This, that and the other

The Orioles have a group of relievers on the roster who will be tasked with protecting slim leads in the ninth inning. They do not have a closer.

There’s a difference.

Félix Bautista is on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, and the Orioles drained the pool of veteran replacements by trading Bryan Baker, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto and Andrew Kittredge.

Keegan Akin recorded the save Friday night, but Rico Garcia warmed in case right-handed hitting Brent Rooker stepped to the plate.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino was asked yesterday whether Garcia will get chances in high-leverage situations. That’s clearly the case. He was on the verge of a save opportunity.

“I think everybody is,” Mansolino replied.

Garcia returned to the organization last week as a waiver claim from the Mets. He retired all six batters faced in Game 2 of a July 10 doubleheader at Camden Yards. The Orioles didn’t forget.

“We saw Rico come through with the Mets and he cut us up,” Mansolino said. “It was low-leverage. We had a big lead would be my guess why he was in there, and he cut us up. And we were swinging the bat good at that time.

“I think they’re all gonna get opportunities. You kind of look down there and there’s a couple guys that have got experience. And especially on this next road trip, where it goes Houston, Boston, and then come back home, Houston and Boston. No off-days. The bullpen, they’re gonna get opportunities during that stretch. Those are two good offenses.

“I hope our starters go seven every night. That would be wonderful. The reality is that might not happen, which means if you’re in the bullpen, you’re gonna pitch. We’ve had a lot of off-days here recently and we’ve been able to just rely on a few guys. That’s gonna go away here shortly.”

Garcia appeared in six games with the Orioles in 2022 and kept bouncing to different organizations. He isn’t the same pitcher, incorporating a gyro slider into his mix, changing his curveball and adjusting his glove’s positioning. The result was a 2.13 ERA and 0.711 WHIP in 12 2/3 innings with the Mets.

“I didn’t really have a curveball that I could control back then, but I kind of refined it and made it into a knuckle-curve,” he said. “Added a gyro slider last year. And just trying to find out what kind of pitcher I am personally. Just trying to shy away from throwing fastballs in leverage counts and just beating them with all my pitches in every count.”

Triple-A Vegas teammate Austin Pruitt taught Garcia the knuckle-curve.

“I was like, ‘Hey, how do you throw that?’ I just kind of learned through him and got a better feel for it,” Garcia said.

“He’s the kind of guy, he’s not gonna blow it by you, but he’ll throw every pitch wherever he wants. I saw it and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go talk to him.’ And it’s kind of been my go-to curveball.”

Garcia spent 2024 with Triple-A Rochester, unable to make it back to the majors. Pitching coach Rafael Chaves suggested that he try the gyro slider, known for its tight spin and minimal horizontal movement.

“I threw it in a few bullpens and then in the game got good feedback,” Garcia said, “so I kind of just stuck with it and learned how to perfect that pitch.”

* Akin and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle are the longest-tenured Orioles with Cedric Mullins gone. Leadership responsibilities are thrust upon them.

“They’re growing into it right now,” Mansolino said. “They haven’t had to carry the leadership role here in the past. Keegan definitely not in the bullpen. There were older guys and more experienced guys. We’ve actually had discussions with him about the exact topic, about being the leader down there. And he was already doing things on his own before we even had the conversation. So you kind of look around in those situations and you kind of grow into those jobs and you learn how to do it.

“For Mounty, he just got back and I know he’s looking around right now and he’s kind of coming to the same conclusion that he’s one of the guys now, he’s one of the leaders in that clubhouse. And he’s got such a good way about him, and it’s so good to have him back, just in the clubhouse and just how he is, his humor and the way he kind of connects with everybody in the room. That’s a form of leadership, as well.

“They’re gonna learn on the job, how to do it. It’s a big responsibility.”

Akin talked about it in this article, in case you missed it.

* Unfortunately for the Orioles, their young core of players are learning how to lose.

The 2022 team shocked the industry by finishing above .500 at 83-79. The Orioles posted the best record in the American League at 101-61 in 2023 and earned the first Wild Card spot last fall.

Last night’s 11-3 dud left the Orioles with a 53-64 record, and the schedule is getting much harder.

“They don’t like it, they’re miserable. I promise you that,” Mansolino said.

“They do not like going through this right now. They’re miserable, just like the coaches and the front office and everybody right now kind of associated with the unfortunate circumstances of 2025 here. They’re taking it personal. We’re putting a lot on their shoulders to own it. They got a big piece of this, too, in a lot of ways, and they’re gonna be the guys that move this thing forward.

“In terms of how they have grown, I think we’re probably seeing it right now, because there’s no more hiding behind (Ryan) O’Hearn and (Cedric) Mullins and all these guys. (Ramón) Urías and all the guys that are gone. We can’t hide behind those guys anymore. These are the guys who have got to be front and center and this is their team and they’ve got to own it. I think over the next couple months we’ll see them take on leadership similar to what Mounty and Keegan have done, in ways that they probably weren’t expecting.”

What doesn’t kill you …

“I think in a lot of ways,” Mansolino said, “it’s gonna kind of sharpen them for future years and just make them better.”