Two more players gone from Orioles' 2018 deadline deals

Two more players gone from Orioles' 2018 deadline deals
Yesterday's news that the Orioles released Triple-A pitchers Cody Carroll and Evan Phillips forced the latest revisit to the trades that brought them into the organization. Reliever Dillon Tate is the last man standing in the Zack Britton deal with the Yankees in July 2018. The Orioles released left-hander Josh Rogers in June and he signed a minor league deal with the Nationals. Rogers recovered from another surgical procedure on his elbow but hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019. His...

Cowser homers in professional debut (and other notes)

Cowser homers in professional debut (and other notes)
Orioles first-round draft pick Colton Cowser and second-rounder Connor Norby made their professional debuts this afternoon in the Florida Complex League. Cowser started in center field and batted third for the orange team against the Rays' Matthew Peguero. He lined a single into center field in his first at-bat, homered to right and was called out on strikes. Norby started at second base and batted second. He grounded out 3-1 and struck out twice. The Orioles made Cowser the fifth-overall...

Diaz still can't crack crowded Orioles outfield

Diaz still can't crack crowded Orioles outfield
The Orioles begin the non-mathematical second half of their season tonight in Kansas City with six outfielders on the roster if counting Ryan Mountcastle, who's listed as an infielder on the team's website. He's made 31 starts at first base and 18 in left field. Let's just say the Orioles have six players on their roster who can play the outfield - seven if including Trey Mancini, but he hasn't done it since 2019. That's the kind of excess talked about over the winter and in spring...

Harvey's latest short start comes with miscues (updated)

Harvey's latest short start comes with miscues (updated)
As Matt Harvey's ERA rose and patience with his failed starts withered away, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde kept defending the veteran by pointing out mistakes committed in the field and run support that lacked. Harvey wasn't nearly as generous after his most recent game, crushing himself like cocktail ice after a loss to the Mets. Hyde, meanwhile, leaned on the dugout railing tonight, watched an unearned run score in the first inning and hated to be proven right. Hyde saw a missed cutoff in...

Items on Galvis, Leyba, Zimmermann, Wynns and Cumberland

Items on Galvis, Leyba, Zimmermann, Wynns and Cumberland
The Orioles pretty much knew what they were getting with shortstop Freddy Galvis after signing him to a one-year contract in January. At the plate and on the field. They had the video, statistics, impressions made while watching from the opposite dugout. The rest could be culled in discussions with former teams, the people closest to him professionally. From how he interacted with teammates in the past. His influence inside the clubhouse. But it still had to be seen and heard. Galvis was one of...

Orioles release pitcher Josh Rogers

Orioles release pitcher Josh Rogers
The return for former closer Zack Britton is down to two players. Triple-A Norfolk left-hander Josh Rogers was released yesterday, at least putting on hold his comeback from a second elbow surgery. Rogers, 26, made four appearances with Norfolk, including two starts, and allowed 15 earned runs (17 total) and 24 hits in 17 1/3 innings. He walked three batters and struck out 14. Reports showed that his velocity was good. The arm is healthy again. He just didn't have the overall results to...

López falters in fifth and offense late to fire up in 4-2 loss (updated)

López falters in fifth and offense late to fire up in 4-2 loss (updated)
The Orioles gambled today by leaving their tired bullpen intact and counting on Jorge López to provide some length. But they didn't necessarily bypass an obvious solution. The pitching staff at Triple-A Norfolk isn't loaded with 40-man options. Hard decisions are pending, with Hunter Harvey's return from the 60-day injured list, perhaps by early June, just one of them. Manager Brandon Hyde wasn't going to use a couple of his relievers tonight after an exhausting homestand. Finding a hot...

Orioles lineup vs. Athletics

Orioles lineup vs. Athletics
Left-hander Wade LeBlanc is making tonight's start against the Athletics at Camden Yards, his first in 2021 after five relief appearances. LeBlanc hasn't thrown more than 24 pitches or exceeded 1 1/3 innings since the Orioles broke camp. There's going to be some baton passing, perhaps in the rain. In 10 career appearances against the Athletics, LeBlanc has gone 3-1 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.234 WHIP in 47 innings. DJ Stewart is in right field again tonight and Austin Hays is starting in left....

Long on McKenna: "He impressed me"

Long on McKenna: "He impressed me"
The optioning and reassignment of players to Twin Lakes Park is done only to reduce the camp roster. They aren't confined to the complex as if surrounded by an electrical fence. The Orioles have the freedom to play them in Grapefruit League games. Out of sight on occasion, for sure, but not banned from the site. They are still able to remain visible and fresh in the minds of the evaluators on the Ed Smith side of spring training. The last round of cuts on March 16 removed infielders Rylan...

Orioles remain undecided on pitching numbers (updated)

Orioles remain undecided on pitching numbers (updated)
Opening day is approaching the one-week mark and the Orioles don't know whether they're breaking camp with five or six starters and whether they're carrying 13 or 14 pitchers. Health, performance and other factors are tipping the scales. "Our pitching situation is still very much in flux and there's still a lot of questions still to be answered," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said today in his Zoom Call. "I think adding somebody as a sixth man in the rotation is doable without having to...

Another rotation check, Franco's opening day vow and 4-3 win

Another rotation check, Franco's opening day vow and 4-3 win
The bullpen game today in Sarasota began with veteran changeup artist César Valdez retiring the last seven batters that he faced. He was done for the afternoon and ready to change clothes when Trey Mancini and Maikel Franco hit two-run homers in the bottom of the third inning. Dillon Tate followed Valdez to the mound and retired only two batters, three other relievers pitched and Adley Rutschman doubled in his first at-bat in the Orioles' 4-3 win over the Rays. Now, back to the...

Franco begins ramping up with two-run double in 12-7 loss

Franco begins ramping up with two-run double in 12-7 loss
The recipe for ramping up a player in 2021 spring training includes a dash of hitting, a dash of fielding, a dash of baserunning. The exact amount depends on the individual and team. A later signing could require handfuls. The Orioles are going to keep Maikel Franco busy with less than two weeks remaining until opening day. Workouts on the back fields for a couple of days, an intrasquad game yesterday and his first exhibition game this afternoon. More starts at third base and maybe swings as...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The growing possibility that Chris Davis begins the season in the injured list, whatever its length, removes the misguided argument that he's blocking a prospect. Davis hasn't done it. Prospects aren't kept at Triple-A or the alternate camp because he's in the organization. Ryan Mountcastle wasn't making the club on opening day 2020. Yusniel Diaz isn't making it next month. (Mountcastle is 2-for-19 with a double, home run, five RBIs, no walks and four strikeouts. Don't panic.) A four-man...

Hunter Harvey exits 6-2 loss with oblique injury (Fenter returned)

Hunter Harvey exits 6-2 loss with oblique injury (Fenter returned)
Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey threw one pitch today and left the mound. The same questions about injuries and durability followed him. At least it wasn't Harvey's arm, the only good news attached to the scene. The Orioles announced that Harvey injured his left oblique, which should keep him off the opening day roster and adjust the team's bullpen plans. An oblique doesn't heal quickly. The Orioles have plenty of references at their disposal. Today was supposed to mark the third appearance...

Wrapping up Mullins' day, Hernández's second start and 7-5 loss

Wrapping up Mullins' day, Hernández's second start and 7-5 loss
What to do with Cedric Mullins is one of the items that's missing from manager Brandon Hyde's plate. Mullins is going to be on the opening day roster. He's going to play a lot of center field. And he's going to hit in the leadoff spot. Baseball is losing its prototypical leadoff types, but Mullins fits the description and fits in the Orioles lineup. He began today's 7-5 loss to the Pirates with another hustle double and scored on Yolmer Sánchez's single. Center fielder Anthony Alford...

Félix Hernández on his outing (O's lose 7-5)

Félix Hernández on his outing (O's lose 7-5)
It was another day when the Orioles did not get a strong outing from their starting pitcher. Right-hander Félix Hernández, a six-time All-Star and the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner, again had a shaky outing as the Orioles faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Hernández did not express concern over either the stat sheet or that his fastball again was mostly in the mid-80s. He'll no doubt get more chances to show he can be effective but his ERA is 9.64 after two spring...

Hyde on pitching and infield decisions, and other notes

Hyde on pitching and infield decisions, and other notes
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde hasn't decided on 13 or 14 pitchers for the opening day roster, and whether he's carrying one or more super-utility players. But he knows what's required in order to make the setup work. Anyone backing up in the infield obviously must be able to play shortstop and be trusted at the position, which gives an edge to Ramón Urías and Pat Valaika. "For me, a true utility player is able to play short, is able to spell your shortstop, able to spell your second...

Wrapping up Means' start, defense, cuts and 13-1 loss

Wrapping up Means' start, defense, cuts and 13-1 loss
Orioles left-hander John Means made it through the first inning today. Manager Brandon Hyde stayed in the dugout. There were no surprises or unexpected visits. The rest of his day can be categorized as getting in his work in spring training. Means was on the verge of watching the second inning roll over, with the Pirates scoring three runs and extending him to 27 pitches in the Orioles' 13-1 loss in Bradenton. He came out at 48 pitches after issuing a leadoff walk in the third. Hyde removed...

Stewart stands out in 4-4 tie with Phillies

Stewart stands out in 4-4 tie with Phillies
Yesterday's exhibition opener felt more like an orange carpet event marking the latest inspiring achievement in Trey Mancini's comeback from colon cancer surgery. Today's game against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla., which ended in a 4-4 tie after seven innings, placed the spotlight on a former first-round draft pick and a couple of Rule 5 selections. Less emotion, for sure, but an important day for evaluating talent. DJ Stewart said he's more of a "line drive, base hit guy," but he...

Orioles and Phillies lineups

Orioles and Phillies lineups
Austin Hays is leading off today as the Orioles make their first spring road trip, traveling to Clearwater, Fla., to play the Phillies. Hays is in center field, Ryan Mountcastle is in left and DJ Stewart is in right. Rio Ruiz is the third baseman and cleanup hitter. Manager Brandon Hyde's lineup includes Tyler Nevin at first base and Brett Cumberland as the designated hitter. Chance Sisco is behind the plate. For the Orioles Austin Hays CF DJ Stewart RF Ryan Mountcastle LF Rio Ruiz 3B Chance...