Franco going on injured list with ankle sprain

Franco going on injured list with ankle sprain
Maikel Franco took ground balls at third base earlier today, experienced the same discomfort that's hounded him since the final out in Houston and is headed to the 10-day injured list. Franco was scratched from last night's lineup with recurring soreness. He's batting .221/.265/.376 with 18 doubles, nine home runs and 42 RBIs in 77 games. The bat finally began to heat up, with Franco going 7-for-13 with two doubles and four RBIs in his last three games. The injury occurred last Wednesday...

O's bats slowed as Angels win 4-1 (updated)

O's bats slowed as Angels win 4-1 (updated)
Former Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb got his season off to a good start this year with the Los Angeles Angels. He had an ERA of 3.78 through May. But the year took a downturn for him in June, when he pitched to an ERA of 7.32 over 19 2/3 innings. However, Cobb got back on track tonight and slowed down the O's bats that had produced seven runs last night, 34 runs the last four games and 46 runs over the last seven. Cobb and the Angels beat the Orioles 4-1 and have taken the first two games of...

Jahmai Jones: "I'm definitely happy to have a fan base in Baltimore"

Jahmai Jones: "I'm definitely happy to have a fan base in Baltimore"
The Orioles are continuing their series against the Angels in Anaheim tonight with former teammate Alex Cobb providing the opposition. A face-to-faces reminder of the Feb. 2 trade that provided some salary relief, though the Orioles included $10 million in the deal, and shaved years of experience off the rotation. Cobb had his season interrupted by a recurrence of the blister issues that dogged him with the Orioles. He's made 11 starts and posted a 5.09 ERA and 1.302 WHIP, averaging a...

Harvey on injured list (and lineups)

Harvey on injured list (and lineups)
The Orioles placed reliever Hunter Harvey on the 10-day injured list this afternoon with a strained right lat and recalled left-hander Zac Lowther from Triple-A Norfok. Manager Brandon Hyde said Harvey will miss a month of the season. Harvey had to stop warming Wednesday night in Houston due to the discomfort and he underwent tests that revealed the injury. He began the season on the IL with a strained oblique. In nine games, Harvey has posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.269 WHIP in 8 2/3 innings. Lowther...

Sceroler "thankful for this whole entire situation"

Sceroler "thankful for this whole entire situation"
The Tuesday drive from Mac Sceroler's home in Louisiana to Chattanooga, Tenn., didn't show it on any map, but he traveled down a steep hill to get there. The peak of it actually back in Baltimore. The descent from the majors to Double-A baseball is common with Rule 5 selections. Sceroler sensed that it might be coming. Braced for it and understanding of the reasons. Two months spent on the injured list and rehabbing his right shoulder tore through whatever odds of success existed with...

Orioles and Astros lineups (updated)

Orioles and Astros lineups (updated)
Domingo Leyba is playing third base tonight as the Orioles open a three-game series in Houston. Maikel Franco and Anthony Santander are on the bench. Austin Hays is in right field and batting second, Ryan McKenna is in left and Ramón Urías is playing shortstop. Pat Valaika gets the start at second base. Urías has a seven-game hitting streak that was interrupted by his return to Triple-A Norfolk. He's 8-for-16 with a double, home run and six RBIs during the streak. Leyba went 0-for-4...

Galvis leaves game with leg injury (Orioles lose 12-4, updated)

Galvis leaves game with leg injury (Orioles lose 12-4, updated)
Falling behind by four runs today wasn't the only pain inflicted on the Orioles. They watched shortstop Freddy Galvis leave the game in the top of the second inning with an injury to his right leg, which likely is going to force him onto the injured list and bring more roster moves. Galvis reached on a bunt single and limped off the field, grabbing the front of his leg to indicate a possible quadriceps injury. The club announced only that he had right quad discomfort. Galvis was making his...

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Anthony Santander is in the Orioles lineup today and playing right field after delivering his second career pinch-hit last night during a four-run rally in the eighth inning. Austin Hays is in left field and DJ Stewart is on the bench as the Orioles continue their series against the Blue Jays in Buffalo. Pedro Severino, charged with his seventh passed ball last night, is behind the plate again. Freddy Galvis moves down to sixth in the order. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Over his...

Looking back at Friday's win and looking ahead to the draft

Looking back at Friday's win and looking ahead to the draft
The Orioles players and manager Brandon Hyde had been telling reporters that the team had remained upbeat and the attitude in the clubhouse was good during all the recent losing. Some nights, to be honest, it didn't look like it, such as in recent shutout losses of 13-0 to Houston and 9-0 to Toronto. But, to be fair, when a team is getting blown out, it is hard to look good or to look like their energy level is strong. But it's easier to see that when, for instance, the team rallies from 5-1...

Orioles win in 10 innings to end road losing streak at 20 (updated)

Orioles win in 10 innings to end road losing streak at 20 (updated)
The pitch count didn't present an issue tonight for Matt Harvey. No inning so taxing that he became fatigued by the midpoint, which happened again in his last start. Harvey made it through the fifth inning for the first time in his last 10 starts, though two solo homers put him behind twice, letdowns that have been deadly with the Orioles unable to siphon runs out of a game. The offense wasn't on mute tonight, rare noise coming from a four-run eighth that created a tie. Harvey wouldn't...

Matt Harvey throws well as O's rally to win

Matt Harvey throws well as O's rally to win
For a pitcher with a record of 0-7 and ERA of 13.17 over his last eight starts, right-hander Matt Harvey threw quite well tonight. For an offense that had not scored in 24 straight innings, the Orioles no longer have to worry about that streak. And thanks to a late four-run rally and a bases-loaded walk issued by the Blue Jays in the top of the 10th, the Orioles beat Toronto 6-5 tonight. The O's ended a six-game losing streak and a 20-game road losing streak, improving to 24-52. In a 5-5 game...

Jannis makes major league debut in 13-0 loss (updated)

Jannis makes major league debut in 13-0 loss (updated)
The countdown to Mickey Jannis' major league debut began tonight in the top of the second inning. He began warming in the fourth after Dillon Tate sat down. He walked through the gate in the fifth and into a chapter of his professional life that didn't seem plausible. Jannis finally pitched in a major league game, his small but vocal cheering section unleashed in front of the press box. The run he allowed in the sixth seemed inconsequential based on the score and his journey. Then came four...

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster

Checking back on Orioles 2022 roster
Three years ago, the staff at Baseball America took a shot at projecting the Orioles lineup, rotation and closer for the 2022 season. Let's just say the publication didn't bat 1.000. OK, let's say more. It's virtually impossible to hit on any team because of the variables that blow up predictions. The lists ran in October, after the Orioles began dismantling the team over the summer. The teardown started with the trades of Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Jonathan Schoop, Brad Brach, Kevin...

Orioles and Astros lineups

Orioles and Astros lineups
Anthony Santander is out of the lineup again tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Astros at Camden Yards. Santander is slowed by a sore left ankle. He stayed on the bench last night. Austin Hays is in left field and DJ Stewart is in right again tonight. Ryan Mountcastle is playing first base and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Pat Valaika is the second baseman and Pedro Severino gets another start behind the plate. Jorge López is 2-8 with a 5.95 ERA and 1.492 WHIP...

Mancini homers twice, but Harvey can't finish fifth in 7-4 loss

Mancini homers twice, but Harvey can't finish fifth in 7-4 loss
Matt Harvey stood on the mound after the final out was recorded in the third inning, a frozen posture he's struck in previous starts while watching a fly ball land in the seats. Except this time he was pausing to congratulate Pat Valaika on a nice defensive play, with the infielder ranging beyond second base to make the backhand stop and long throw. The day was progressing more favorably for Harvey, but the wall that keeps leaving marks appeared in the fifth. He'd be stopped again. He'd make...

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Matt Harvey gets another chance this afternoon to reverse an extended skid while closing out the series against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Harvey is 3-8 with a 7.76 ERA and 1.724 WHIP in 14 starts over 58 innings. He's failed to complete the fourth inning in four consecutive outings. Since the four unearned runs on May 7, Harvey has been charged with 36 earned on 45 hits in 23 innings. None of his last eight starts have gone past 4 2/3 innings. In his only career start against the Blue...

Orioles lineup vs. Indians

Orioles lineup vs. Indians
The rotating outfield for the Orioles finds Austin Hays in left field this afternoon and Anthony Santander in right for the series finale in Cleveland that also concludes a brutal road trip. Trey Mancini is playing first base and Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter, with DJ Stewart going to the bench. Pat Valaika is the second baseman and Austin Wynns is catching. Jorge López faced the Indians on June 6 in Baltimore and allowed three runs and four hits in five innings. He walked three...

Orioles can't overcome more breakdowns in 8-7 loss (updated)

Orioles can't overcome more breakdowns in 8-7 loss (updated)
On the same day that Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde again spoke about the need to stay patient and focus on the big picture, no matter how much the losing hurts and frustrates in the moment, the Orioles collected two runs and four hits within the first 10 pitches of their game in Cleveland. A brief reprieve and then a jarring return to their reality. The present can be painful. No one disagrees. The Indians scored five runs off Keegan Akin in the third inning before he recorded an out, the Orioles...

Orioles and Indians lineups

Orioles and Indians lineups
Freddy Galvis is batting third tonight in Cleveland as the Orioles try to end their 17-game road losing streak. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter and Austin Hays is in right field again. DJ Stewart gets another start in left. Anthony Santander takes a turn on the bench. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. Stevie Wilkerson committed two errors last night. Cedric Mullins is batting .452/.531/.786 this month with three doubles, a triple and three home runs. His 80 hits this season are tied...

Kremer makes impressive return in 4-3 loss (updated)

Kremer makes impressive return in 4-3 loss (updated)
Dean Kremer made his 14th major league start tonight and could brag of being the most experienced pitcher among the three rookies now planted in the Orioles rotation for however long it lasts. Kremer was recalled this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk, his reset complete, and joined left-handers Bruce Zimmermann and Keegan Akin, who have started in 12 and nine games, respectively. If fans want a distraction from the losing streaks that keep hounding this club, a trio of pitching prospects taking...