-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
Ryan O’Hearn and Colton Cowser are available to come off the bench this afternoon for the finale of the series against the Angels at Camden Yards that also completes the latest homestand.
O’Hearn injured his left ankle Friday night when Zach Neto clipped him on a play at first base in the seventh inning. He was scratched from yesterday's lineup. And Cowser is sore after slamming into the center field fence Thursday while chasing a home run ball.
“A lot better,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino. “I think if it’s September, playing for the division right now, I think there’s a really good chance.”
O’Hearn confirmed earlier today that he’s ready to play.
“Feels good today, feels better than yesterday, so I’ll be available off the bench and ready to rock tomorrow,” he said.
"I like to play. I felt good in the box the other day and I want to help the boys win. Sucks to not be able to play yesterday and getting the day today, probably smart, probably good long-term.”
O’Hearn was supposed to start in right field yesterday until having his ankle “tweaked in a weird way” the previous night.
“I woke up yesterday morning super sore and a little swollen," he said. "I was just having a hard time running around the outfield before the game, so probably better off having somebody out there feeling good instead of me hobbling around all day. But taking the day yesterday did me some good and it feels better today and I think I’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”
The Angels are starting left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, which makes it easier to sit O’Hearn and Cowser.
“Kind of what that presents,” Mansolino said.
“I think just kind of tying the two things together, trying to get them one more day before we go see this string of righties in Tampa. I think it just kind of aligned and made sense. But good chance we see them at some point today, too.”
The Orioles aren’t listing their starters for the four-game Rays series in Tampa that begins Monday. The Rays are listing right-handers Ryan Pepiot, Zack Littell, Taj Bradley and Drew Rasmussen.
“We’re working through that. It’s fluid,” Mansolino said.
Scott Blewett is the opener today with the Angels’ lineup heavy in right-handed hitters. Nolan Schanuel offers the only left-handed bat. Luis Rengifo, who homered twice yesterday, is a switch-hitter.
Lefty Cade Povich went from starter to bulk reliever today.
“It makes sense,” Mansolino said. “We know they’re not very left-handed and we know it’s a really good lineup. Cade’s very capable of rolling through that thing a few times, but we also know we’ve got a pretty good option with Blewett to kind of go there and shorten the game for Cade a little bit. We might run with Blewett for a little bit today. It might not be just the first inning. There’s kind of a lot of things in the air.
“There’s also a few guys down in the bullpen today, too. We’ll see where this thing goes.”
Luis Vázquez made his Orioles debut yesterday as a pinch-runner, the 47th player used this season. He’s the starting shortstop, his first time in a major league lineup since Sept. 29 with the Cubs.
“I like this guy,” Mansolino said. “He’s a good little player. What’s exciting about it is we know he can pick it. Whether today goes clean for him or not. It doesn’t matter. We know this guy’s a really good defender. I just watched him take some swings in the cage, he swung the bat well in Norfolk. You get a young guy who’s hungry like this. He went up to Chicago last year and didn’t get a chance to play much. There’s just a lot of hunger there, so just excited to see the energy that he brings to us today.”
For the Angels
Zach Neto SS
Nolan Schanuel 1B
Mike Trout DH
Taylor Ward LF
Jorge Soler RF
Travis d’Arnaud C
Luis Rengifo 2B
Jo Adell CF
Kevin Newman 3B
Yusei Kikuchi LHP
