While the Orioles are flashing their power tonight with four home runs, top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings at Triple-A Norfolk and walked off the mound with an athletic trainer after a lengthy conversation that included manager Buck Britton and pitching coach Justin Ramsey.

Rodriguez exited the game against Jacksonville with right lat discomfort, according to the Orioles. He’ll undergo further testing.

There’s nothing wrong with his elbow, which is the good news, but it's too early to know whether his next outing is in jeopardy.

John Means has dealt with a similar issue for several years, at times able to pitch through it and others missing weeks.

The latissimus dorsi is a large muscle covering the width of the middle and lower back.  It connects the bone of the upper arm to the spine and the hip.

The Orioles were expected to make a roster move this afternoon after left-hander Zac Lowther covered 5 1/3 innings last night. There was no reason to keep him in the bullpen while being unavailable for at least three days.

Lowther was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, with Denyi Reyes returning to the club. Reyes can provide length out of the bullpen.

Manager Brandon Hyde appreciates that Lowther aided the ‘pen last night with an extended appearance, though the final line included six runs (five earned), plus two inherited from Bryan Baker.

“Zac did a great job for us,” Hyde said. “The first couple innings were a little rough. Once the game got to where it was, we really needed him to go as long as he possibly could, and he did that. I told him I appreciated the effort and I appreciated him staying out there for us. It allowed me not to use some other guys that I wouldn’t want to use in that type of situation, and unfortunately that’s just kind of the way the game goes. You option guys down.

“We got Denyi Reyes up here because of what he did in Boston and the things he’s done here to give us some relief help.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn’t carry any delusions of a long start tonight by Bryan Baker. He wasn’t raising the bar to three innings. This was strictly an opener arrangement followed by, if it worked as planned and hoped, significant coverage from Zac Lowther until Hyde could begin calling upon some of his high-leverage relievers.

The game didn’t reach the point where a tie or lead needed to be protected. The Orioles were in damage control. Live to play another night.

Baker was charged with three runs in 1 2/3 innings, Lowther let two inherited runners score and six of his own over 5 1/3, one unearned after a Ramón Urías error that assisted the Mariners in sending 10 batters to the plate in the third, and the Orioles began their homestand with a 10-0 loss.

Lowther retired 12 of 13 beginning with the final out in the third inning and got into the seventh at 100 pitches. Marcos Diplán didn't let the Mariners score in 1 1/3, and infielder Chris Owings made his second career pitching appearance in the ninth, allowing one run on two doubles.

Owings was trusted with 1 2/3 innings for the Royals in 2019 and surrendered four runs and six hits, including two homers. He allowed a leadoff double tonight to Eugenio Suárez after starting him with a 49 mph slider, induced a ground ball and shallow fly, and was burned by Taylor Trammell’s double down the right field line.

Zac Lowther and his family made plans for Memorial Day. Just relax on the beach, enjoy the break that minor league players receive on Mondays.

Then came the phone call at 11 a.m. from Triple-A Norfolk pitching coach Justin Ramsey.

“Normally,” Lowther said, “he’s not the one to call me.”

Lowther was told to get on a flight to Baltimore. The beach would have to wait for another morning.

Bags were packed for Lowther, his wife Brianna and 18-month-old daughter Isabelle. Not the stuff they’d take to the shore.

Cedric Mullins is leading off and playing center field tonight after getting a rest day for the final game in Boston.

Adley Rutschman is catching and batting fifth, followed by first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.

Ramón Urías is the third baseman again. Rougned Odor gets the start at second base against Mariners right-hander George Kirby.

Bryan Baker is making his second start. Left-hander Zac Lowther was recalled to provide a fresh bullpen arm and provide length.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Trey Mancini DH
Anthony Santander RF
Austin Hays LF
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Rougned Odor 2B
Ramón Urías 3B
Jorge Mateo SS

The Orioles have chosen a bullpen game tonight to begin their series against the Mariners at Camden Yards.

Right-hander Bryan Baker is making his second start. He did the same in St. Louis on May 12 and tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit, no walks and three strikeouts.

Baker’s last appearance came in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader in Boston. He threw 31 pitches and didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings.

Mariners rookie George Kirby, the 20^th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Elon University, is making his fifth major league start tonight. He’s allowed 10 earned runs (12 total) and 23 hits in 20 innings, with two walks and 20 strikeouts.

A May 8 debut against the Rays produced six scoreless innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. He’s allowed nine runs and 16 hits in his last two starts over 10 innings.

BOSTON – The Orioles got loud in the first inning tonight against a soft-tossing left-hander who gave up nothing against them in an earlier game.

Rich Hill was down a couple runs just three batters into his start. The outs also made noise. There was no hangover for the Orioles after the previous day’s lopsided defeat.

Hangovers and loud noises don’t mix anyway.

Ryan Mountcastle hopped out of the batter’s box after crushing a full-count curveball, hoping to land on the other side of his slump. Ramón Urías got into the act in the third with a two-run shot to dead center field measured at 422 feet.

Tyler Wells grabbed lots of attention by shutting out the Red Sox over six innings, the longest scoreless outing of his career, Mountcastle had four hits, and the Orioles defeated the Red Sox 10-0 at Fenway Park.

BOSTON – The Orioles are waiting until Tuesday morning to announce their starter for the series opener against the Mariners at Camden Yards. Kyle Bradish starts Wednesday, followed by Jordan Lyles on Thursday in his 300^th career game.

A pitcher could come up from Triple-A Norfolk or manager Brandon Hyde goes with another bullpen game to piece together nine innings.

The Tides are off tonight and list DL Hall as Tuesday’s starter.

Grayson Rodriguez isn't going to be promoted to work on short rest.

Left-hander Zac Lowther would be on normal rest if the Orioles summoned him, he’s on the 40-man roster and he held Gwinnett to two runs over five innings in his last appearance. However, he’s sporting a 6.67 ERA and 1.652 WHIP in 10 games and is averaging almost four walks per nine innings.

BOSTON – The Orioles still can claim the five-game series against the Red Sox with a victory tonight that concludes their homestand.

The teams have split the first four games, with the Red Sox cruising yesterday to a 12-2 win.

“We just need to let this one go,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’ve been playing good baseball, we’ve played competitively this entire trip.”

Cedric Mullins begins tonight’s game on the bench, with Ryan McKenna in center field.

Austin Hays is leading off and playing right field. Anthony Santander is in left field and batting cleanup.

BOSTON - With years spent dumping out my mailbag, making snow angels with the contents, reading the questions and spending way too much time searching for movie sequel titles that I haven’t already used, I’d like to switch it up and provide some inquiries of my own.

See how the other half lives.

Nothing about timelines for major league promotions, players to be named later or casseroles. And especially not casseroles to be named later.

Sorry to bore you.

And I’m limiting myself to only three off the top of my head.

BOSTON – Bruce Zimmermann spun on the mound again, the sound of the contact telling him where the ball was going to land. He watched anyway. And then he needed to figure out quickly how to eliminate the mistakes and hope the Orioles had more rallies inside of them.

He couldn’t, and they didn’t.

Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run homer in the second inning, and Franchy Cordero drove a slider 448 feet into the center field bleachers before Zimmermann recorded the last out. And a bump turned into a mountain.

Rafael Devers led off the third with a 434-foot shot to right-center, the ball leaving his bat at 110.7 mph, Christian Arroyo and Kiké Hernandez cleared the Green Monster in the fourth, and the Red Sox rolled past the Orioles 12-2 at sun-splashed Fenway Park.

Zimmermann surrendered one home run in his first six starts, but opponents have hit nine in his last two and 12 in his last four.

BOSTON – Denyi Reyes went from a modest signing back in November, a minor league contract that barely drew notice, to his first major league start tonight. Against the team that let him go as a free agent.

These stories can swerve in any direction. A tale of redemption or bitter disappointment.

Reyes had some fun with it, neither vindictive nor victorious.

Jorge López had his own family story and it produced a beautiful chapter, his 9-year-old son Mikael able to watch him pitch, to record a four-out save. 

The night couldn't have gone any better.

BOSTON – Orioles minor league infielder Terrin Vavra has recovered from a hamstring injury and is completing his work at extended spring training.

His next stop is High-A Aberdeen to begin a rehab assignment that eventually will bring him back to Triple-A Norfolk.

Vavra, the No. 14 prospect in the organization per MLBPipeline.com, appeared in 13 games with the Tides and batted .327/.436/.423 with three doubles and a triple in 63 plate appearances.

Outfielder Yusniel Diaz is much farther away from returning to Norfolk.

Diaz injured his hamstring again and hasn’t appeared in a game since May 13. He’s in a progression with the team’s rehab crew in Sarasota, Fla.

BOSTON – Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann is on the mound today as the Orioles try to guarantee a series win at Fenway Park.

The Orioles have won two of the first three games. The series concludes Monday night.

Zimmermann has a 3.78 ERA and 1.217 WHIP in nine starts. He surrendered one home run in his first six, but has allowed seven in his last three games.

Adley Rutschman is the designated hitter after catching last night. He’s 5-for-28 (.179) with a triple in seven games.

Trey Mancini is in left field and Austin Hays is on the bench.

BOSTON – The question comes at Anthony Santander in English, he smiles and raises both arms in mock triumph.

Santander doesn’t really need the team interpreter, Brandon Quinones, but keeps him close to pass along the responses. Never to relay the question unless it gets real complicated.

This one was easy yesterday morning. Santander nailed it less than halfway through.

“You drew your 23rd walk, which ties your total …”

And so begins the humorous celebration at his locker.

BOSTON – Ryan McKenna is in left field tonight for Game 2, whenever it’s able to begin.

The rain is much lighter now, but it's still coming down and there’s more in the forecast.

Adley Rutschman is catching and batting fifth behind first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Austin Hays is in right field and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter.

Trey Mancini is one of the reserves.

The Orioles are 2-3 on their road trip and 7-17 away from home this season.

BOSTON – Alex Verdugo took a few steps toward the historic left field wall, waited for the ball to slam against the base of the light tower and heaved his glove in the air, hoping to knock it down upon its return to the field. A signature move on the playground.

Catcher Robinson Chirinos’ two-run homer tied the game in the fifth inning, the eighth ball hit by the Orioles against Nathan Eovaldi with an exit velocity of 100 mph or more.

Would the Orioles rush past the Red Sox, as they did last night by scoring 10 runs in the final three innings? Today’s comeback attempt in the opening game of a doubleheader didn’t cover nearly as much ground. They didn’t trail twice by six.

They didn’t ride the momentum, if there’s such a thing, to another win.

Bobby Dalbec’s first career pinch-hit home run broke the tie in the sixth, the Red Sox tacked on an insurance run in the seventh, and Eovaldi went the distance in a 5-3 victory at Fenway Park.

BOSTON – The Orioles designated infielder Jahmai Jones for assignment this morning to create room on the 40-man roster for pitcher Cody Sedlock, whose contract they selected from Triple-A Norfolk.

Sedlock is in the bullpen for today's doubleheader. Jones is in limbo a day after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Jones was acquired from the Angels on Feb. 2, 2021 for starter Alex Cobb. He appeared in 26 games last season and went 10-for-67 (.149) with a .402 OPS.

Reliever Beau Sulser was optioned after allowing two runs and seven hits last night in three innings. Denyi Reyes is the 27th man for the doubleheader after the Orioles recalled him, and manager Brandon Hyde said the right-hander probably will start the nightcap.

The plan would change if Reyes, set for his first major league start and second appearance, is needed in relief for the opener.

BOSTON – The Orioles will begin a day-night doubleheader today at Fenway Park with veteran Jordan Lyles starting the opening game and apparently finish it with Denyi Reyes in the nightcap.

Reyes hasn’t been announced, but the Orioles selected the contract of former first-round draft pick Cody Sedlock from Triple-A Norfolk this morning and he’s in the bullpen.

Beau Sulser isn’t listed among the relievers.

A 40-man roster move is coming to accommodate Sedlock, who leaves the taxi squad and awaits his major league debut.

Reyes would be making his first major league start and only his second appearance. He tossed two scoreless and hitless relief innings on May 13 in Detroit.

BOSTON – The major league education of Orioles rookie Kyle Bradish was bound to bring some hard lessons. No matter how much he earned his promotion. No matter how many Triple-A batters couldn’t touch him.

There’s no substitute for pitching in the American League East. Just as it's hard to match the thrill of a completed rally against one of its hottest teams.

Four of Bradish’s six starts have come within the division, and what’s supposed to constitute a break of sorts are games against the first-place Twins and the Cardinals in St. Louis.

The Red Sox saw Bradish for a second time tonight and handled him in an aggressive manner, scoring six runs in 1 2/3 innings. But the Orioles also showed him the value in pitching for a team that won’t let up. That stays engaged in the dugout and treats deficits like minor inconveniences.

The Orioles scored three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game and four more in the ninth to post a stunning 12-8 win at Fenway Park - their 11th comeback win of the year.