Orioles lineup vs. Nationals

Orioles lineup vs. Nationals
Freddy Galvis moves up to second in the order this afternoon as the Orioles continue their series against the Nationals in D.C. Austin Hays is on the bench today. Ryan Mountcastle gets the set in left field with no designated hitter. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. Cedric Mullins is hitless in his last three games, 2-for-19 in his last five and is now batting .292/.361/.480. He stays in the leadoff spot. Rookie Bruce Zimmermann is making his seventh start, earning the assignment with one run...

Orioles removing fan capacity restrictions (plus today's lineups)

Orioles removing fan capacity restrictions (plus today's lineups)
The Orioles announced today that they'll no longer operate under crowd capacity restrictions at Camden Yards beginning June 1. The 25 percent limit is lifted. Tickets for all remaining home games will go on sale at noon on Wednesday, May 26. The Orioles will offer a two-hour online presale to fans who subscribe to the free digital Insider Newsletter. Social distancing will no longer be required between groups of ticket holders. Pod seating will continue to be available in select sections for...

O's can't hold five-run lead with ace dealing, lose 9-7 (updated)

O's can't hold five-run lead with ace dealing, lose 9-7 (updated)
The questions keep following John Means. They just change in nature. In Seattle, it was whether he would actually complete a no-hitter. In Queens, N.Y., it was how he'd respond after throwing 113 pitches and making history. Tonight's unknown was born from the seven days between starts. Would he be too fresh? His first pitch hitting the backstop on the fly, his command flickering like a bad bulb. Means' fastball was 93-95 mph in an eight-pitch first inning, all of them strikes. He retired the...

Elias updates Davis, Martin, Harvey and Kjerstad

Elias updates Davis, Martin, Harvey and Kjerstad
A knee injury limited Chris Davis to 16 games last summer. Today's hip surgery prevents him from joining the active roster and playing in 2021. The countdown to the end of Davis' franchise-record $161 million contract is accelerating, though the deal includes deferred payments through 2037. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias provided the update this afternoon in a Zoom call, the first of any substance since Davis was shut down following the exhibition opener. Two at-bats and...

Chris Davis undergoes hip surgery (plus Orioles and Rays lineups)

Chris Davis undergoes hip surgery (plus Orioles and Rays lineups)
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis won't play in 2021 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery today in Dallas to repair the labrum in his left hip. Davis received two at-bats in the first exhibition game and didn't play again. The Orioles anticipate that he's going to be full-go for 2022 spring training, the final year of his franchise-record seven-year, $161 million contract. Davis tried to rehab the injury back home and finally decided on the surgery, according to Orioles executive vice...

Orioles pitching surrenders five homers in 13-6 loss (updated)

Orioles pitching surrenders five homers in 13-6 loss (updated)
Matt Harvey stood with his back turned to home plate and his right hand on his hip tonight as Austin Meadows' ball sailed over the center field fence for the second three-run homer of the second inning. The second-shortest start of his major league career was happening before his eyes. He had to look. Though perhaps in disbelief. A bloop single by Brandon Lowe with two outs brought manager Brandon Hyde out of the dugout. The Rays were dinking Harvey to death, too, but it didn't hurt as much...

More on decision to DFA Rio Ruiz

More on decision to DFA Rio Ruiz
The latest Orioles transaction this month unfolded yesterday with Rio Ruiz taken off the 40-man roster and Stevie Wilkerson returning to the majors, again transforming a minor league contract into an opportunity. The May movement began on the third with reliever Isaac Mattson recalled from the alternate camp site in Bowie and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann optioned in an exchange of rookies. Mattson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk five days later, with left-hander Zac Lowther recalled from the...

Hyde and Wilkerson talk about today's roster move

Hyde and Wilkerson talk about today's roster move
The removal of infielder Rio Ruiz from the active and 40-man rosters, described today by Orioles manager Brandon Hyde as "extremely difficult," presents an opportunity for Stevie Wilkerson to get regular at-bats at second base. Wilkerson's versatility enables the Orioles to plug him into a variety of positions, but he's likely to get the bulk of the starts at second depending on matchups and his production. Pat Valaika is the other option. "Both of those guys can play different spots also,...

Updating Orioles rotation for Rays series

Updating Orioles rotation for Rays series
The Orioles are flip-flopping their top two starters entering their series against the Rays that begins tonight at Camden Yards. As expected, Matt Harvey is starting the opener on an extra day of rest due to yesterday's vacancy in the schedule. Left-hander John Means takes the mound Wednesday with seven days separating his outings. Rookie Dean Kremer closes out the series Thursday afternoon before the Orioles head to D.C. The Rays are starting right-hander Luis Patiño tonight. Manager...

López labors for two innings in 8-2 loss (updated)

López labors for two innings in 8-2 loss (updated)
Getting ahead in the count didn't work for Jorge López. Falling behind didn't work, either. The first inning had been the kindest for López among his seven starts, with no runs allowed and only five baserunners. But he was 0-2 tonight on DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit, and issued a walk and surrendered a hit. He walked Aaron Judge with the count 3-1 to load the bases with no outs. The Yankees siphoned 39 pitches out of López and scored three runs, Judge hit his prerequisite homer in the...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees
The Orioles have both catchers in tonight's lineup as the series continues against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Pedro Severino is the designated hitter and Chance Sisco is behind the plate. Rio Ruiz is the third baseman instead of Maikel Franco, who's in a 4-for-52 slump. DJ Stewart is in right field and batting cleanup. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. Freddy Galvis moves down to fifth in the order after batting fourth last night for the first time in his career. Fifteen of Trey Mancini's...

Kremer makes progress against Yankees, but pinch homer sinks O's

Kremer makes progress against Yankees, but pinch homer sinks O's
For Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer, it was the same team, but a different night and a much different result. For the Orioles, the final result was not at all what they wanted. A pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh by Gio Urshela off Travis Lakins Sr., lifted the New York Yankees to a come-from-behind 5-4 win in the series opener. The O's led 4-2 until that home run, and they fall to 16-22 and have lost six of seven games. Their major league-worst home record drops to 5-14. They are...

Jahmai Jones injury ruins call-up rumors

Jahmai Jones injury ruins call-up rumors
Pat Valaika was on the field early yesterday for infield drills and later placed in the Orioles lineup for the series opener against the Yankees at Camden Yards. Kill the rumors and speculation regarding Jahmai Jones. Jones was scratched from Triple-A Norfolk's lineup on Tuesday and replaced at second base by Mason McCoy. Stevie Wilkerson started at second the following night, Rylan Bannon Thursday and McCoy last night. Were the Orioles preparing to recall Jones rather than keep rotating...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees
Freddy Galvis is batting cleanup tonight as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Yankees and their latest homestand. Ryan Mountcastle is batting fifth as the designated hitter. DJ Stewart is behind him in the order and starting in right field. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. He participated in early infield drills today before batting practice. Dean Kremer is 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.538 WHIP in six starts. He's faced the Yankees twice this season and allowed nine runs and 15...

Means follows no-hitter with six scoreless innings in 3-2 loss

Means follows no-hitter with six scoreless innings in 3-2 loss
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn't need to state the obvious with left-hander John Means. Didn't need to remind the ace to control his emotions in his first start after tossing a no-hitter in Seattle. The pregame tasks didn't include delivering special messages to Means. There would be some concessions after Means threw a career-high 113 pitches, the implementation of an extra day's rest already done. Hyde would monitor him closely and not push him. "I don't say anything," Hyde insisted...

Perusing Orioles position player pitching performances

Perusing Orioles position player pitching performances
The usage of a position player as a pitcher rarely is celebrated and never done under ideal circumstances. The plan isn't implemented to gain an advantage. Quite the opposite. And it isn't popular with the guy standing on the mound or the batter exposed to the possibility of crippling embarrassment. Ever strike out swinging against a utility infielder? The hitter who grounds weakly to short has bragging rights. There are random players who actually volunteer for the assignment. Who use their...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
Shortstop Freddy Galvis did some light running this morning, took early batting practice and stayed in the lineup for today's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Galvis was removed from last night's game to improve his chances of playing today. He's still working through some soreness in his adductor/groin. Last night's game produced Galvis' fourth home run of the season and 99th of his career. He also extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games and is batting .368...

O's lose again at home to Red Sox, but Aberdeen still unbeaten

O's lose again at home to Red Sox, but Aberdeen still unbeaten
The fact that shortstop Ramón Urías made an error playing behind pitcher Pat Valaika in the ninth inning last night probably tells us something about how this game went for the Orioles. Valaika went on to put up a zero in his one inning and that was something. But overall, not a good night for the Orioles, who got whipped 11-6 by Boston. And the visiting team is 8-0 this year when these clubs play. The bad news is the next two in this series will be at Oriole Park. Somehow the Orioles...

Lowther struggles in first start, Valaika pitches in 11-6 loss

Lowther struggles in first start, Valaika pitches in 11-6 loss
The first major league start tonight for left-hander Zac Lowther also came with his first jams, runs scored and mound visits. By the time Lowther notched his second strikeout of the evening, he had thrown 49 pitches and surrendered four runs. The game was headed to the bottom of the second inning. The bullpen stayed quiet, with manager Brandon Hyde giving the rookie room to work and grow. A spot start, if that's what it was, didn't come with a short leash. Hyde had to tighten it in the third....

Unearned runs ruin Harvey's night in 6-2 loss (updated)

Unearned runs ruin Harvey's night in 6-2 loss (updated)
Matt Harvey struck out J.D. Martinez tonight and extended the Orioles' streak of hitless innings to 10. John Means did the heavy lifting. Harvey was just following a tough act and trying to keep up. The Red Sox elevated Harvey's pitch count early, plated four unearned runs in the fourth inning and kept the Orioles below .500 with a 6-2 win before an announced crowd of 7,724 at damp and cold Camden Yards. Ryan Mountcastle led off the sixth inning with a home run, driving a full-count 99 mph...