This, that and the other

While other players string together hits or prevent runs from scoring in consecutive games, Orioles infielder Emmanuel Rivera might become known more for his stubborn streak.

Rivera is a waiver claim in August, dumped by the lowly Marlins, and bats .313 with a .948 OPS in 27 games with the Orioles. Eight of his 20 hits went for extra bases, including four home runs.

The Orioles avoid a possible arbitration hearing by signing Rivera to a $1 million contract on Nov. 22 and designate him for assignment on Jan. 31. He clears waivers, accepts an outright assignment on Feb. 10 and injures his left shoulder in camp.

Any chance to make the team, however slim, is ruined. But Rivera can’t be deterred and the Orioles are rewarded again for having him in the organization. His contract is selected on April 28 with Jordan Westburg going on the injured list, and he just keeps on hitting.

Rivera went 2-for-4 with an RBI single in Friday night’s series opener in Anaheim to make him 8-for-19 in six games, and he started again last night, going 1-for-4. The Orioles also like his play at third base. “The Octopus” brings a lot to the table.

The Orioles optioned corner infielder Coby Mayo on Friday to create room for outfielder Tyler O’Neill, and they hung onto Rivera, who’d need to go through waivers again and accept another outright. But what happens when Ramón Urías is reinstated next week as expected, perhaps as early as Tuesday? Maybe they option outfielder Dylan Carlson, who seemed like the counter move for O’Neill.

Jordan Westburg is behind schedule in his recovery from a strained hamstring, but he’ll be back. Rivera’s exit is delayed but may not be denied. The roster can’t hold more than 26 players.

* Félix Bautista might need more time to fully get to his 2023 self, but the 2025 version is really good and the Orioles can rest more easily when carrying a small lead into the ninth inning.

At least, when he’s available to pitch.

Bautista has allowed two runs and five hits with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings. The six walks look bad, but they collected within his first five appearances. The last six are clean.

The last nine appearances are scoreless and Friday night was a breeze with two strikeouts sandwiched around a ground ball. The sinker topped out at 97.5 mph, down from a recent outing when he touched 99, the last strikeout came on a splitter than can be downright filthy.

The club believed in spring training that full velocity would return at some point over the summer, and that may be true, but high 90s heat with the splitter mixed in is getting outs and capable of making him dominant again.

The comfort that Bautista brings was most evident Friday when Yennier Cano let the first two batters reach in the eighth after replacing Tomoyuki Sugano with one out. The Orioles led 3-1. The go-ahead run stood at the plate, and Cano struck out Zach Neto to win a 13-pitch battle that included seven consecutive foul balls.

Keegan Akin replaced Cano and got a fly ball to preserve the lead, but that wasn’t the plan. Cano was supposed to finish up the inning. He didn’t allow an earned run in his first 12 appearances but was charged with two last Sunday on a pair of solo homers and two more Thursday, and would have extended the streak if Akin stumbled.

“Baseball is weird,” Cano told the media through interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I was talking earlier with the pitching coaches as well and saying I feel really good. My arm feels really good and probably the best I’ve felt, and the results haven’t gone my way. And sometimes your arm can feel really tired and you get better results. So in that way, baseball is just weird sometimes.”

The Orioles scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth and Bautista calmed the storm that was brewing.

* Sugano, meanwhile, is looking like a smart signing at $13 million. Like the kind of bargain that the Orioles hunt for and draw criticism for when it doesn’t work.

This one is working.

The stuff translates easily from Japan to the United States. Sugano’s ERA is down to 2.72 in eight starts and he’s still a strike-thrower, allowing only eight walks in 46 1/3 innings. He comes as advertised, as they say.

Sugano has quality starts in four of his last five outings, and the exception is five scoreless innings against the Yankees.

No other rookie pitcher 35 or older since 1901 has started a season by allowing three earned runs or fewer in eight games. No one else did it in more than three, according to STATS. Also, no one that age has a streak of eight in a row at any point in a season. The Boston Braves’ Bob Logan did it in five straight from May 30-June 17, 1945.

Sugano’s 2.72 ERA is the sixth lowest by an Oriole through eight career starts, trailing Jerry Walker (1.63), Josh Towers (1.76), Billy O'Dell (2.39), Zack Britton (2.42) and Bob Milacki (2.62).

* Zach Eflin is the confirmed starter this afternoon, a spot listed as TBA.

Eflin will be reinstated from the injured list. Colin Selby could be optioned to make room.

Eflin is recovered from a mild lat strain. He hasn't pitched for the Orioles since April 7 in Arizona, when he allowed one run in six innings.

Today's opponent suits him. Eflin has a career 2.37 ERA in five starts against the Angels, but he's allowed six runs and 13 hits in 11 innings in two starts in Anaheim.