Orioles recall Burdi and McKenna

Orioles recall Burdi and McKenna
The Orioles are carrying a four-man bench in Toronto today after recalling reliever Zack Burdi and outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk. Spots were opened yesterday with the Orioles optioning pitchers Paul Fry and Spenser Watkins. Burdi, a former first-round pick out of the University of Louisville, was selected off waivers from the White Sox on Aug. 18. He has an 8.27 ERA and 1.898 WHIP in 14 major league relief appearances covering 16 1/3 innings, but he averages 12.7 strikeouts per...
    

Mateo moving fast into Orioles' future plans

Mateo moving fast into Orioles' future plans
The freedom to expand their roster by two players on Wednesday also is going to increase the Orioles' level of health. Lowering the chances of the bench running out of available bodies. Anthony Santander is playing with a sore ankle. Ramón Urías is dealing with soreness in his upper right leg and groin area. Jorge Mateo was unavailable for a few days with discomfort in his lower back. DJ Stewart had a sore knee that kept him on the bench. Pedro Severino also was restricted by a sore knee...
    

Harvey retires 16 in a row, but O's lose 6-3 (updated)

Harvey retires 16 in a row, but O's lose 6-3 (updated)
Ditching a 19-game losing streak and winning two in a row created a positive energy with the Orioles that couldn't withstand the cold water dumped on it tonight. By a team that brings its own buckets. The Rays maintained their hold on the Orioles tonight, scoring three runs in the first and seventh innings with nothing in between, and registering a 6-3 victory before an announced crowd of 7,155 at Camden Yards. Matt Harvey retired the last 16 batters he faced, beginning with his strikeout that...
    

Elias on September expansion, Diaz, Rutschman and more

Elias on September expansion, Diaz, Rutschman and more
The constant glimpses into the future, where many of the Orioles maintain their gaze for as long as the days allow, isn't just for the 2022 season and beyond. It isn't just about where the finish line to the rebuild might be placed. There's the task of figuring out which players to call up in September and in what increments with rosters expanding only to 28. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias tackled that subject yesterday while sitting in the dugout during batting...
    

Orioles tie longest losing streak of season at 14 games (updated)

Orioles tie longest losing streak of season at 14 games (updated)
The Orioles bolted to an early lead tonight and lost their offensive touch. Their starter ran up a high pitch count that threatened his removal by the middle innings. Manager Brandon Hyde tries to find new methods to pull the Orioles out of their old ways, whether it's with his personnel or how he gets them to the ballpark. Tonight's lineup underwent drastic changes based more on health than a hunch. What's it going to take to form a congratulatory line after the final out rather than...
    

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
As the oddities of the 2021 season stack up like bar Jenga, though they never crash to the floor, I have to admit that I didn't anticipate how running out of first basemen would be one of the pieces. I must have blocked it out. The Orioles were criticized for having too many corner outfield/first base types. OK, perhaps. I've probably said it a few times. But Ryan Mountcastle goes on the concussion injured list, Trey Mancini suddenly is starting every night at first after settling in as the...
    

Mountcastle reinstated from concussion list

Mountcastle reinstated from concussion list
The Orioles will have a healthy first baseman on their roster for tonight's game against the Rays. With Trey Mancini hobbling and Ryan Mountcastle moving past concussion protocol, the rookie has been reinstated from the injured list and likely will be in the lineup as the Orioles attempt to end a 12-game losing streak. Outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned again to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for Mountcastle, who left an Aug. 6 game against the Rays at Camden Yards after absorbing a hard tag...
    

Orioles add Abad and Wade to bullpen, plus lineups (updated)

Orioles add Abad and Wade to bullpen, plus lineups (updated)
The expected bullpen changes came today, with the Orioles designating Adam Plutko for assignment and optioning Dusten Knight to Triple-A Norfolk. In their place, the Orioles selected the contracts of Konner Wade and veteran left-hander Fernando Abad from Norfolk. They made room on the 40-man roster by transferring left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to the 60-day injured list. Plutko allowed home runs in a club-record six relief appearances in a row. He posted a 6.71 ERA and 1.633 WHIP in 38...
    

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
The Orioles continue their series in Boston this afternoon, trying to end a nine-game losing streak and with Jorge López attempting to complete six innings in his third consecutive start. López has allowed three runs and five hits in 12 innings this month, with seven walks and nine strikeouts. He's made two starts against the Red Sox this season and allowed eight runs and 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings. He owns a career 8.62 ERA and 1.532 WHIP in four appearances (two starts) against the Red...
    

Orioles bullpen folds again in eighth in 9-6 loss (updated)

Orioles bullpen folds again in eighth in 9-6 loss (updated)
The Orioles closed out their series against the Rays today trying to dodge a sweep and keep the runs allowed under 10 for the first time in five games, with one of their best hitters removed from the active roster and a couple other starters banged up on the bench. A volatile bullpen received a fresh arm. The Orioles needed a fresh start. Cedric Mullins gave them a hot one with his leadoff home run in the first inning, making him the seventh player in Orioles history with a 20/20 season...
    

More thoughts on need to evaluate Martin and Mateo

More thoughts on need to evaluate Martin and Mateo
Maikel Franco spent almost a month trying to come back from a sprained ankle. His pursuit of a foul ball in Houston leading to a spill on the warning track and an injury that coincided with Ryan McKenna's catch for the last out of the game. Franco has resumed his role as the everyday third baseman, but do the arrivals of Richie Martin and Jorge Mateo impact him? The Orioles cleared out two third basemen recently by optioning Kelvin Gutiérrez and having Domingo Leyba designated for...
    

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Ryan Mountcastle is out of the Orioles lineup tonight after undergoing an evaluation last night for a concussion. Mountcastle was removed from last night's game after two innings. He took a hard tag from Wander Franco on the side of his head in the first on a failed stolen base attempt. Trey Mancini is starting at first base and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter. Maikel Franco is starting at third base and the Orioles are going with a double play combination of Jorge Mateo at second...
    

Martin: "I'm excited, obviously, to be here"

Martin: "I'm excited, obviously, to be here"
Richie Martin played five games on his injury rehab assignment and was redirected to New York. Never assuming that the Orioles wanted him back at Triple-A Norfolk. Just grateful for another chance in the majors. He's still waiting for his first start since Sept. 29, 2019 in Boston, happily settling last night for an entrance in the sixth inning as shortstop Ramón Urías' replacement. Martin had back-to-back two-hit games to conclude his Rule 5 season, including a double and home run. He...
    

Orioles and Tigers lineups

Orioles and Tigers lineups
Austin Hays is leading off today and playing left field and Ryan McKenna is in center as the Orioles close out their series in Detroit and attempt to win three of four games. Maikel Franco moves up to fifth in the lineup. Pat Valaika is playing shortstop. Austin Wynns is behind the plate. Cedric Mullins and Ramón Urías get a breather. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter today. He has 10 hits and seven RBIs in his last 10 games. Spenser Watkins is making his fifth major league start...
    

Orioles and Tigers lineups (updated)

Orioles and Tigers lineups (updated)
Anthony Santander is the cleanup hitter tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Tigers in Detroit. Santander is starting in right field and DJ Stewart is in left. Austin Hays is on the bench. Pat Valaika remains in the lineup at second base. Pedro Severino is catching again tonight. He homered twice last night for his second career multi-homer game, and has hit three in the last two games. He's 5-for-14 in his last four games. Severino is batting .333/.400/.767 in his last...
    

What's left to look forward to after the trade deadline?

What's left to look forward to after the trade deadline?
The trade talk is silenced. Another important date is crossed off baseball's calendar. Unless you get excited over expanded September rosters - and only two additional players may be added in 2021 - there isn't much left beyond the actual games. For the Orioles, attention to the minors only intensifies. Like the Adley Rutschman watch as he keeps pushing for a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk. It can't be much longer. And how convenient if he simply has to go from Richmond, where Double-A Bowie...
    

Cabrera homers twice and Orioles lose 6-2 (updated)

Cabrera homers twice and Orioles lose 6-2 (updated)
Over the past few hours, the Orioles attempted to win a game in Detroit, find a trade partner and gain more clarity on their roster heading into the weekend. They went 0-for-3. Casey Mize was only partially to blame. Rookie Alexander Wells surrendered four runs in five innings, Mize carried a shutout into the seventh, the Tigers won 6-2 and manager Brandon Hyde concluded his postgame Zoom call with the same players who made the ride from the team hotel to Comerica Park earlier in the...
    

O's game blog: Road trip begins in Detroit

O's game blog: Road trip begins in Detroit
As the Orioles begin a two-city, seven-game road trip tonight, left-hander Alexander Wells (1-0, 4.35 ERA) will make his fourth major league appearance and his second start. The 24-year-old Wells faces Detroit in the opener of a three-game series. Wells is pitching on seven days rest after getting his first start last Wednesday on the road against Tampa Bay. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs with two walks and seven strikeouts on 93 pitches. He used his fastball for 47...
    

Orioles lineup vs. Tigers and game notes

Orioles lineup vs. Tigers and game notes
Can the Orioles produce another ninth inning win? If so, it's going to happen in Detroit, where they begin a four-game series against the Tigers. Austin Hays is in right field tonight with Ryan McKenna in left. DJ Stewart is batting fourth as the designated hitter. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Ryan Mountcastle is on the bench. Domingo Leyba gets another start at second base and Austin Wynns is catching. McKenna's bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning last night was the club's first...
    

Ryan McKenna looks to make the most of his MLB opportunity

Ryan McKenna looks to make the most of his MLB opportunity
For 24-year-old outfielder Ryan McKenna, it has been a season spent riding the Norfolk-Baltimore shuttle and trying to learn and grow as a player wherever he is on a given night. He's now had six separate stints in the big leagues this year, and if Anthony Santander returns to the active roster soon, he could be on the move again. But for however long he's with the big club in this current stay, he'll try to soak up knowledge and experience. "You know, just gathering as much information and...