And still a few more highlights from 2021

And still a few more highlights from 2021
While wondering if the ball dropping on New Year's Eve impacts a team's dWAR ... Does a high-profile, highly paid player missing an entire season due to injury, surgery and an August retirement qualify as a memorable moment in 2021? Chris Davis belongs on the list, wherever he's slotted. Davis made an impact without dressing for a single game in the regular season, quitting with one year remaining on his franchise-record $161 million contract. Two at-bats in the Orioles' first spring...

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...

Another debut on deck for Orioles

Another debut on deck for Orioles
The land of opportunity opened its doors to another newcomer yesterday. Conner Greene went from taxi squad pitcher to Triple-A Norfolk's bullpen to Camden Yards, where he's trying to become the 12th Oriole to make his major league debut this season. The club record, which I botched earlier this year due to an erroneous article found in a Google search, is 15 in 2018. The previous mark was 14 in 1955, followed by 12 in 2012 and 2001, per STATS research. I'd challenge anyone to name the 15...

Non-roster players keep getting chances with Orioles

Non-roster players keep getting chances with Orioles
The Orioles drafted a second baseman in the second round, Connor Norby of East Carolina University, but he isn't blocking Jahmai Jones. I already saw and approved that joke on Twitter. Norby is praised by scouts for his solid tools across the board. He's a career .392/.458/.596 hitter at East Carolina. He led the nation with 102 hits this year. But I'm betting that Jones beats him to the majors. Any takers? Jones is batting .279 with an .863 OPS after Tuesday night's single and triple and...

Walks and woozy bullpen team to topple Orioles 12-1 (updated)

Walks and woozy bullpen team to topple Orioles 12-1 (updated)
Manager Brandon Hyde can laugh now about the play Wednesday night that began as a blown call on a missed catch by left fielder Ryan McKenna and resulted in a run scoring and no outs recorded rather than the triple play that the Orioles thought might be possible. Catch a break? The Orioles are overdue, as Hyde noted. Anthony Santander slid into second base with an apparent double tonight leading off the fourth inning and removed his shin guard, an umpire signaled home run after the ball bounced...

Orioles claim Shaun Anderson off waivers (plus lineups)

Orioles claim Shaun Anderson off waivers (plus lineups)
The roster moves keep coming for the Orioles. They've barely taken a breath today. Pitcher Shaun Anderson was claimed off waivers from the Rangers and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Pitcher Konner Wade was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Also, Stevie Wilkerson cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Norfolk. Anderson, 26, was a third-round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2016 out of the University of Florida. He pitched for the Giants in 2019-20 and the...

Jahmai Jones: "I'm definitely happy to have a fan base in Baltimore"

Jahmai Jones: "I'm definitely happy to have a fan base in Baltimore"
The Orioles are continuing their series against the Angels in Anaheim tonight with former teammate Alex Cobb providing the opposition. A face-to-faces reminder of the Feb. 2 trade that provided some salary relief, though the Orioles included $10 million in the deal, and shaved years of experience off the rotation. Cobb had his season interrupted by a recurrence of the blister issues that dogged him with the Orioles. He's made 11 starts and posted a 5.09 ERA and 1.302 WHIP, averaging a...

Mountcastle chosen AL Rookie of the Month (and other notes)

Mountcastle chosen AL Rookie of the Month (and other notes)
A torrid month of June for the Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle came with its own reward. Mountcastle was chosen as the American League's Rookie of the Month, with the announcement made earlier today on MLB Network. He seemed like an obvious choice, but so did Cedric Mullins for the All-Star Game's starting lineup. Mountcastle wasn't snubbed. He batted .327/.382/.634 (33-for-101) with four doubles, nine home runs, 26 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 26 games. The outfielder/first baseman led the league...

Orioles put Lakins on IL, add Watkins and Mattson

Orioles put Lakins on IL, add Watkins and Mattson
The Orioles placed pitcher Travis Lakins Sr. on the 10-day injured list today with right elbow pain, selected the contract of pitcher Spenser Watkins from Triple-A Norfolk and recalled reliever Isaac Mattson. Watkins and Mattson were on the taxi squad. Left-hander Alexander Wells was optioned to the Tides after earning his first major league win last night. The Orioles also declared infielder Stevie Wilkerson has been designated for assignment to create room for Watkins on the 40-man...

Tough breaks for Martin keeping him away from shortstop

Tough breaks for Martin keeping him away from shortstop
The injury to shortstop Freddy Galvis, a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg perhaps keeping him out of the lineup for the next two months, opened another door that Richie Martin couldn't walk through. Martin missed the 2020 season with a fractured right wrist, an injury sustained while playing in an intrasquad game at summer training camp at Camden Yards. Meanwhile, shortstop José Iglesias was in and out of the lineup because of an aching left quadriceps. Surgery to remove a broken...

The waiting for Jahmai Jones is the hardest part

The waiting for Jahmai Jones is the hardest part
The calls for Jahmai Jones grew louder over the weekend after Freddy Galvis limped off the field Saturday afternoon, the severity of his quadriceps injury written on his face. The pain and anguish, the attempts to fight back tears as he rode a cart to the auxiliary tent and later was placed in a vehicle - needing assistance just to sit down - for the ride to a nearby hospital. Fans want Jones in the majors and they want him now. Armchair general managers spew insults from their foaming...

Galvis to miss one to two months with quad injury

Galvis to miss one to two months with quad injury
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde anticipates that shortstop Freddy Galvis will miss one to two months of the season with a strained right quadriceps muscle, an injury sustained yesterday in the second inning while running out a bunt single. Galvis was placed on the injured list within a flurry of roster activity earlier today. "It's in between a Grade 1 to a Grade 2, so more like a Grade 1-plus," Hyde said in his Zoom call with the media. "Hoping for the four to six weeks. Could be a little bit...

Orioles put Galvis on IL, option Wilkerson and Wade

Orioles put Galvis on IL, option Wilkerson and Wade
The Orioles placed shortstop Freddy Galvis on the 10-day injured list this morning with a right quadriceps strain. They also optioned pitcher Konner Wade and infielder Stevie Wilkerson to Norfolk and recalled outfielder Ryan McKenna and infielders Domingo Leyba and Ramón Urías, who are in Buffalo for the series finale against the Blue Jays. The Orioles selected Leyba off waivers from the Diamondback on June 4. He was 0-for-22 with two walks, leaving his career line at .149/.241/.234 in 54...

Galvis leaves game with leg injury (Orioles lose 12-4, updated)

Galvis leaves game with leg injury (Orioles lose 12-4, updated)
Falling behind by four runs today wasn't the only pain inflicted on the Orioles. They watched shortstop Freddy Galvis leave the game in the top of the second inning with an injury to his right leg, which likely is going to force him onto the injured list and bring more roster moves. Galvis reached on a bunt single and limped off the field, grabbing the front of his leg to indicate a possible quadriceps injury. The club announced only that he had right quad discomfort. Galvis was making his...

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Are the Orioles and Blue Jays ready to rumble? Alek Manoah is on the mound tonight while appealing his five-game suspension for hitting Maikel Franco in Saturday's game in Baltimore after surrendering back-to-back home runs to Ryan Mountcastle and DJ Stewart. The benches and bullpens emptied. The managers jawed at each other. The rematch is tonight in Buffalo, with the Orioles, more importantly, trying to break a 20-game road losing streak. They have gone 24 consecutive innings without a...

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster
Three years ago, the staff at Baseball America took a shot at projecting the Orioles lineup, rotation and closer for the 2022 season. Let's just say the publication didn't bat 1.000. OK, let's say more. It's virtually impossible to hit on any team because of the variables that blow up predictions. The lists ran in October, after the Orioles began dismantling the team over the summer. The teardown started with the trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Jonathan Schoop, Brad Brach, Kevin...

Orioles avoid no-hitter but not a 10-2 loss (updated)

Orioles avoid no-hitter but not a 10-2 loss (updated)
The only stickiness for Keegan Akin tonight was a third-inning jam. A worse mess for the Orioles was their inability to get a hit until the eighth inning. Three Astros pitchers beginning with Jake Odorizzi combined for only a walk and hit batter before Maikel Franco's two-run homer off reliever Brandon Bielak in the Orioles' 10-2 loss before an announced crowd of 7,414, a potential eighth no-hitter against them and second at Camden Yards sailing into the bullpen. Bielak nailed Austin Hays on...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
Freddy Galvis is batting third tonight in Cleveland as the Orioles try to end their 17-game road losing streak. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter and Austin Hays is in right field again. DJ Stewart gets another start in left. Anthony Santander takes a turn on the bench. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. Stevie Wilkerson committed two errors last night. Cedric Mullins is batting .452/.531/.786 this month with three doubles, a triple and three home runs. His 80 hits this season are tied...

Kremer makes impressive return in 4-3 loss (updated)

Kremer makes impressive return in 4-3 loss (updated)
Dean Kremer made his 14th major league start tonight and could brag of being the most experienced pitcher among the three rookies now planted in the Orioles rotation for however long it lasts. Kremer was recalled this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk, his reset complete, and joined left-handers Bruce Zimmermann and Keegan Akin, who have started in 12 and nine games, respectively. If fans want a distraction from the losing streaks that keep hounding this club, a trio of pitching prospects taking...