Yard Work: Episode 8

Hey, O's fans. Welcome to another edition of Yard Work. On this week's episode ...

It's hard to believe, but June is here already. And as the weather heats up, so has the competition in the American League East, where it seems the Orioles are always battling it out against a divisional foe. That might not be a bad thing, mind you, as the Birds are 21-13 vs. the AL East and sit just 2 1/2 games out of first place.

On the offensive side of things, did we see Manny Machado return to form during last week's action? Machado was off to a bit of a slow start, but the third baseman tallied hits in all four games against Boston, including two home runs, to break out of a slump. This is a dangerous lineup when firing on even half of its cylinders, and Steve Melewski and I will talk about what that can mean for the Orioles offense.

One cylinder that's been on fire seemingly all year long is outfielder Trey Mancini. After making a splash in five games in 2016, Mancini hasn't slowed down this season, batting .286 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. His emergence as one of the top hitters has meant an everyday spot for him in the lineup and it's likely he'll get some consideration in the race for AL Rookie of the Year.

Yet while Mancini's success has meant more excitement for Orioles fans, it's created a bit of a roster jam on a crowded list of outfielders. Manager Buck Showalter is one of baseball's best at making sure the best lineup takes the field each night, and that can sometimes mean tough decisions when it comes to who plays versus who has a seat on the bench. And for Triple-A outfielder Pedro Álvarez, that's meant an inability to even crack the roster, despite a monstrous May at the plate for the Tides.

Álvarez was expected to make a decision regarding his opt-out clause, which would release him freely from the O's and into the free agent market. Yet as of June 7, Álvarez remains with the Orioles organization in Norfolk as both he and members of the Birds front office try and figure out a way to get him into an already crowded roster. Will we see Álvarez in Baltimore this season? Melewski and I will discuss.

Finally, Sunday was the final game for longtime Orioles broadcaster Fred Manfra. Manfra spent more than 25 years covering games with the Orioles, most recently with 105.7 the FAN and if you've ever enjoyed an O's game on the radio, this is a big loss.

Fortunately for Manfra, he was able to ride off into the sunset, as he plans to enjoy retirement in Florida and spend some much-deserved time with his family. There are so many stories to share on one of the most familiar voices in Orioles history, and we'll look back at Manfra and the impact he had on likely every fan over the last two-plus decades who grew up enjoying Orioles baseball.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @masnSteve and @brianeller1 and subscribe to the Yard Work podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud. Have a question or a topic you'd like us to discuss? Leave a comment below!

Note: The Yard Work podcast will be recorded each week; therefore, all Orioles records and statistics will be current at time of recording, but may be different when podcast is downloaded. Please don't hold that against us