 3B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ramón Laureano RF
Colton Cowser LF
Cedric Mullins CF
Coby Mayo 1B
Jacob Stallings C
Charlie Morton RHP
For the Rays
Chandler Simpson CF
Brandon Lowe 2B
Yandy Díaz DH
Jonathan Aranda 1B
Junior Caminero 3B
Josh Lowe RF
Jake Mangum LF
Ha-Seong Kim SS
Danny Jansen C
Taj Bradley RHP
