Orioles recall Cole Sulser, give Trey Mancini the day off

The Orioles filled the opening on their 26-man roster today by recalling reliever Cole Sulser from the alternate training site in Bowie.

Sulser is riding the proverbial shuttle. He broke camp with the team, was optioned to make room for reliever Shawn Armstrong and served as the 27th man in Thursday's doubleheader.

In two appearances, Sulser has tossed three scoreless innings with no walks and five strikeouts. He was on the taxi squad.

Dean Kremer was optioned late last night because the Orioles don't need a fifth starter with two off-days this week. Kremer must stay down for 10 days unless replacing an injured player.

His return lines up with the day that the Orioles require the use of a fifth starter. It makes sense.

Trey Mancini gets his first day off this afternoon as the Orioles go for the sweep in Texas.

Mancini is slashing .172/.234/.379 in 15 games, but he produced the go-ahead RBI double last night. He also had his first multi-hit game since April 4.

"Every time when I see Trey go to the batter's box, I always think something good is going to happen," said third baseman Maikel Franco. "He's a great hitter. I always think he's going to do a good thing for us."

Said manager Brandon Hyde: "He hasn't seen major league pitching in over a year, so it's not easy to do. I just want him to relax and have at-bats and not try to carry us in any way or think he's got to be a main contributor. I just want him to be himself and get back into the swing of things."

Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman again today, with Rio Ruiz serving as designated hitter. Chance Sisco is catching and Ramón Urías is the second baseman.

DJ Stewart remains in left field.

John Means has allowed four runs and 13 hits in 16 2/3 innings. He's faced the Rangers twice in his career and allowed three runs in 12 2/3 innings.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson, the Twins' first-round pick in the 2009 draft out of the University of Missouri, is 2-0 in three starts this month, but he's allowed six earned runs (seven total) and 14 hits with six walks in 13 1/3 innings. He's 6-2 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.404 WHIP in 11 career starts against the Orioles.

Gibson and Twins reliever Ryan Pressly had a combined no-hitter through seven innings of a March 31, 2018 start at Camden Yards. Jonathan Schoop singled with two outs in the eighth.

Gibson held the Orioles hitless for six innings.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Anthony Santander RF
DJ Stewart LF
Maikel Franco 3B
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Rio Ruiz DH
Freddy Galvis SS
Chance Sisco C
Ramón Urías 2B

John Means LHP