Orioles recalling Stowers, claim Martin on waivers, plus other notes (updated)

The Orioles have recalled outfielder Kyle Stowers from Triple-A Norfolk today, according to an industry source. The club hasn’t announced the move.

Stowers hasn’t appeared in a major league game since May 14, 2023, after breaking camp with the Orioles. He’s batting .240/.315/.541 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, 13 walks and 44 strikeouts in 165 plate appearances with Norfolk.

A chance to join the expanded September roster last year was ruined after Stowers was hit by a pitch and fractured his nose. He had missed two months with a shoulder injury.

Stowers was 2-for-30 with the Orioles last year, striking out 12 times in 14 games. The former second-round draft pick out of Stanford made his major league debut on June 13, 2022 in Toronto while replacing Anthony Santander, who was put on the restricted list. Stowers returned in August and finished with a .253/.306/.418 line and four doubles, a triple, three home runs and 11 RBIs in 34 games.

A spot must open on the roster to accommodate Stowers. And perhaps there are multiple moves pending with Austin Hays eligible to return from the injured list.

Hays has appeared in five games with Double-A Bowie and gone 5-for-14 with a double and two home runs.

Heston Kjerstad is 2-for-14 with six strikeouts since the Orioles recalled him. Cedric Mullins hasn’t been in the lineup for the past two games and is in a 5-for-53 slump since April 21.

The Athletic first reported that the Orioles were recalling Stowers. His photo at the airport circulated earlier today on the former Twitter.

Update: The Orioles announced Kjerstad was optioned to make room for Stowers.

The only transaction announced today by the Orioles was the waiver claim of former Brewers right-hander Corbin Martin. He was optioned to Norfolk, and the 40-man roster is full.

Martin, 28, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 with the Diamondbacks. He’s posted a 6.71 ERA and 1.890 WHIP in 17 games (10 starts) over parts of three seasons, beginning with the Astros in 2019.

Mike Elias was in the Astros organization when they selected Martin in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Texas A&M.

The Orioles begin a three-game series tonight with the Blue Jays.

Ryan Mountcastle is a career .330/.394/.619 hitter with 12 doubles, 15 home runs and 43 RBIs in 52 games against Toronto.

Jordan Westburg has doubled in four consecutive games. Brian Roberts holds the club record with seven in a row from Aug. 9-15, 2004, according to STATS. Cal Ripken Jr. doubled in six straight games July 17-22, 1983.

Gunnar Henderson is the first Oriole to total 12 home runs, three triples and six stolen bases over any 40-game span in a season.

Corbin Burnes is making his ninth start after registering a 2.83 ERA and 0.965 WHIP in 47 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings in his only career start against the Blue Jays on June 25, 2022.

The Orioles haven’t scored a run with Burnes pitching since the fourth inning of an April 26 game against the Athletics.

The Orioles are trying to stretch their regular-season sweepless streak to 105 series to tie the 1903-05 New York Giants.

Leftover from yesterday: Six of Dean Kremer’s 10 strikeouts were caught looking, tied for the most by an Oriole in the Statcast era with Wade Miley on April 20, 2017 and Aug. 29, 2016.

Toronto sank to the bottom of the division standings with an 18-22 record, 8 ½ games behind the Orioles, and have a minus-47 run differential. They’re 9-13 on the road.

Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos has made eight starts and posted a 2.85 ERA and 1.120 WHIP in 47 1/3 innings. He’s hit five batters, most in the American League.

Berríos is 10-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 14 career starts against the Orioles. Adley Rutschman is 10-for-16 with two doubles and a home run. James McCann is 8-for-24 with two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs. Anthony Santander is 6-for-20 with a double and home run. Mullins is 7-for-24 with three doubles and a home run.

Mountcastle is 2-for-16 with two home runs.

The Orioles went 10-3 against the Blue Jays last season, including 6-1 at Rogers Centre. Their last three-game sweep at home was in 2018.

The Orioles are seeking their fifth straight series win against Toronto, which would tie the club record. It’s been done three times.

Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk’s Coby Mayo leads the International League with 13 home runs, 48 hits, 37 RBIs and 25 extra-base hits. He’s on pace for 50 home runs.