Whittling down the walks would work wonders for Orioles

Whittling down the walks would work wonders for Orioles
A new manager for the Orioles likely will bring in his own pitching coach rather than inherit Roger McDowell. It's the usual outcome. Few coaches carry over to the next skipper. The ones that do should receive an award bearing Elrod Hendricks' name. Manager Mike Hargrove inherited Eddie Murray on his 2000 staff, giving him an extra coach and forcing Brian Graham, formerly on the Indians' staff, to the press box as the "eye in the sky." Graham also was given the title of "offensive and...

Morning leftovers on Akin, Núñez and Maríñez

Morning leftovers on Akin, Núñez and Maríñez
The Orioles will announce their minor league award winners next month, and the top pitcher, while expected to be Double-A Bowie left-hander Keegan Akin based on his run toward the Eastern League's "Triple Crown," won't be an easy choice. That's tremendously good news for an organization that absolutely must develop its own pitching, especially through the rebuilding process. Stock the rotation with homegrown arms or stockpile them in order to consummate trades, as so many contenders are...

Rogers coming up, O's acquire Zoellner, Maríñez stays on DL

Rogers coming up, O's acquire Zoellner, Maríñez stays on DL
The Orioles are prepared to select left-hander Josh Rogers' contract from Triple-A Norfolk and give him Tuesday night's start against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. A corresponding 40-man roster move is coming to accommodate Rogers, 24, who's 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in five starts with the Tides over 30 1/3 innings. He's allowed seven earned runs (nine total) and 26 hits with seven walks and 18 strikeouts since the Orioles acquired him from the Yankees in the Zach Britton...

Mullins out of lineup with hip flexor

Mullins out of lineup with hip flexor
Orioles rookie center fielder Cedric Mullins is out of tonight's lineup with a sore hip, removing him from the national stage for the ESPN broadcast. Manager Buck Showalter termed the injury as a "hip flexor" and wouldn't comment whether Mullins could play later tonight, but he's likely day-to-day with the earliest return possible Monday night against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Mullins might have tweaked the hip on a throw in yesterday's doubleheader. He played in both games. "He's...

Mariñez rejoining O's, Yankees complete sweep (with quotes)

Mariñez rejoining O's, Yankees complete sweep (with quotes)
The Orioles are prepared to activate right-hander Jhan Mariñez from the disabled list Sunday as a fresh bullpen arm for their series finale against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Mariñez was on the DL retroactive to Aug. 3 with a strained right hamstring. He's been pitching at Triple-A Norfolk, working a scoreless inning Friday night against Durham. Mariñez has registered a 2.72 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 39 games with the Tides. However, he's allowed five earned runs (six total) and nine...

Orioles claim John Andreoli off waivers

Orioles claim John Andreoli off waivers
CLEVELAND - The Orioles have claimed outfielder John Andreoli off waivers from the Mariners today and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. The announcement came during batting practice before today's game against the Indians at Progressive Field. The Mariners designated Andreoli, 28, for assignment on Friday after he batted .287/.397/.401 with 18 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 36 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 89 games with Triple-A Tacoma. Andreoli made his major league debut this summer...

Showalter pregame on Mariñez, Phillips and more (game update)

Showalter pregame on Mariñez, Phillips and more (game update)
ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles right-handed reliever Jhan Mariñez gave up two runs in the last of the fourth last night, and then got hurt while warming up for the last of the fifth during the O's 17-8 loss at Texas. Today Mariñez went on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain. The Orioles recalled pitcher Evan Phillips from Triple-A Norfolk. He was one of the four players the Orioles acquired Tuesday from Atlanta when they traded Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day to the...

Orioles recall Evan Phillips

Orioles recall Evan Phillips
The Orioles are ready to debut another player for the 2018 season. Reliever Jhan Mariñez was placed on the 10-day disabled list today with a strained right hamstring and the Orioles recalled right-hander Evan Phillips from Triple-A Norfolk. Phillips will wear No. 58. The Orioles acquired Phillips, infielder Jean Carlos Encarnación, catcher Brett Cumberland and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann - along with $2.5 million in international signing bonus slot money - from the Braves on Tuesday for...

Orioles and Rangers lineups

Orioles and Rangers lineups
Jonathan Villar is batting leadoff again tonight after collecting two hits in his Orioles debut. Tim Beckham is again slotted second in the order. Renato Núñez is at third base, Jace Peterson is in right field and Caleb Joseph is catching. David Hess is back in the rotation as Kevin Gausman's replacement and makes his first start since June 29. He pitched twice in relief last month, allowing two runs in two innings on July 4 in Philadelphia and tossing a scoreless inning July 28 against...

Andrew Cashner allows 10 runs as O's lose big (with postgame quotes)

Andrew Cashner allows 10 runs as O's lose big (with postgame quotes)
ARLINGTON, Texas - So if you take the Orioles out of Yankee Stadium, where they are 4-2 this year, they are just not a very good road team, right? Wednesday's win in New York was followed up by tonight's 17-8 blowout loss to the Texas Rangers in front of 19,367 at Globe Life Park. The Orioles lose the series opener and are 9-39 in road games this season not at Yankee Stadium. This game got so out of hand that Danny Valencia came on to pitch with two outs in the last of the eighth. And he...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
While the Orioles are fielding calls from numerous teams on a variety of players, they still seem more intent on moving their veterans who are pending free agents, a stance they've taken since early in the process. There's been interest in second baseman Jonathan Schoop, starters Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy and reliever Mychal Givens. Only Schoop can leave via free agency after 2019. Again, executive vice president Dan Duquette will listen on anyone. His phone isn't set up to cut off...

Cobb can't catch break and Orioles can't rally past Rays (updated)

Cobb can't catch break and Orioles can't rally past Rays (updated)
This is Alex Cobb's pitching life with the Orioles. Winless at home and trying to divert his eyes from the 13 losses attached to his record, Cobb retired the first eight batters tonight and faced the minimum through three innings. The split-changeup was working for him, but the Orioles couldn't give him a lead. The Rays scored twice in the fourth on ground balls through a drawn-in infield and against the shift. More a case of bad luck than poor pitches. More of what Cobb has grown accustomed...

Bundy lasts four innings and O's shut out for ninth time (with quotes)

Bundy lasts four innings and O's shut out for ninth time (with quotes)
Dylan Bundy can't seem to regain his footing after a hamstring injury. Bundy served up Greg Bird's grand slam tonight in a five-run third inning, his pitch count soaring to 78, and the Orioles settled for a split of their four-game series with a 9-0 loss to the Yankees before an announced crowd of 17,808 at Camden Yards. The Orioles were shut out for the ninth time while falling to 26-67 overall 14-31 at home. They've been held to one run or fewer in 25 games. In two starts since coming off...

Machado keeps stating his position preference for free agency

Machado keeps stating his position preference for free agency
In case anyone has been looking the other way or dealing with a severe case of clogged eardrums since, oh, around the first day of spring training, Manny Machado views himself only as a shortstop and doesn't want to go back to third base unless he tripled. Here's a partial list of other things Machado doesn't want to do: * Keep answering questions about whether he'd go back to third base. * Be 40 games below .500. * Wear a boa constrictor as a scarf. * Scarf down a boa constrictor. * Keep...

Orioles option Yefry Ramírez (and other notes, tied 5-5)

Orioles option Yefry Ramírez (and other notes, tied 5-5)
The Orioles announced their roster moves this afternoon, recalling left-hander Donnie Hart and selecting right-hander Jhan Maríñez's contract from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning right-handers Yefry Ramírez and Ryan Meisinger to the Tides Ramírez started Game 2 of yesterday's doubleheader and wasn't going to be available. The Orioles are back down to four starters and have nine relievers and three bench players on the roster. Ramírez is 0-3 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.255 WHIP in...

Orioles select Jhan Mariñez's contract

Orioles select Jhan Mariñez's contract
The Orioles needed a fresh bullpen arm after yesterday's doubleheader and selected the contract of right-hander Jhan Mariñez from Triple-A Norfolk. Mariñez replaces right-hander Ryan Meisinger, who worked three scoreless and hitless innings last night in Game 2. The move will be announced later today. Meisinger's locker already has been emptied. Mariñez, 29, signed a minor league contract with the Orioles on Nov. 28, joining his ninth organization. He's 1-5 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.452...

Machado: "I'm just going out there and enjoying myself" (O's win 10-8)

Machado: "I'm just going out there and enjoying myself" (O's win 10-8)
SARASOTA, Fla. - Usually a slow starter in camp, Manny Machado has been on such a tear at the plate this spring that he's joking about having to tap the brakes and save a little for later. Machado had a single, run-scoring double and three-run homer today in three plate appearances before heading to the clubhouse. A guy on fire to this degree could set off the sprinkler system. With eight hits in 13 at-bats, Machado will carry a .615 average into his next game, most likely on Sunday at home...