Victor Robles is getting his first day off of the season tonight, which isn’t all that newsworthy on its own merits. The player who will take over in center field in Robles’ absence, though, is somewhat surprising: Alex Call.

Call is getting the nod in center for tonight’s game against the Orioles instead of Lane Thomas, who will remain in right field as he has been for each of the Nats’ first 17 games this season.

The reason: Manager Davey Martinez didn’t want to move Thomas out of his regular position for just one day, given how well he has played there since Opening Day.

“I could’ve swapped everyone around,” Martinez said. “But I thought the best thing to do was leave Lane where he’s comfortable, put Call in center and leave Stone Garrett where he’s comfortable.”

Garrett is in left field for the third straight game, the only outfield position he has played so far this season in the majors.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Reinstated RHP Kyle Bradish from the 15-day Injured List. He will start tonight’s game.
• Optioned RHP Logan Gillaspie to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.

WASHINGTON – When it was over, right-hander Dean Kremer said what everyone must have thought about his start to the 2023 season.

As the Orioles pitcher took the mound in Washington last night, the same night that demoted starter Cole Irvin was pitching at Triple-A, Kremer’s ERA stood at 9.49.

“Of course there are frustrations, anytime you come out on the bottom side and you see your ERA blow up,” he said.

For the first time this year he did something about it last night. Or maybe we should say for the first time he got the results he was looking for, throwing 6 2/3 scoreless on four singles as the Orioles held on to beat Washington 1-0.

The Orioles were averaging nearly six runs per game coming into this series, but you can’t outslug teams every night.

The Orioles posted their lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Nationals in D.C. and didn’t announce a roster move.

Ramón Urías left Chicago in concussion protocol after being hit in the head Saturday. His condition had improved the following day, and manager Brandon Hyde will provide another update later today to the assembled media.

Ryan O’Hearn is batting ninth and playing first base in another new lineup from Hyde. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter.

Adam Frazier moves up to fifth in the order. Gunnar Henderson is playing third base and batting seventh.

Dean Kremer is making his fourth start tonight. He’s allowed 13 runs and 16 hits with six walks in 12 1/3 innings. He’s also surrendered five home runs.

If two hitting coaches can help the Orioles, maybe three can do even more. So far that is proving correct as the co-hitting coaches Ryan Fuller and Matt Borgschulte are in their second seasons together on the Orioles staff. This year they were joined by Cody Asche, named before this season as offensive strategy coach.

The “three-headed monster” as Fuller calls it, must be putting in some great work as the Orioles offense is among the best in the game to start this year.

Fuller was a pregame guest Sunday on the Orioles Radio Network.

“Great start,” Fuller said of the offense on the broadcast. “Obviously comparing it to last year we got off to a slow start. We hit balls hard but they were right at people. Felt really unlucky. But this year we get off to a good start, and have a winning record, that is what we wanted to do. Start fast and go throughout the year. We’re really happy but at the same time there are still guys we are looking to get more production out of. Hard to get all nine guys going at once but that is what we are trying to do.”

And the numbers are impressive for an O’s offense that scored 20 runs over the weekend in three games in Chicago and has scored 28 runs the past four games and 49 over the last seven. In 16 games to date, the Orioles have scored six runs or more nine times.

The Orioles have reinstated LHP Keegan Akin from the paternity list and optioned RHP Spenser Watkins to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.

Once Heston Kjerstad started hitting, he didn’t stop.

The No. 2 overall pick by the Orioles out of Arkansas in the 2020 MLB Draft, a player that went 27 months between his last college game and first pro game, he has been making up for lost time since late last season.

The myocarditis diagnosis he dealt with kept him on the sidelines for a long time and it took him time last year – he played his first game for Low Single-A Delmarva on June 10 – to get his stroke back. But now it is back with full force.

He was starting to really swing it late last season for High-A Aberdeen, then was named MVP of the Arizona Fall League. In the first O’s spring training game in March, he homered twice and then he went on to produce an OPS of 1.219 in big league spring training. And now Kjerstad, 24, has quickly, become a handful for Double-A Eastern League pitchers.

“Really, really exciting,” Bowie manager Kyle Moore told me Friday at Prince George’s Stadium. “Got off to the same start that he did in spring training and as he did in the Fall League. It carried over. He looks like a middle of the lineup big league bat. Knows the strike zone as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. That’s exciting.”

Just 15 games into the season and the Orioles are setting a blistering pace for slugging and home runs. The Orioles 2023 HR total is in the top 5 of the American League. Led by Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman, the birds have been belting it out of the park regularly. And that pace could continue. The Birds will soon be facing several teams that lead the majors in home runs allowed.

While the Orioles have been making news for their home run celebrations, some of the fans have had hundreds and thousands of reasons to express their own excitement. Those excited fans are the Maryland Lottery’s Home Run Riches Contestants of the Game. In their first 15 games the Orioles have hit 22 HRs, winning $19,000 for the Lottery’s Home Run Riches Contestants of the Game. 

And as the home run tally climbs, excitement is building for what will be the Orioles’ 50th home run and a $50,000 payout for one of the lucky fans picked in the Maryland Lottery’s Home Run Riches Contestant of the Game promotion. They could get to 50 before the end of May — so now’s the time to enter! Contestants of the Game are drawn monthly, and the winners for the 28 games in May will be selected on April 25. The deadline to be part of that drawing is 11:59 p.m. on April 24. 

The Maryland Lottery is holding monthly drawings to select Contestants of the Game for each of the Orioles’ 162 regular season games. Each winner receives $500 for being picked, and will be designated as the Contestant of the Game for an upcoming Orioles matchup. They’ll also win an additional $500 for each home run the Orioles hit during their designated game. 

In celebration of the Maryland Lottery’s 50th anniversary, the Lottery will also be giving away a second $50,000 prize in the promotion’s final drawing on Aug. 29. 

CHICAGO – Grayson Rodriguez began making the walk from the visiting dugout to the bullpen around 3:04 p.m. local time. Dressed in the black jersey and gray road pants. Wondering what normal must feel like as a major league pitcher.

There was his unexpected debut in his home state of Texas, followed by the first chance to pitch at Camden Yards, where the team celebrated by handing out orange T-shirts to fans that welcomed him to The Show.

The White Sox didn’t offer him the same warm reception.

And they made him wait.

Following a delay of two hours and 22 minutes, Rodriguez finally was cleared beneath dark clouds that brought more rain to throw the first pitch of his third game with the Orioles. He surrendered two home runs and received one mound visit.

After taking the game on Friday night via a comeback win, the Orioles had leads four times in Saturday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox. But they lost 7-6 in 10 innings after gaining leads of 1-0, 4-2, 5-4 and 6-5.

The Orioles (8-7) have been at the .500 mark six times this year at 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6, and it would become seven times should they lose today.

The Orioles are 0-2 in rubber match games, losing 9-5 to Boston on April 2 and 5-3 to the New York Yankees on April 9.

The Orioles have scored six runs in each of the two games in this series. They have scored 20 runs the last three games, and 41 runs the past six games. They have scored 86 runs in 15 games for an average of 5.73 runs per game. They have scored six runs or more eight times this year.

The O’s hit two homers on Saturday as Jorge Mateo and Anthony Santander connected on solo shots. It was No. 3 for Mateo and No. 1 for Santander. Mateo went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and is now batting .350/.413/.625/.1.038. He is one of four Orioles with an OPS of 1.000 or better, led by Ryan O’Hearn (1.371), and also including Adley Rutschman (1.075) and Austin Hays (1.045).

CHICAGO – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said infielder Ramón Urías is much better today after being hit on the left side of his head yesterday by a 96.2 mph sinker.

Urías is in concussion protocol, but the club is waiting on a roster decision.

“It’s a head contusion,” Hyde said. “We’re still doing some further testing, but woke up feeling a lot better, and we feel great about that.”

The ball nailed Urías behind the ear and sent him sprawling to the dirt. He was able to walk off the field under his own power with Hyde and assistant athletic trainer Mark Shires.

“He’s got a pretty big bruise and welt,” Hyde said.

CHICAGO – Orioles infielder Ramón Urías remains in concussion protocol, making him off-limits to the media. He was in the clubhouse this morning, but he’s out of the lineup for the series finale against the White Sox in rainy and windy Chicago.

There’s no sign of infielder Joey Ortiz or a roster move. The Orioles could wait through Monday’s off-day to make their decision.

Manager Brandon Hyde will provide more information during his media session.

Gunnar Henderson is the third baseman today and Adam Frazier is playing second base. Terrin Vavra is in right field.

Anthony Santander is serving as the designated hitter.

CHICAGO - Anthony Santander had identified the issue. He didn’t need more video of his at-bats, though he was willing to keep studying to confirm what he knew.

Santander said this morning that he wasn’t seeing the ball well because he’s late on pitches. Manager Brandon Hyde said he’d like Santander to be a little more on time. They could agree, both on the problem and the supreme confidence that it would subside.

Hyde batted Santander cleanup again today in a 7-6, 10-inning loss to the White Sox. Santander began the day with three hits in his last 35 at-bats, was 0-for-2 against Michael Kopech to strand three runners, and led off the sixth with a game-tying home run.

On a 94 mph fastball.  

The bat speed back to its prime.

CHICAGO – The Orioles could be on the verge of making another roster move.

Infielder Joey Ortiz was in Triple-A Norfolk’s lineup last night as the shortstop and cleanup hitter in Nashville, but the Orioles had him removed as a precaution while infielder Ramón Urías remains in concussion protocol and is assessed by doctors.

Ortiz is on the 40-man roster and a logical replacement if Urías, who has a .388 on-base percentage in 13 games, goes on the seven-day injured list. The organization’s No. 7 prospect might be making his major league debut at some point.

Not the way that the Orioles wanted it to happen.

Urías was drilled on the left side of the head by Kendall Graveman, who lost control of a 96.2 mph sinker. It takes guts to stand at the plate against the White Sox, who have walked 19 batters in the series and clearly are at a loss to command the baseball.

Adam Frazier has proven to be a nice addition to the Orioles through a couple weeks of the new season. He’s providing some veteran leadership for a young clubhouse and his bat has taken a step up from last year through this early stage.

After posting an OPS of just .612 last season with Seattle, he is batting .256/.347/.395/.742 through Saturday with three doubles, two steals, oner homer and five RBIs. He has proven to be an above average contact hitter as his track record shows, with just three strikeouts in 39 at-bats through Friday. And the 6.8 strikeout rate at that point was the third-best in MLB.

“I feel good. Swing is in a good place. Feel like I’ve really been bringing the pitchers into the zone so, yeah, as long as I can stay where I am I’ll be fine,” he said during the recent homestand.

And as for the team’s offensive potential, Frazier said he sees good things.

“I think we’ve seen it a little bit so far. It’s dangerous. Any night we can put up a 10 spot. I think one through nine we really challenge the pitcher. Not like we have any holes. Everybody can put the ball in play and most of these guys can go deep at anytime. Lot of tools," Frazier said. 

After their 6-3 comeback win over the White Sox Friday night, a victory today in the windy city would give the Orioles a series victory over Chicago and a chance to sweep the Sox on Sunday afternoon.

Adley Rutschman’s bases-loaded double on an 0-2 pitch in the seventh inning, turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead and the Orioles went on to win to improve to 8-6.

The AL East standings today

Tampa Bay at 13-1
Toronto at 9-5
Orioles, New York Yankees at 8-6
Boston at 6-8

The Orioles are two games over the .500 mark for the first time this season and have won four of five games. They are 4-3 in road games and are now 5-0 in series-opening games.

CHICAGO – Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter this afternoon against the White Sox, as the Orioles try to guarantee another series win.

Rutschman ranks second in the American League and third in the majors with a .492 on-base percentage. He’s sixth in the majors with a 1.134 OPS.

Ryan Mountcastle’s 19 RBIs continue to lead the majors.

Gunnar Henderson’s 21 strikeouts are tied for most in the American League, but his 12 walks tie Rutschman for first in the AL.  He’s out of the lineup today.

Kyle Gibson is the first Orioles pitcher in modern franchise history to make three starts in his first three appearances with his new team and win each decision. He has a 3.44 ERA and 1.145 WHIP in 18 1/3 innings.

After their first road trip was followed by their first homestand of the 2023 season, the Orioles are back on the road starting tonight. They play three games at Chicago against the White Sox this weekend and play two games in Washington next Tuesday and Wednesday at Nats Park.

Baltimore went 3-3 on that first trip, going 1-2 at Boston and 2-1 at Texas.

The White Sox are 5-8, after going 81-81 last year with a second-place finish in the American League Central. Right now they are trailing Minnesota (9-4) and Cleveland (7-6) in the standings in third place.

They began the year going 2-2 at Houston and since have gone 1-2 versus San Francisco, at Pittsburgh and at Minnesota, where they lost the last two games of that series by 4-3 and 3-1 scores on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Chicago ranks third in the AL in team batting (.263) and eighth in OPS (.728). Their team ERA of 5.79 ranks 13^th in the AL. The White Sox rotation ERA stands at 5.00 (which is 10^th), while their bullpen ERA of 7.01 is the worst in the league.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Recalled RHP Yennier Cano from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Recalled RHP Spenser Watkins from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Placed LHP Keegan Akin on the Paternity List.
• Optioned LHP Cole Irvin to Triple-A Norfolk after yesterday’s game.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• C Anthony Bemboom has cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.