The unpredictable nature of the Orioles is still setting traps.

Adley Rutschman avoided the seven-day concussion list, serving as designated hitter Wednesday and starting behind the plate yesterday. The Orioles usually don’t carry three catchers until rosters expand in September, and the next decision appeared to come down to whether they'd designate Chadwick Tromp for assignment or option Maverick Handley. One of them would step aside for the next reinstatement - whether Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg or Ramón Laureano.

Cowser singled and walked twice last night at Triple-A Norfolk, and Westburg had a single and double.

Cedric Mullins wasn’t supposed to go on the injured list. Cooper Hummel wasn’t supposed to keep his locker in the home clubhouse. He hadn’t used it until yesterday because the Orioles signed him Sunday while in Boston and designated him for assignment the following day.

News of Hummel's return led to assumptions about the backup catchers, but they proved to be nothing more than a Tromp trap. A Handley hazard. 

The Orioles hired former major league outfielder/first baseman and coach John Mabry as senior advisor. The announcement came this afternoon.

The current coaches will remain with the club for the rest of the 2025 season.

Mabry played in the majors for 14 season and was a coach with the Cardinals, Royals and Marlins over a span of 12 seasons. He spent the 2024 season as Miami’s hitting coach after being an assistant the previous year.

Utility player Cooper Hummel, who declined an outright assignment last night and became a free agent, has signed another one-year major league contract with the Orioles. He’s replacing center fielder Cedric Mullins, who goes on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.

Mullins was out of the lineup in three of four games before Wednesday. Today’s move is retroactive to yesterday.

BOSTON – Cooper Hummel exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees shortly after midnight Wednesday, didn’t see a path back to the majors and was minutes away from agreeing to a minor league contract – one person described it as “pen to paper “ - when the Orioles called his agent.

Baseball can tug at a player’s emotions and pull him in many unexpected directions.

The Orioles signed Hummel to a one-year deal and brought him to Fenway Park for today’s game. They sought a corner outfielder with Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill and Ramón Laureano on the injured list.

“The last few days were kind of a whirlwind for me. I’m excited for this,” he said this morning.

Hummel, 30, has appeared in 66 games with the Diamondbacks, 10 with the Mariners and six with the Astros over the past three seasons. He’s played left and right field in the majors and also caught in 18, and he brings corner infield experience from the minors.

BOSTON – The Orioles made another roster move today, signing outfielder Cooper Hummel and designating infielder Terrin Vavra for assignment.

Hummel, 30, exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees. He’s hit .159/.255/.275 in 82 major league games. He had eight doubles, three triples, three home runs and 17 RBIs in 66 games with the Diamondbacks in 2022, and appeared in 10 with the Mariners in 2023 and six with the Astros last summer.

Hummel, a switch-hitter, is a career .266/.403/.443 hitter in nine minor league seasons.

Vavra was DFA’d for the second time with the Orioles. His contract was selected yesterday while Ramón Laureano went on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle.

The Orioles will try for a split of their rain-interrupted four-game series at Fenway Park today before boarding their flight home.