Strop goes on DL

Strop goes on DL
The Orioles officially recalled pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk today and placed reliever Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list with a lower-back strain. Strop, 27, is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in 22 appearances for the Orioles this season, allowing 12 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. His control has been the biggest issue. He's walked 14 batters, including two in one-third of an inning Thursday night in Toronto. Strop also served up a grand slam to Edwin Encarnacion, contributing to a...

Valencia serving as DH today

Valencia serving as DH today
Danny Valencia is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter today. He won't be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for pitcher Steve Johnson. Yamaico Navarro is starting at second base again today, and Chris Snyder is behind the plate. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Danny Valencia DH Yamaico Navarro 2B Chris Snyder CC Freddy Garcia RHP For the Blue Jays Melky Cabrera LF Jose Bautista RF Edwin...

A look at Garcia and the offense (Steve Johnson joining team in Toronto)

A look at Garcia and the offense (Steve Johnson joining team in Toronto)
The Orioles needed to sleep fast last night, as manager Buck Showalter says, with a 1:07 p.m. game today against the Toronto Blue Jays. Freddy Garcia will make his fifth start for the Orioles, which may be four more than some folks anticipated when the Orioles first selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk. Garcia has gone at least six innings in three of his outings, but he's still searching for his first win as an Oriole. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his debut in...

Tillman done after five innings (O's win 10-6)

Tillman done after five innings (O's win 10-6)
Chris Tillman's streak of quality starts has ended at six tonight, but he leaves the game with a 10-3 lead. Seems like a fair trade. Tillman allowed a season-high 10 hits, but he also tied his season high with seven strikeouts and didn't walk a batter. Tillman also fanned seven against Oakland on April 27 and May 14 against San Diego. Tillman still hasn't allowed more than three runs since April 17 against Tampa Bay. This is Tillman's first start at Rogers Centre since Sept. 24, 2010....

Markakis keys Orioles' early onslaught (Tillman update)

Markakis keys Orioles' early onslaught (Tillman update)
Toronto left-hander Sean Nolin received a rude introduction to the majors tonight, courtesy of Nick Markakis and the Orioles. Nolin lasted only 1 1/3 innings and left with the Orioles leading 6-1. Markakis led off the top of the first with a single and later scored on J.J. Hardy's three run homer. He brought home three runs in the second inning with a bases-loaded double, making him 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run scored. Markakis now has a nine-game hitting streak, going 14-for-37 (.378)...

Steve Johnson scratched from Norfolk start (and notes)

Steve Johnson scratched from Norfolk start (and notes)
Steve Johnson won't make tonight's start for Triple-A Norfolk, but it isn't a health-related decision by the Orioles. According to a member of the organization, Johnson is being kept available in case the Orioles need to recall him Saturday as an extra reliever. Tonight's game in Toronto may dictate whether a roster move is forthcoming. Left-hander Chris Jones, acquired from the Braves for reliever Luis Ayala, is starting tonight for Norfolk. Johnson made one start with the Orioles this...

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups (Braddock released)

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups (Braddock released)
Adam Jones is back in center field tonight for the Orioles after serving as the designated hitter for three consecutive games. Danny Valencia is the DH against the Toronto Blue Jays, and Yamaico Navarro gets the start at second base. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is batting third. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C Danny Valencia DH Steve Pearce LF Yamaico Navarro 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Jays: Melky Cabrera LF Jose...

Notes on Machado, Tillman and Nolin (and more Machado)

Notes on Machado, Tillman and Nolin (and more Machado)
The Orioles just tweeted an interesting fact regarding third baseman Manny Machado, who continues to swing a hot bat away from Camden Yards. Not that it's been ice cold at home, but check this out: Machado has three hits in each of his last four road games. According to Elias, the only other player younger than 21 with a streak of four or more consecutive road games with at least three hits was Ty Cobb, who had five straight road games with at least three hits from Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 1907....

Taking another look at Patton and Strop

Taking another look at Patton and Strop
Jim Johnson's slumps are the most noticeable in the Orioles' bullpen because he's the closer. Leads and games are usually lost if he surrenders a run or more. He's not looking for company in the misery department, but he's got it. Troy Patton replaced starter Kevin Gausman last night and issued back-to-back walks, including one to the Blue Jays' No. 9 hitter, Munenori Kawasaki, that started the trouble. He was charged with two runs when Pedro Strop served up Edwin Encarnacion's grand...

Walks trip up Orioles in 12-6 loss

Walks trip up Orioles in 12-6 loss
The Orioles used four pitchers tonight at Rogers Centre, and they each issued two walks. My math is poor, but that adds up to eight free passes. Not good. The Orioles also committed two errors, by first baseman Chris Davis and shortstop J.J. Hardy, and catcher Matt Wieters had a passed ball in the Orioles' 12-6 loss to the Blue Jays. Factor in the 11 hits that Toronto accumulated tonight, and it's no wonder that the Orioles dropped the first game of the series. Edwin Encarnacion's grand...

Some firsts for Gausman (Markakis and Jones go back-to-back)

Some firsts for Gausman (Markakis and Jones go back-to-back)
Kevin Gausman's first major league pitch tonight was a 96 mph fastball that Toronto's Melky Cabrera took for a ball. His first strike came on the next pitch, a 95 mph heater. The first hit that he allowed was Cabrera's single up the middle on a 98 mph fastball. The first out came against the next batter, Jose Bautista, who flied to center on an 84 mph changeup. The first strikeout came against the next batter, Edwin Encarnacion, on a 97 mph fastball. Adam Lind struck out on an 85 mph...

Arrieta optioned, Burnett designated for assignment

Arrieta optioned, Burnett designated for assignment
The Orioles made two roster moves today to accommodate pitcher Kevin Gausman, who had his contract selected from Double-A Bowie and will make his major league debut tonight in Toronto. Pitcher Jake Arrieta was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to create room on the 25-man roster, and reliever Alex Burnett was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster. Arrieta didn't pitch for the Orioles after being recalled on May 18 as an extra bullpen arm. He was a candidate to start...

Gausman debuts, Jones remains the DH

Gausman debuts, Jones remains the DH
Kevin Gausman makes his major league debut tonight for the Orioles, who begin a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Gausman is the 11th starter used by the Orioles this season, one short of their 2012 total. He's the third Oriole to make his major league debut this year, joining Zach Clark and T.J. McFarland. Adam Jones remains the designated hitter tonight, the third straight game that he's been kept out of center field. Alexi Casilla gets the start at second...

A scout's take on Gausman

A scout's take on Gausman
In case you missed it, Kevin Gausman will make his major league debut tonight in Toronto. I'm kidding, of course. Gausman will face the Blue Jays, but nobody has missed it. That's pretty much all that fans and the media can talk/write about. I spoke with a scout from outside the organization who watched Gausman in spring training and at Double-A Bowie. His first words were, "I think he's ready." Actually, his first words were "Hello, Roch," but you get the idea. "I don't think...

Wieters dishes on Gausman before moving behind plate

Wieters dishes on Gausman before moving behind plate
Kevin Gausman will garner most of the attention tonight in his major league debut in Toronto, but keep an eye on the man behind the mask. Not the plate umpire, though would it surprise anyone if he ended up in the middle of a controversy? I'm referring to catcher Matt Wieters, who will guide Gausman through his first start. Keeping Gausman from getting too amped up will be one of Wieters' most important tasks. "It's kind of my job every night, to try to get those pitchers in the mindset...

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win
Orioles manager Buck Showalter finally confirmed that Kevin Gausman will start Thursday night's game in Toronto. The corresponding move won't be announced until earlier in the day. "They're deciding who they're going to pitch second day in. I'd kind of like to see who that's going to be between a left- and right-hander before we do something," he said. Showalter indicated that he would be willing to go with a short bench and keep the extra bullpen arm, with the uncertainty surrounding...

Hammel keeps the quality coming (O's win 6-3)

Hammel keeps the quality coming (O's win 6-3)
Orioles starter Jason Hammel kept the rotation on its recent roll tonight. Hammel labored early, but he became the fourth consecutive Orioles pitcher to complete six innings. And he kept going, striking out Reid Brignac and Austin Romine in the seventh before manager Buck Showalter signaled for left-hander Brian Matusz. OK, Kevin Gausman, it's your turn. Hammel tied his longest outing of the season at 6 2/3 innings. He allowed two runs and six hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. He...

Orioles ambush Kuroda in first inning (Wieters homers)

Orioles ambush Kuroda in first inning (Wieters homers)
Hiroki Kuroda shut out the Orioles on five hits in his first start against them on April 14 in New York. Tonight, the Orioles strung together four hits with two outs in the first inning and took a 3-0 lead. I'm pretty sure that's Kuroda on the mound, but he doesn't resemble the same pitcher who shut them down with such ease in the Bronx. Kuroda had allowed three home runs in his first nine starts. He served up two in the first inning tonight, with Nick Markakis clearing the fence in...

More notes and quotes before tonight's game

More notes and quotes before tonight's game
Orioles manager Buck Showalter passed along a lot of credit today to the LSU coaching staff for preparing Kevin Gausman for the professional level. The staff includes former Orioles bullpen coach Alan Dunn, who's now the Tigers' pitching coach. "They did a great job with him at LSU, Alan Dunn," Showalter said. "He came with pretty good times to the plate from the stretch. He came with some things, and that's why he was so intriguing in the draft. "He's going to face the best hitters...

Showalter on Gausman

Showalter on Gausman
Orioles manager Buck Showalter still won't confirm Kevin Gausman as Thursday night's starter against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. However, Gausman is on the taxi squad today, he's flying with the team to Toronto later tonight and he's going to start the series opener. The Orioles will just wait until Thursday afternoon to make the move official. They will have to remove players from the 25- and 40-man rosters. Jake Arrieta is the logical choice to be optioned back to Triple-A...