Brandon Hyde walked into the auxiliary clubhouse again yesterday, also known as “the interview room,” where a table, chair and microphone are set up for him and the media waits for his arrival. Injury updates are a popular topic on this club, and the first questions focused on Tyler O’Neill’s removal from the lineup due to a sore left shoulder, Heston Kjerstad’s right elbow and the lack of a timeline on Gary Sánchez, who wears a brace on his injured right wrist and isn’t doing any baseball activities.
The Orioles had lost nine of their last 11 games and 16 of 22, with another defeat coming later, and it would be neglectful to only take the temperature of the clubhouse as players try to cope with the adversity and search for a way to fix it. The manager’s office also can be a dark place.
Hyde made it through the rebuild, won back-to-back Sporting News Manager of the Year awards and one from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, guided the Orioles to consecutive playoff appearances and hopped on the speculative hot seat this season.
It doesn’t take long to feel the heat.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has offered his support of Hyde in numerous interviews in media scrums, on the radio and on podcasts. It felt like a tour except he wasn’t seeking out venues. The requests poured in and he accepted, as if knowing that the subject had to be addressed.
There are moments that in an instant seem to encapsulate the Orioles’ 2025 season. You just have to look for them. They really aren’t hard to find.
The latest example came tonight when they stranded three runners in the first inning and immediately fell behind, a nasty predicament for a team that was 4-19 when the opponent scored first and too often putty in the hands of a lefty starter.
Change is good and the Orioles desperately needed it. They toyed with it. But old issues keep resurfacing.
They collected 10 hits off the Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore in 3 2/3 innings, broke a tie on Ramón Urías sacrifice fly in his third attempt with the bases full, were tied again and lost 4-3 at Camden Yards on a two-out infield single in the ninth inning off Félix Bautista.
Anything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Tyler O’Neill was a lineup scratch again today. Recovered from the inflammation in his neck, O’Neill was sent to the bench for the series opener against the Nationals due to left shoulder discomfort.
Ryan O’Hearn is replacing O’Neill in right field and batting fifth against Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore.
Manager Brandon Hyde said O’Neill noticed the discomfort a few days ago while hitting in the cage. He played right field yesterday.
“I guess this morning he woke up feeling pretty sore,” Hyde said. “Day-to-day.”
O’Neill is batting .188/.280/.325 in 24 games.
If the Orioles are going to make a run and escape last place in the division, this would be an ideal time to start.
They’re 12 games below .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2021 season and 9 ½ out of first place. The Nationals, in town for a weekend series, are 18-27 and in fourth place in the National League East after losing eight of their last nine.
Tonight’s game sets up a rematch between left-handers Cade Povich and MacKenzie Gore.
The pair started on April 24 in D.C. Povich allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and Gore allowed two runs with eight strikeouts in six innings. The Orioles won 2-1 to avoid a sweep.
Povich hasn’t pitched since May 6 in Minnesota. He’s allowed eight runs in his last two starts totaling 10 2/3 innings.
Ryan Mountcastle slowed for an instant yesterday as he prepared to pull into second base with a double, saw that Twins right fielder Kody Clemens bobbled the ball, and sped up to try for the triple. Clemens, playing his third position in four innings, fired to third baseman Royce Lewis for the out.
Mountcastle rose from the dirt, his uniform covered in it and headed back to the dugout. The Orioles were down three runs, and Mountcastle’s elevated production at the plate and spot in the lineup couldn’t give them a lift. But he tried.
Manager Brandon Hyde had Mountcastle second in the order in both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader and again yesterday, moving up one of the few hot bats on the team. Mountcastle has hit second 77 times in his career.
“I can’t remember the last time I did it (before Wednesday),” Mountcastle said. “I’ve done it before. I like it. I like batting second with a guy like Gunnar (Henderson) behind me and Jackson (Holliday) in front of me. It’s a good little spot to hit.”
Any spot is bound to work for Mountcastle when he’s cooking.
Cedric Mullins got the right break on the ball, with the proper angle and exceptional footspeed. He laid out for it, made the diving catch and held on through the crash landing. Tomoyuki Sugano waited for Mullins after the top of the second inning to give him a congratulatory pat, to thank him for the assist.
It was the last moment today that the Orioles really felt good about the game. As they keep discovering, adversity can strike quickly and with tremendous force.
No. 9 hitter DaShawn Keirsey Jr. gave the Twins a lead with a two-run shot in the third inning, Byron Buxton followed with his 10th homer, and the Orioles were swept in another series after a 4-0 loss before an announced crowd of 30,926 at Camden Yards.
The Orioles (15-27) slipped to 12 games below .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 110-loss 2021 season. The Twins (24-20) have won 11 in a row, six against the Orioles.
Having the opponent score first creates a mess for the Orioles, who are 4-19. Ryan Mountcastle doubled in the fourth and was thrown out trying for the triple. Chris Paddack hit Adley Rutschman to begin the fifth, Ryan O’Hearn singled and the next three batters were retired – two on strikeouts. Mullins doubled off reliever Louis Varland in the eighth and Heston Kjerstad was drilled on the right elbow with a 98.9 mph fastball with two outs, but Jackson Holliday popped up.
Jackson Holliday is batting leadoff again today, as the Orioles try to avoid another sweep against the Twins.
Holliday hit first in both games of yesterday’s doubleheader and went 1-for-10.
Ryan Mountcastle stays in the second spot in the order. Adley Rutschman is batting cleanup.
Emmanuel Rivera gets the start at third base after collecting two more hits yesterday in Game 2. Heston Kjerstad, who homered is in left field and batting ninth.
Ramón Laureano is on the bench. He’s struggled against secondary pitches this season, posting a .190 average against breaking balls and a .095 average against off-speed, but he’s hitting .265 with a .559 slugging percentage against fastballs.
The Orioles are down to nine players on the injured list, including outfielder Colton Cowser and pitchers Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Albert Suárez and Tyler Wells on the 60-day. This is the healthiest they’ve looked in a long time.
Infielder Ramón Urías was the latest player to escape it yesterday, and he did so without going on a rehab assignment. He can get a bundle of starts at third base and also sub at second if needed. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill and pitcher Zach Eflin were reinstated with the team in Anaheim. Pitcher Chayce McDermott was reinstated and optioned on May 4, and the Orioles used him yesterday as the 27th man to start Game 2 before returning him to Triple-A Norfolk.
“It’s great for us,” Urías said. “It’s just what we need now, a full team together. We’re just ready to win some games.”
Reliever Andrew Kittredge is nearing his return, but a few more boxes need to be checked. He’s made four rehab appearances since undergoing surgery in March to repair cartilage in his left knee, and a fifth is coming over the weekend.
“All good news with how he’s throwing the baseball and how he feels,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “I think he throws again this weekend and then he’ll do a back-to-back and maybe another one. We’ll see how it goes.”
The deficit grew to four runs, Charlie Morton kept warming in the bullpen and the Orioles were staring at a doubleheader sweep. Their own reflection was depressing – a team 10 games below .500 and getting worse.
What happened next was easy on the eyes. The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate in the third, Cedric Mullins hit a grand slam to highlight a six-run inning, and a split was in the works.
Look again.
Yennier Cano was summoned in the eighth and Kody Clemens hit a three-run homer before the right-hander retired his first batter in the Twins’ 8-6 victory before an announced crowd of 10,169 at Camden Yards.
Morton allowed one run in three-plus innings of relief and was in line for his first Orioles win in eight decisions before the Twins rallied. Chayce McDermott, making his second major league start, allowed four runs and four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in three innings.
Gunnar Henderson destroyed a curveball from Twins starter Bailey Ober in the third inning, held his pose as he watched the flight of the ball before beginning his trip around the bases, and slapped hands enthusiastically with teammates as he approached the dugout. The Orioles were riding a high, taking a three-run lead in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
They wouldn’t get another hit until Henderson’s two-out single in the seventh. The momentum died as quickly as his ball had reached the flag court.
Henderson homered after Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI double, but the Twins homered twice against Dean Kremer in a four-run fourth and pulled away late in a 6-3 win at Camden Yards.
Center fielder Byron Buxton charged Ryan O’Hearn’s sinking line drive and made a diving catch to end the seventh after Mountcastle reached on an error and Henderson singled. The Orioles finished with four hits, failed in their attempt to win back-to-back games for a third time, and fell to 15-25.
The Twins committed four errors but won their ninth game in a row, including a sweep of the Orioles last week at Target Field. They scored twice against Keegan Akin in the ninth on Trevor Larnach’s RBI double and a wild pitch. Larnach had advanced to third base on right fielder Tyler O’Neill’s error.
Chayce McDermott is in Baltimore as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader against the Twins and could start Game 2.
The Orioles put McDermott on the taxi squad this morning. He’s made three starts in the minors after reporting to spring training with a strained lat, allowing one run in 1 2/3 innings with Double-A Chesapeake on an injury rehab assignment and one run and three hits in eight innings with Triple-A Norfolk.
McDermott, 26, made his major league debut July 24 in Miami, allowed three runs in four innings and was optioned.
Today’s Game 2 starter “is still undecided,” said manager Brandon Hyde, but all signs point to McDermott.
“We’re bringing McDermott up here as the 27th man. There’s a chance he starts that game,” Hyde said. “He’s not fully stretched out, starting-wise from that standpoint, so we’re gonna kind of get through Game 1 and then figure out the starter for Game 2.”
The Orioles will play their second doubleheader of the season today, with a third pending against the Blue Jays on July 29 at Camden Yards. To the benefit of everyone, the twin bill against the Twins that begins at 12:05 p.m. is the traditional single-admission type. None of this day-night nonsense.
Play Game 1, wait about 30 minutes and play Game 2.
Dean Kremer is starting the opener, but the Orioles list the second game as TBA. Cade Povich was supposed to pitch last night against his former team, but was called into manager Brandon Hyde’s office after the postponement.
Tomoyuki Sugano is supposed to start Thursday afternoon, but he’d be on regular rest today. Or maybe it turns out to be Povich anyway.
Povich faced the Twins in his last outing and allowed five runs in six innings at Target Field. All five runs scored in the third, including Carlos Correa’s 458-foot shot into the second deck in left field.
Tonight’s game between the Orioles and Twins has been postponed due to inclement weather.
The game will be made up Wednesday as part of a traditional, single-admission doubleheader. The opener starts at 12:05 p.m. because of another ominous forecast, and Game 2 begins approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion.
Gates open at 11 a.m. The games will be broadcast on MASN2.
Both teams can summon a 27th player.
The team also announced that original ticket buyers for tonight's game should visit Orioles.com/Weather for more information. Tickets dated for Wednesday’s original 6:35 p.m. game will be valid for both games of the doubleheader.
The Orioles are supposed to begin a three-game series tonight against the Twins at Camden Yards, with a chance to get revenge for last week’s sweep at Target Field. Rain is in the forecast, and all over my street. Stay tuned for updates.
Need to kill some time? There’s always mailbag leftovers for your perusing pleasure.
You asked, I answered, and I’m finally posting them. They didn’t make the last cut - like me when girls at my high school were deciding on prom dates.
There are other questions saved that I’ll try to publish later.
Is there any chance we see a long-term contract signing this year from the Orioles? Seems like it's been all the rage around the league.
Seems like this question is all the rage. You’ll have to trust me because I’m not going to list everyone, but you aren’t alone in asking it. And unfortunately, there’s no way to answer. Sure, it’s possible. There are discussions behind closed doors. But since they aren’t made public and transcriptions aren’t distributed, we don’t know how advanced. The front office wants to hold onto the young talent, but we’re always reminded of market size and the importance of keeping the organization “healthy” for years to come. There are financial limitations. Both parties have to agree to it. So … maybe.
A 2-4 road trip through Minneapolis and Anaheim isn’t cause for celebration. Lockers weren’t covered in plastic yesterday. And to be clear, last-place teams don’t have soft spots in their schedules, especially one with a worse record than the opponent.
However, Zach Eflin’s return to the rotation, Cedric Mullins’ emergence from a slump and Gunnar Henderson wearing a pirate hat while drinking from the homer hose created a more festive mood for the Orioles heading into the off-day and return home.
Being swept at Target Field felt like a death blow, though it’s only May, but the Orioles claimed two of three against the Angels and won their first Sunday game. They improved to 3-9 against left-handed starters.
“Gotta start somewhere,” manager Brandon Hyde said in his media scrum.
“Today was a good day."
ANAHEIM – The Orioles needed a bounceback in the worst way.
After being swept in three games in Minnesota, the Birds flew to Anaheim in search of answers. Perhaps they found some in a 7-3 victory that wrapped up a series win.
The sun was shining brightly on a beautiful Mother’s Day in Anaheim. It was a bit too bright, perhaps, for Taylor Ward.
Gunnar Henderson led off the game with a left-on-left double into the right-center field gap. A few batters later, it appeared as if the O’s had stranded another runner in scoring position when Adley Rutschman flew a ball with a 99 percent catch probability to left. Instead, Ward lost the ball in the Sunday sun and it dropped safely onto the outfield grass for a Rutschman triple. Henderson scored, and the Birds had given Zach Eflin an early 1-0 lead.
That advantage quickly dissipated.
The Orioles are facing a left-hander today, the Angels’ Tyler Anderson, which again puts them at a statistical disadvantage.
The team is hitting .178/.257/.245 against lefties this season.
Manager Brandon Hyde lowered Cedric Mullins to eighth and is batting Gunnar Henderson leadoff.
Mullins moved down to sixth in the order last night and went 0-for-4 to increase his slump to one hit in his last 34 at-bats. He’s 0-for-19.
Mullins still needs one RBI for 300 in his career. Henderson needs one for 200.
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.
ANAHEIM – The Orioles started their series in Anaheim hot, with three runs in their first two offensive frames.
Tonight, though, it was the Angels’ turn, as Baltimore fell 5-2.
Los Angeles recorded three straight singles to start the game, and in the blink of an eye, it was 2-0 Halos. After a few more baserunners and nearly 30 pitches, Kyle Gibson worked out of the remaining trouble, but the early damage had been done.
The O’s did the same to veteran Kyle Hendricks last night. But after three early runs, Hendricks settled in, because “that’s what a veteran pitcher does,” as Brandon Hyde noted last night. Gibson did the same for tonight's second and third innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. We’ll get back to that.
"I think the teams have been pretty aggressive," Gibson said of his recent first-inning struggles. "So, best way to combat that is maybe use a little off-speed a little bit earlier or just execute a few pitches here and there a little bit better."
ANAHEIM – Kyle Gibson hasn’t been off to a perfect start on the mound.
The 37-year-old, signed too late to have a Spring Training, has made just two starts to begin the year after his ramp-up. His ERA, after allowing four first-inning home runs to the Yankees in his first start, is all the way up at 14.09.
His second start was much improved, and he’s looking for another step in the right direction against the Angels tonight.
The ERA will settle down, and Gibson hopes to provide some stability in the back of the O’s rotation.
But the value that the veteran brings can’t be quantified by his ERA.