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Outfielder Tyler O’Neill has returned to the Orioles after two games with Triple-A Norfolk on his injury rehab assignment.
O’Neill was reinstated from the IL this afternoon, but the corresponding move didn’t involve another outfielder. The Orioles optioned corner infielder Coby Mayo to Norfolk after yesterday’s game in Minnesota.
The transactions was made official today after O’Neill went 2-for-6 with the Tides. He hasn’t played for the Orioles since April 23 in D.C. because of neck inflammation and is batting .215/.284/.385 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games.
Mayo was recalled on May 3 with infielder Ramón Urías going on the IL due to a right hamstring strain. He singled yesterday but went 1-for-12 with six strikeouts during his most recent stretch with the Orioles, and he’s 5-for-53 with five walks and 28 strikeouts in the majors.
Mayo did some early infield drills yesterday at third base, fielding ground balls and working on the accuracy of his throws to first. He will keep getting starts at the corners with Norfolk, where he slashed .255/.353/.539 with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs and 21 RBIs in 28 games.
The Orioles are keeping outfielder Dylan Carlson on the 26-man roster. Carlson is 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts.
Also today, the Orioles announced that left-hander Walter Pennington cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Norfolk. Pennington has allowed a combined five earned runs (seven total) and one hit with six walks in one inning between Norfolk and High-A Aberdeen.
O'Neill is playing right field tonight and batting sixth, as the Orioles begin their three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim. Cedric Mullins, in a 1-for-25 slump, is back in the lineup and leading off. Jackson Holliday is batting seventh. Emmanuel Rivera is the third baseman.
Heston Kjerstad is out of the lineup.
Tomoyuki Sugano is on the mound tonight. Sugano has lowered his ERA to 3.00 in his seven outings. He’s had quality starts in three of his last four, and the exception is five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the Yankees.
Sugano has allowed three runs or fewer in all seven of his starts, the longest streak at this point by a rookie age 35 or older in the modern era, per STATS.
Gunnar Henderson is batting .529 with two triples and three home runs in his last five games against the Angels. His career .784 slugging percentage is the second-highest all-time among players with at least 50 at-bats against the Angels behind Todd Zeile’s .869, per STATS.
The Orioles have lost five in a row and 12 of 16. Their last six-game skid occurred from May 13-18, 2022.
They’re 1-10 in their last 11 road games, including six losses in a row. That’s the longest streak since Aug. 3-30, 2021, when they dropped 10 in a row.
The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in 11 consecutive road games, tied for the fourth-longest streak by an American League team since the designated hitter was introduced in 1973, according to STATS.
No American League team has a better road record against the AL West since 2021 than the Orioles at 38-23.
Reliever Andrew Kittredge tossed a scoreless inning last night in his second rehab appearance and first with Norfolk. He allowed two hits and walked a batter.
Nathan Webb tossed two scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.25.
Pitcher Ben Vespi was transferred today from Single-A Delmarva to Double-A Chesapeake. Pitcher Edgar Portes was placed on the seven-day injured list.
The Angels, who sit in last place in the American League West, are starting right-hander Kyle Hendricks tonight.
Hendricks spent 11 seasons with the Cubs before signing with the Angels for $2.5 million, making him quite familiar to Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. Hendricks has a 5.28 ERA and 1.174 WHIP in six starts, with 24 hits, 12 walks and only 16 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. He held the Tigers to one run in 7 2/3 innings in his last start.
Hendricks has faced the Orioles only twice in his career and allowed four runs and 10 hits in seven innings.
More from STATS: Hendricks has a 1.06 WHIP in May during his career, the fifth lowest in the live-ball era (minimum 250 innings) behind Chris Sale’s 0.90, Pedro Martinez’s 0.97, Don Drysdale’s 1.06 and Justin Verlander’s 1.06.
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz and left-hander Tyler Anderson also are starting for Los Angeles this weekend.
The Orioles haven’t lost their last seven series against the Angels, their longest active streak against any opponent. Their longest all-time streak against the Angels is 10 from 1965-66.
The Angels made an adjustment to their coaching staff, with Eric Young Sr. becoming first base coach and Bo Porter moving to third. This reportedly was done to make Young the baserunning coach.
For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Adley Rutschman C
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Ryan O'Hearn DH
Tyler O'Neill RF
Jackson Holliday 2B
Ramón Laureano LF
Emmanuel Rivera 3B
Tomoyuki Sugano RHP
For the Angels
Zach Neto SS
Nolan Schanuel 1B
Jorge Soler RF
Taylor Ward LF
Logan O'Hoppe DH
Yoán Moncada 3B
Travis d'Arnaud C
Luis Rengifo 2B
Kyren Paris CF
Kyle Hendricks RHP
Brendan Mortensen is in Anaheim for MASNsports.com coverage.
