Orioles lineup, Hyde on bench and Fry, Burdi on new team

Orioles lineup, Hyde on bench and Fry, Burdi on new team
Center fielder Cedric Mullins is out of tonight's Orioles lineup for the opener of a three-game series in Toronto. Manager Brandon Hyde is resting him. There isn't an injury situation. Ryan McKenna, recalled this afternoon, is playing center and batting seventh. Austin Hays is leading off and playing left field. Jahmai Jones also is counted among the four reserves. Jorge Mateo is the second baseman tonight, with Ramón Urías at shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle is batting second again. A...

Yesterday's moves raise more questions about Orioles roster

Yesterday's moves raise more questions about Orioles roster
The roster cuts announced on Friday night seemed to make it easier to come up with the 26 players going north for opening day, and then pandemonium struck again. The Orioles designated second baseman Yolmer Sánchez for assignment yesterday and traded for pitcher Adam Plutko. The projected lineup was destroyed. There no longer appeared to be a decision pending between utility players Pat Valaika and Ramón Urías, who potentially could share second base and bench duties. Plutko is out of...

Notes on health and safety, PECOTA, Renato Núñez and more

Notes on health and safety, PECOTA, Renato Núñez and more
We now know some of the rules that will govern the 2021 Major League Baseball season. MLB and the MLB Players Association announced the health and safety protocols that will be in place starting when spring training begins next week. By the way, as a reminder, O's pitchers and catchers report Tuesday, Feb. 16 with the first workout set for the next day. The first full-squad workout in Sarasota is Feb. 22. Some things that were agreed on include: * Doubleheaders will feature two seven-inning...

What to do about the DH?

What to do about the DH?
Almost two full months have passed since the Orioles set their 40-man roster before the Rule 5 draft and chose to designate Renato Núñez for assignment. One of their arbitration-eligible players was redirected into free agency. Another team would have to be comfortable paying Núñez in the neighborhood of $2 million. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said Núñez no longer fit on a reconstructed roster. There wasn't a clear position for him on the field. And...

Orioles preparing for arbitration hearing with Santander

Orioles preparing for arbitration hearing with Santander
The Orioles have ceased negotiations with the representatives for outfielder Anthony Santander and are preparing for an arbitration hearing next month. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias confirmed the team's stance this afternoon on a Zoom conference call with the local media. Both sides reached the 1 p.m. deadline without an agreement. Salary figures will be exchanged and a hearing date will be set for next month. "We have a file-to-go policy that I've been very consistent...

Taking a few wrong turns

Taking a few wrong turns
Trying to predict moves in an unpredictable world is advised only if you're not putting down money. And I'm really talking about the baseball offseason. I get my share right. I also get some wrong. And sometimes I'm just a little surprised. I thought the Orioles would have no interest in bringing back Jonathan Villar, simply choosing to move on from a player they traded in December 2019, but they've spoken to his agent. A reunion remains a possibility. Villar obviously could play shortstop...

Checking in with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde

Checking in with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde held his virtual Winter Meetings interview this morning, providing his own update on Trey Mancini and sharing his thoughts on the spring training rotation and the losses of Renato Núñez, José Iglesias and Hanser Alberto. He also spoke about Chris Davis' health issues over the summer and how the first baseman will be competing for at-bats in 2021. Hyde sat in his spring training office at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He has no idea whether players will be...

Latest review of arbitration-eligible O's (Severino update)

Latest review of arbitration-eligible O's (Severino update)
The baseball offseason wouldn't feel complete unless the names of arbitration-eligible players and projected raises were recited weekly until the deadline, which mercifully is arriving on Wednesday. There were seven Orioles on the original list. Yolmer Sánchez increased it to eight, but Renato Núñez came off after being designated for assignment and granted his release. Trades are possible in the coming days, just as the Orioles dealt infielder Jonathan Villar and starter Dylan Bundy...

Trying to make sense of the Puig report

Trying to make sense of the Puig report
The hot stove doesn't have much cooking with the Orioles. Rebuilding teams tend to sit on the national media's back burner. And clubs that tend to do some of their heaviest lifting in spring training are going to get lighter coverage in November and December. The Orioles finally are tied to a free agent, with MLB.com reporting again per sources that there's interest in veteran outfielder Yasiel Puig. Makes even less sense to me now than earlier in the year. Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith...

Orioles release Núñez, claim Shaw and DFA Eshelman

Orioles release Núñez, claim Shaw and DFA Eshelman
With the Orioles unable to negotiate a trade prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, Renato Núñez has moved into the next phase of his offseason. Núñez cleared unconditional waivers and was given his release this afternoon, enabling him to enter free agency as a power bat with experience at the infield corners. The Orioles had no plans to tender Núñez a contract with a projected arbitration raise of more than $2 million. They designated him for assignment on Friday while setting...

More thoughts on the Núñez DFA

More thoughts on the Núñez DFA
As the 6 p.m. deadline approached and passed yesterday without an announcement from the Orioles on setting their 40-man roster, it became apparent that something was in the works beyond just choosing which prospects to protect in the Rule 5 draft. The Orioles were going to also choose a player to be designated for assignment. With the many additions would come a subtraction. Call it a hunch. Renato Núñez went from non-tender candidate to a DFA, which shook up some fans on Twitter who...

O's farm has improved and six 40-man adds is latest example

O's farm has improved and six 40-man adds is latest example
The Orioles made a nice statement Friday about their improving farm system. A farm system that has risen to No. 8 in the game in the MLBPipeline.com organizational rankings. They protected six players from that farm from being taken in next month's Rule 5 draft. They added all six last night to their 40-man roster. They added pitchers Michael Baumann, Alexander Wells, Zac Lowther and Isaac Mattson, outfielder Yusniel Diaz and infielder Rylan Bannon. Some in the game speculate that after not...

Orioles protect six players and DFA Núñez (updated)

Orioles protect six players and DFA Núñez (updated)
The Orioles reached the maximum on their 40-man roster this afternoon with the additions of outfielder Yusniel Diaz, infielder Rylan Bannon, and pitchers Michael Baumann, Zac Lowther, Isaac Mattson and Alexander Wells. To create a spot, the Orioles have designated Renato Núñez for assignment. He led the club in home runs the past two seasons and is eligible for arbitration. The deadline to set the roster was 6 p.m. The six players are now protected from the Rule 5 draft, which is held on...

Checking the 40-man roster again before it inflates

Checking the 40-man roster again before it inflates
With the Orioles on the verge of adjusting their 40-man roster, this seems like an opportune time for a final scroll of the current edition. There are 35 players listed and at least three prospects are expected to join them by today's deadline. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is likely to make further subtractions later as he attempts to plug holes or increase depth via the free agent and trade markets - though minor league deals would delay the process. Here are the 15...

Could O's homer leader be squeezed off 2021 roster?

Could O's homer leader be squeezed off 2021 roster?
He's been an Oriole since the team claimed him on waivers from the Texas Rangers on May 13, 2018. Renato Núñez has now played in 263 games as an Oriole, hitting 50 homers with 141 RBIs. In the last two seasons he has ranked among the top 24 in the American League in homers, and in the top 25 in RBIs each season. That is decent run production. But now, as Trey Mancini is returning to the club for next year and Ryan Mountcastle has now made his big league debut, will Núñez get...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
With the World Series over and teams firing up the hot stove, it shouldn't be much longer before the Orioles identify the return on the trades of pitchers Tommy Milone and Hector Velázquez. When is it considered late to be announcing players to be named later? The Orioles sent Velázquez to the Astros on July 29 for a PTBNL. He never threw a pitch in 2020 outside of summer training camp and alternate camp sites. Milone was traded to the Braves the following day for two PTBNL, an...

Taking a closer look at Orioles' arbitration decisions

Taking a closer look at Orioles' arbitration decisions
The changes in the 2020 baseball season have touched the arbitration process. Sides that can't reach an agreement will argue how statistics should be interpreted in a truncated season. Teams are going to stick with the 60-game output, while agents are going to extrapolate - projecting figures over 162 games while attempting to squeeze out a few more dollars. Getting blood from a rock would be easier. There's an assumption circulating through the industry that more players are destined to be...

Because You Asked - Friday After Next

Because You Asked - Friday After Next
The end of the regular season and the Orioles' exclusion from the playoffs doesn't lighten the mailbag. There are questions galore, which I'm pretty sure is also the name of a James Bond villain. I've never claimed to have all the answers. I'm still learning how to turn on the stove in my house. And as former Orioles infielder Robert Andino famously stated one day at his locker, "I ain't no future teller." I am, however, a fan of Penn & Teller. With the latest batch of furloughs...

Taking a look at the Orioles' solid outfield depth

Taking a look at the Orioles' solid outfield depth
When spring training for the 2021 season begins, the Orioles could be looking at a logjam. It presents a bit of a problem, but yes, it is a good problem to deal with. They may have too many quality outfielders for too few spots, especially if you add in players yet to make it to Baltimore. This is not a surprise to us, as it's been coming for a while. And this problem, if we do even call it that, could sort itself out as many baseball roster crunches do. There could be injuries, players sent...

Light free agent winter workload for Orioles

Light free agent winter workload for Orioles
Part of a team's offseason agenda is attempting to retain its own free agents. Hold onto the players who are deemed irreplaceable and affordable. The Orioles won't be bogged down by this type of business. The current list of Orioles free agents is a brief read. Left-hander Wade LeBlanc and third catcher Bryan Holaday are the only ones assured of hitting the market. The $3.5 million option on shortstop José Iglesias' contract is going to be picked up unless there's a monumental,...