Hyde on moves; hearing from Wynns, Ortiz and Kline (game update)

Hyde on moves; hearing from Wynns, Ortiz and Kline (game update)
MINNEAPOLIS - On a day with a dizzying six Orioles roster moves, a player that is still here and never left is pretty important as well. Trey Mancini is not in today's lineup, but should be soon. He suffered a contusion on the index finger of his right hand when batting in the first inning on Saturday. "Trey is day-to-day still," manager Brandon Hyde said. "He's pretty sore, but I think we got really lucky that it's not broken. But obviously got him in a bad spot and he's pretty sore....

Orioles DFA Sucre, put Cobb on IL and option Yacabonis

Orioles DFA Sucre, put Cobb on IL and option Yacabonis
The Orioles have returned pitcher Alex Cobb to the injured list with a lumbar strain, designated catcher Jesús Sucre for assignment and optioned pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis to Triple-A Norfolk. The three moves create room on the 25-man roster for pitchers Branden Kline and Luis Ortiz and catcher Austin Wynns, who were recalled from Norfolk prior to today's series finale against the Twins in Minnesota. Cobb is making his third stop on the IL this year, missing his opening day assignment with a...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
The Orioles are back on the road, flying into Minnesota yesterday afternoon with a stop pending in Chicago. They're 7-6 away from home. The Twins swept the Orioles last year in a four-game series at Target Field. Alex Cobb, making tonight's start, walked off the mound in the finale with a blister on his finger. Six games on the road trip led to six defeats, leaving the Orioles 24-65 overall and losers of 13 of their last 14 games. They fell to 41 below .500 for the first time since Aug. 1,...

Looking closer at position players pitching for Orioles

Looking closer at position players pitching for Orioles
The Orioles used their 34th and 35th players Monday night when Stevie Wilkerson started in left field and Gabriel Ynoa worked a scoreless inning, their contracts selected from Triple-A Norfolk a day apart. Ynoa replaced Mike Wright, who was designated for assignment. Wilkerson returned to the club after Cedric Mullins was optioned. The roll call of Orioles appearing in games this season includes 24 names listed under the pitching column. However, three are position players sent to the mound to...

Cashner, homers and stellar defense propel O's to 9-1 win (updated)

Cashner, homers and stellar defense propel O's to 9-1 win (updated)
Brandon Hyde can live with the losses because he has no choice and understands they're part of the rebuilding process. He knows the deal. They're a necessary evil. It's sloppy play in the field and on the basepaths that can irk the Orioles manager and test his patience, with last night's ugly loss to the White Sox a prime example. Hyde keeps pushing for improvements, looking for the incremental steps that lead to better days. Within the first three innings tonight, he saw Rule 5 shortstop...

Catcher Sucre on all the longballs the staff has allowed

Catcher Sucre on all the longballs the staff has allowed
Several hours before he would take the mound and pitch a 1-2-3 ninth inning, Jesús Sucre talked about his regular job with the Orioles, catching. And he talked about all the longballs the Baltimore pitching staff has been giving up. The Orioles lead the majors with 59 home runs allowed, and that is 16 more than Milwaukee, the next closest team, with St. Louis next at 42. In some ways the answer to how Orioles pitchers can give up fewer homers sounds easy. They simply need to command the ball...

More this, that and the other

More this, that and the other
The decision to select Stevie Wilkerson's contract yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk was primarily tied to the Orioles' needs through 23 games of the season. Credit goes to Wilkerson for presenting himself as an attractive option. He's become a super-utility player. He's embraced the role. No one had to do a hard sell on him. Cedric Mullins was mired in a lengthy slump and organizational concerns grew over the potential impact on his confidence and development. He needed to start over with...

Three four-run innings lead to 12-2 Orioles loss (updated)

Three four-run innings lead to 12-2 Orioles loss (updated)
David Hess seemed to be dropping hints early tonight that he'd more closely resemble the version of himself that stymied the Blue Jays in Toronto than the one who turned in his shortest start last week at Tropicana Field. It happened in the first inning with back-to-back called third strikes on Yoán Moncada and José Abreu, a changeup and 95 mph fastball getting Hess back in the dugout on 10 pitches. Or it could have been the five-pitch fourth inning - popup, fly ball and grounder. Blink...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Though he went hitless yesterday with a pair of strikeouts and a walk, Renato Núñez continues to lead the Orioles in RBIs with 16 and is one ahead of Dwight Smith Jr. Two players who weren't assured of making the club out of spring training, though Núñez being out of options improved his chances. Smith wasn't in the organization until a March 8 trade between the Orioles and Blue Jays. Former executive Dan Duquette claimed Núñez off waivers from the Rangers on May 13, 2018,...

Twins' hit eight home runs and complete sweep of O's (updated)

Twins' hit eight home runs and complete sweep of O's (updated)
The patience that Alex Cobb required to get him through his two stints on the disabled list, the groin injury late in spring training and the back spasms that cropped up after his first start, will be needed to guide him through another difficult period in his professional life. Cobb's return to the active roster and rotation couldn't have gone much worse tonight. He allowed three home runs as the Orioles blew past the major league record. The nine runs charged to him tied his career...

Orioles and Twins lineups (game postponed due to rain)

Orioles and Twins lineups (game postponed due to rain)
Alex Cobb is coming off the injured list to make tonight's start against the Twins, if the weather allows it. He's listed as the starter, but a corresponding roster move hasn't been announced. Cedric Mullins is out of the lineup, but Chris Davis returns. Trey Mancini is in right field, with Joey Rickard in center. Hanser Alberto is playing second base and Jonathan Villar moves to shortstop. Cobb is making his second start tonight. He's 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.359 WHIP in four career...

What Cobb's return means for the rotation (and other notes)

What Cobb's return means for the rotation (and other notes)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde checked on Alex Cobb yesterday, received the information he wanted and proceeded with his pitching plans for the weekend and beyond. Cobb's back is fine. The spasms are gone. And he's coming off the injured list Friday to start against the Twins at Camden Yards. The rotation lines up as Cobb, Dan Straily and Dylan Bundy for the weekend series, followed by David Hess and Andrew Cashner for the first two games against the White Sox in...

Hess hit hard and dugout heated in 8-1 loss (updated)

Hess hit hard and dugout heated in 8-1 loss (updated)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - If David Hess had any shot at getting deeper into his start tonight against the Rays, he needed to soften the contact against him. Think pillow instead of pillar. Everything that Hess threw was tattooed, with exit velocities in the first inning of 115.4, 102.3, 105.6 and 108.9 mph - the latter resulting in a three-run homer by the University of Maryland's Brandon Lowe on a ball that traveled 409 feet, according to Statcast. Hess allowed another run in the second and...

Orioles option Austin Wynns to Triple-A Norfolk

Orioles option Austin Wynns to Triple-A Norfolk
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles didn't need much convincing about catcher Austin Wynns' readiness to play on a regular basis. Wynns was reinstated from the 10-day injured list this afternoon and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after only four injury rehab games. A strained oblique and placement on the IL denied Wynns a shot at breaking camp with the Orioles. He went 2-for-5 with two RBIs last night for Double-A Bowie and was 5-for-17 with two doubles and four RBIs. Wynns has been catching...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has confirmed that Alex Cobb is in line to start Friday night's series opener against the Twins at Camden Yards, the veteran nearing a return from the injured list after throwing yesterday without discomfort in his back. However, Hyde isn't able to divulge plans for the corresponding move and how Cobb fits back into the rotation. One scenario is to option reliever Josh Lucas to Triple-A Norfolk and move John Means to the bullpen again as a...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (updated)

Orioles and Red Sox lineups (updated)
BOSTON - The Orioles conclude their four-game series in rainy Boston this morning with Dwight Smith Jr. back in the lineup in left field after being a late scratch yesterday due to a sore right leg. Chris Davis is playing first base and Cedric Mullins is batting ninth as the center fielder. Jonathan Villar leads off again today. Jesús Sucre is catching Dan Straily. For the Orioles Jonathan Villar 2B Trey Mancini RF Dwight Smith Jr. LF Rio Ruiz 3B Renato Núñez DH Chris Davis 1B ...

Orioles waste Means start and rallies in 4-0 loss (updated)

Orioles waste Means start and rallies in 4-0 loss (updated)
BOSTON - John Means gave the Orioles five innings today. Gave them a gritty effort with easy stretches, one jam escaped and minimal damage in another. Gave them reasons to consider him for a longer stay in the rotation. Alex Cobb is expected back next weekend, leaving Means to wonder how he's going to be handled. He'll let the people above his pay grade make the decision. Means complicated it by holding the Red Sox to one run in his second major league start, the deficit too much for the...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
BOSTON - Chris Davis stays in the Orioles lineup today against Red Sox left-hander David Price, with Trey Mancini in right field again and Renato Núñez continuing to serve as designated hitter. Jonathan Villar is leading off and playing second base. Joey Rickard is in center field, with Cedric Mullins going to the bench. Hanser Alberto replaces Rio Ruiz at third base against a southpaw. Jesús Sucre is catching left-hander John Means, who's making his second major league start. For the...

Orioles offense starts slow in 6-4 loss (updated)

Orioles offense starts slow in 6-4 loss (updated)
BOSTON - Hanser Alberto lined a single into right field tonight with two outs in the top of the fifth inning and the Orioles could exhale. They had their first baserunner. Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, the former Orioles farmhand, wasn't going to make history against them. Just a mild flirtation on a cold and rainy night in Boston. Fourteen straight Orioles were retired before Alberto's hit and the Orioles already trailed by three runs. They rallied for two in the seventh on Dwight...

Bundy seeks improvements today in third start

Bundy seeks improvements today in third start
Dylan Bundy is attempting today to lose a little of the consistency that he's brought into his first two starts. Bundy has lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs against the Yankees in the Bronx and in Baltimore. Perhaps a new opponent is needed, with the Orioles closing out their four-game series this afternoon against the Athletics before flying to Boston. The ERA is frozen at 7.36, with seven walks and nine strikeouts over his 7 1/3 innings. Asked about his side work this week, Bundy...