Sifting through more starter options

Sifting through more starter options
The series win and back-to-back victories are out of the way. The Orioles don't have to be reminded of the huge gaps. Of the many teases and failed attempts. Let it go. The next goal is a three-game sweep, which would be the first since Aug. 27-29, 2018 against the Blue Jays. Probably not as long ago as many people would have expected. David Hess, Josh Rogers and Sean Gilmartin were the winning pitchers in the series. Hess is in Triple-A Norfolk's bullpen, Rogers is on the injured list and...

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...

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...

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,...

O's got whipped in Cleveland but go 4-0 on farm Sunday

O's got whipped in Cleveland but go 4-0 on farm Sunday
Well, the Orioles minor league affiliates went 4-0 Sunday with some real nice pitching performances. We'll get to that shortly. But the big league club got blown out 10-0 in Cleveland and the postgame interviews reflected that result. Starting pitcher Yefry Ramirez said he was "just bad." Chris Davis struck out four times against Indians right-hander Shane Bieber and said he didn't make adjustments and that was "just stupidity on my part." Manager Brandon Hyde has been remaining upbeat...

Orioles slug four homers in wild split-squad win over Rays

Orioles slug four homers in wild split-squad win over Rays
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - In a game where Dylan Bundy gave up six runs and the Orioles made six errors and lost an eight-run lead, they still won today. A Baltimore split squad beat the Tampa Bay Rays 17-15 at Charlotte Sports Park in the wildest game of spring training to date. It was every bit as crazy as the score might suggest. The game did feature two long home runs by O's prospects Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays, and four homers in all for the Orioles. Rio Ruiz had a three-run shot and...

Cashner examines his first start (O's win 7-5)

Cashner examines his first start (O's win 7-5)
SARASOTA, Fla. - The second pitch thrown today by Andrew Cashner in his spring debut nailed Tigers leadoff hitter JaCoby Jones. The fourth was lined into left field for a single. The 12th disappeared over the right field fence for a three-run homer. If Cashner is siphoning anything positive out of the start, he can cite his health, how he plowed through the Tigers split-squad lineup in the second and retired the first two batters in the third, and how he's been stretched out to three...

Talking about Cobb, tonight's matchup and Ysla

Talking about Cobb, tonight's matchup and Ysla
While the Orioles prepare to close out their series in Houston today and board a flight to New York, the early schedule unforgiving and unfair to a team that's exhausted itself trying to get its pitching and offense on track - give some love to Mike Wright Jr. if you can spare it - Alex Cobb is back on the mound down in Sarasota and inching closer to his debut. Cobb is scheduled to go five innings in another simulated environment after working four last week. He'll blow past the 48 pitches he...

Orioles acquire left-hander Luis Ysla from Dodgers

Orioles acquire left-hander Luis Ysla from Dodgers
It's been a busy transactional day for the Orioles before they open a three-game series in Houston. Already making two earlier moves involving outfielder Michael Saunders and pitcher Stefan Crichton, the Orioles announced early this evening that they acquired left-hander Luis Ysla from the Dodgers for pitcher Jesus Liranzo and assigned him to Double-A Bowie. Ysla, 25, went a combined 1-5 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 36 relief appearances at Double-A Portland and Tulsa. He walked 39 batters...