This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles managed to go three days between transactions, ending their streak late Wednesday night by optioning reliever Tayler Scott to Triple-A Norfolk. Scott's disappointment at leaving the Orioles is softened by his inclusion earlier that day in the team photo. That's right. Years from now you'll scan the photo and find Tayler Scott. Alex Cobb and Nate Karns aren't in it. Andrew Cashner missed by a week. Hanser Alberto was with his wife for the birth of their second daughter. But...

Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)

Mullins moves down to Double-A Bowie (and other notes)
The Orioles' center fielder on opening day has moved down to Double-A Bowie. Cedric Mullins has been transferred to the Baysox after batting .205/.272/.306 in 66 games with Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles optioned him after he started the season with only six hits in 64 at-bats. Mullins, 24, broke camp with the Orioles despite going 8-for-53 in exhibition games and he's never been able to heat up at the plate. He's leading off tonight and playing center field in Akron. The Tides made a series...

Orioles select Wojciechowski contract, activate Lucas

Orioles select Wojciechowski contract, activate Lucas
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles no longer have Asher Wojciechowski on their taxi squad. He's in the rotation. Wojciechowski will become the 14th pitcher to start for the Orioles this season when he takes the ball tonight against the Rays at Tropicana Field. His contract was selected from Triple-A Norfolk after he joined the team yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Pitcher Matt Wotherspoon has been designated for assignment again to make room for Wojciechowski on the 40-man roster. The Orioles...

Orioles lineup vs. Indians

Orioles lineup vs. Indians
Chance Sisco is behind the plate tonight and batting in the cleanup spot as the Orioles begin another home series. Anthony Santander is in right field and future All-Star Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Jonathan Villar moves to shortstop and Stevie Wilkerson is the center fielder. John Means has been activated from the injured list and is starting tonight. The Indians are starting Mike Clevinger, the first of three right-handers the Orioles will face in the series. The southpaw streak...

Orioles bullpen still unable to provide much relief

Orioles bullpen still unable to provide much relief
Each break in the Orioles' schedule gives the bullpen a chance to settle down. The phone doesn't ring. The revolving door doesn't spin. It's the calm before the next storm. Keeping track of the changes is becoming harder to do. Especially while I vacationed in Charleston, S.C., with limited access to the West Coast reports. (Want to test the strength of your relationship? Keep checking your phone during dinner and other activities.) I saw Tanner Scott sitting at his Camden Yards locker...

Ynoa knocked out early, O's blown out in trip finale (quotes added)

Ynoa knocked out early, O's blown out in trip finale (quotes added)
SEATTLE - The Orioles began today seeking their first two-game win streak in a long time and a series split to end this trip on a good note. When they scored single runs in the first and second innings, that looked possible. By the end of the third, it was very doubtful. The Mariners scored eight runs in the last of the third, batting 13 men to break a 2-2 tie on their way to a 13-3 romp over the Orioles. Baltimore falls to 22-56 and has lost 11 of 12, 15 of 18 and 27 of its last 34 games. The...

O's add Matt Wotherspoon to the bullpen (today's lineup)

O's add Matt Wotherspoon to the bullpen (today's lineup)
SEATTLE - The Orioles' bullpen shuffle keeps churning. After last night's game lefty Sean Gilmartin, who was the starting pitcher, was optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk. Today the Orioles have selected the contract of 27-year-old right-hander Matt Wotherspoon. He is joining the club for the second time this year. Wotherspoon was added to the roster April 3 in Toronto and optioned out the next day. On April 6 he was outrighted back to Norfolk. He made his major league debut April 3 at Rogers...

Is Hess really changing roles?

Is Hess really changing roles?
One decision had been made on David Hess. He was going back down to Triple-A Norfolk as the latest poster child for the Orioles' quest to reset. But what would Hess be doing after returning to the International League? The Orioles could have slotted him into the Tides' rotation or continued with their plan to again make him a reliever, the path taken over the weekend until one appearance on Sunday turned into his last with the club. Manager Brandon Hyde told the media last night in Oakland...

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox
Chris Davis is starting at first base tonight and catcher Pedro Severino is batting cleanup as the Orioles open a three-game series against the Red Sox. Severino is slashing .348/.404/.717 against left-handers and the Red Sox are sending Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound. Renato Núñez moves up to third in the order. Anthony Santander is batting fifth and playing left field. Keon Broxton is in center field and batting eighth ahead of Richie Martin. Luis Ortiz, recalled to make tonight's...

Better bullpen needed to begin beating teams

Better bullpen needed to begin beating teams
A rested bullpen didn't provide a solution for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who failed again Wednesday night to unearth a late-inning combination that could protect the slimmest of leads. Hyde used only three relievers over the previous two games. Dan Straily ate four innings Monday after following starter Gabriel Ynoa, and Dylan Bundy worked through the seventh the following night. Two ways for a club to avoid taxing its 'pen. So what did Hyde get for it? Another blown save on Wednesday,...

There were a few things to like in the Boston series

There were a few things to like in the Boston series
Yes the Red Sox have some rotation issues and some injury issues. But they won 108 games and the World Series last year while the Orioles lost 115 games. And the Orioles went 3-16 against Boston last season. So for them to split a four-game series at Fenway Park is, at the very least, surprising and not bad for this team. There were some things to like about the last four days. The rotation was solid: The Orioles' four starters in the series - David Hess, Andrew Cashner, John Means and Dan...

Straily on joining Orioles and readiness for rotation

Straily on joining Orioles and readiness for rotation
New Orioles pitcher Dan Straily met with manager Brandon Hyde this afternoon and fielded questions form the media for about four minutes in front of his locker, his eagerness to pitch evident after signing a one-year deal yesterday. "The Orioles called me right away," he said. "They said, 'Here's our offer for you. If this is something you're interested in let us know,' so it materialized pretty quickly once we kind of had that going. "For me, I was more interested in starting games...

Yesterday's loss, today's game and making concessions

Yesterday's loss, today's game and making concessions
The disappointment of yesterday's 5-3 loss in Toronto should be softened by the realization that few people outside the most optimistic and unrealistic predicted four wins on a six-game road trip introducing a 2019 season that's extremely low on expectations. A season all about the rebuild and what's best for the long-term plan. Instant gratification isn't the primary goal, but can happen in spite of it. The big fear was an 0-6 start and a team staggering into today's home opener against...

O's end promising first road trip on the short end

O's end promising first road trip on the short end
TORONTO - As the season's first road trip came to an end with a loss today, the Orioles looked back on the first six games and saw plenty of positive and encouraging signs. Now they're excited to bring their team home to play in front of their home fans for the first time on Thursday. Blanked today on three hits heading to the ninth, they battled back on Trey Mancini's three-run homer to center. But they lost 5-3 to Toronto in front of 11,436 at Rogers Centre. Still, they're heading to...

O's fall 5-3 in series finale at Toronto

O's fall 5-3 in series finale at Toronto
TORONTO - The Orioles were able to win with just two runs last night, but they couldn't get much going for most of the game today, as they lost the series and road trip finale to the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto right-hander Matt Shoemaker threw seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, as the Blue Jays won 5-3 to salvage the finale of this series. The Orioles head to Baltimore for Thursday's home opener with a 4-2 record. Shoemaker, who threw seven scoreless frames in his first start...

Brandon Hyde on Chris Davis, roster move and more (O's fall 5-3)

Brandon Hyde on Chris Davis, roster move and more (O's fall 5-3)
TORONTO - He is 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts and three walks, but Orioles first basemen Chris Davis is back in the starting lineup today, batting seventh. He did make several solid plays in the field in last night's 2-1 win. "I think he's still searching a little bit," manager Brandon Hyde said before today's series finale at Toronto. "He's taken a couple of good swings and just missed a ball here and there. I love the fact he's playing great defense for us. When you come out of gates...

Orioles designate Araujo for assignment (Wotherspoon optioned)

Orioles designate Araujo for assignment (Wotherspoon optioned)
The Orioles placed a fresh arm in their bullpen today in Toronto and have decided to end the Rule 5 experiment with Pedro Araujo. Araujo has been designated for assignment despite needing only 17 days from the start of the season to lose his Rule 5 status. The Orioles selected the contract of right-hander Matt Wotherspoon, who's been assigned No. 71 and will make his major league debut if appearing in a game. The Orioles can attempt to trade Araujo. Otherwise he must clear waivers and be...

Gausman leaves game in second after collision (O's down 6-4)

Gausman leaves game in second after collision (O's down 6-4)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gausman's first start of the spring today ended with him sitting behind home plate with a towel pressed against his face. Gausman appeared to collide with the Tigers' Jeimer Candelario while backing up the plate on Leonys Martin's RBI single with one out in the top of the second inning. Candelario returned to the on-deck circle, flexing his leg, while head athletic trainer Brian Ebel and manager Buck Showalter checked on Gausman. As the Orioles prepared to bat in the...

Orioles acquire Brallan Pérez from Rangers

Orioles acquire Brallan Pérez from Rangers
The Orioles moved more international signing bonus slots in an attempt to improve their depth at the minor league level. Infielder Brallan Pérez, 21, has been acquired from the Rangers for the bonus slots and assigned to Single-A Frederick. The team made the announcement early this afternoon. Pérez, a native of Colombia, is a career .292/.388/.354 hitter in 274 games over five minor league seasons. He's played at three levels this season, mostly at Single-A Down East, where he hit...

Postgame Gausman, Machado, Showalter quotes (updated)

Postgame Gausman, Machado, Showalter quotes (updated)
When he was sitting with an ERA of 6.60 in mid-June, you had to wonder if Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman would ever turn around his season. He may be doing that right now. Today, he followed up Tuesday's start of 5 1/3 scoreless in Toronto with seven scoreless in the Orioles' 7-1 win over the Rays. The Orioles avoided being swept as Gausman allowed just two singles and fanned nine while improving to 5-7 with an ERA of 5.61. He's allowed no runs and six hits in 12 1/3 those last two...