Orioles lineup vs. Indians (updated)

Orioles lineup vs. Indians (updated)
The Orioles recalled Dean Kremer from Triple-A Norfolk to make tonight's start in Cleveland. Reliever Travis Lakins Sr. was optioned yesterday. Kremer is 0-5 with a 6.87 ERA and 1.658 WHIP in nine games. His last appearance was May 25 in Minnesota, when he allowed five runs and six hits with three walks in four innings. Austin Hays and Maikel Franco are out of the lineup. DJ Stewart is in left field and Pat Valaika is playing third base. Hays felt his hamstring grab while making a catch in...

Rays relief dominates again as Orioles are swept (updated)

Rays relief dominates again as Orioles are swept (updated)
The Orioles were able to get into the Rays bullpen early today, which is good news against most teams. Not this one. Michael Wacha served as the opener, Tampa Bay's relievers didn't give an inch and the Orioles lost 7-1 to complete the sweep at Tropicana Field. César Valdez inherited two runners from Travis Lakins Sr. in the seventh, and a strikeout and intentional walk were followed by Randy Arozarena's grand slam. The Orioles are 22-42 and have lost 15 consecutive road games, the streak...

Bruce Zimmermann solid, but Tampa Bay wins to sweep series

Bruce Zimmermann solid, but Tampa Bay wins to sweep series
Orioles lefty Bruce Zimmermann surely battled well today. He missed by one out giving the Orioles a quality start, something they have had just once in their last 15 games. But he pitched them deeper into the game than some O's starters recently had and kept his team in the game this afternoon at Tropicana Field. But the O's offense was not getting much going against five Tampa Bay pitchers, and they lost 7-1 to the Rays to get swept in this series. The Orioles fall to 22-42 and have now lost...

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)
DJ Stewart is leading off this afternoon and Cedric Mullins is on the bench as the Orioles close out their series against the Rays and hop on a flight to Cleveland. Austin Hays moves to center field. Austin Wynns stays behind the plate. Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter. Pat Valaika is playing second base. Rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann - yes, a local product - is 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.463 WHIP in 11 games (10 starts) over 54 innings. He's allowed five runs in his last three...

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 and Rays lineups (updated)

Orioles and Rays lineups (updated)
Austin Hays moves over to right field this afternoon against the Rays after leaving the injured list yesterday and playing left field. Ryan Mountcastle goes from first base to left field and Trey Mancini switches from designated hitter to first base. Anthony Santander is the DH. Hays leads the club with four outfield assists. Mancini hit his 98th career home run last night in his 522nd game. Only four players who began their careers with the Orioles have reached 100 homers in their first 600...

Mancini homer a lone bright spot for Orioles in 4-2 loss (updated)

Mancini homer a lone bright spot for Orioles in 4-2 loss (updated)
The game within the game begins early, shortly after the final note is struck in the anthem. Wondering how much length the starter can provide. How many calls must be made to the bullpen. The piecing together of nine innings doesn't come with an easy set of instructions. Keegan Akin moved past the fifth inning once as a rookie in 2020, recording an out in the sixth. He completed the fifth in his previous start this month. Like other young pitchers on the staff, the Orioles are trying to safely...

O's game blog: Can Birds put up runs on Taijuan Walker?

O's game blog: Can Birds put up runs on Taijuan Walker?
The Orioles' recent run of offensive success will get a real test tonight as they play the New York Mets in the second game of a two-game series. They will face right-hander Taijuan Walker (4-2, 2.17), a pitcher that ranks fifth in the National League in ERA and has already beaten the Orioles once this season. On May 12 at Citi Field, Walker went seven innings, allowing four hits and one run on 97 pitches. For the year, he has allowed 34 hits in 54 innings, giving up just two home runs with 23...

Lineup produces top to bottom, O's sweep on the farm

Lineup produces top to bottom, O's sweep on the farm
It's fun to win and so it was fun around Birdland last night, as the Orioles and their four minor league teams combined for another perfect 5-0 night. The Orioles beat the Mets 10-3 and again got contributions throughout the lineup, which was great to see. As the O's have gotten their core hitters in the middle of the order back healthy and hitting in Trey Mancini, Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander, with a big push at the top, of course, from center fielder Cedric Mullins, it takes some...

Hits keep coming for Orioles in 10-3 win (updated)

Hits keep coming for Orioles in 10-3 win (updated)
The Orioles have reached the 60-game mark in their season, the same point where they packed up and headed home last fall while the playoffs unfolded. There's nothing truncated in 2021 besides a manager's patience if the losses mount and mistakes aren't corrected. The praise, however, can be expanded to cover pretty much everyone during the good times. A 4-1 start to the month brought a sense of relief and plenty of smiles, and the arrival yesterday of the first-place Mets didn't change the...

Hyde's bullpen stocked again with two Rule 5 picks (with lineups)

Hyde's bullpen stocked again with two Rule 5 picks (with lineups)
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde leaned against the dugout railing this afternoon at Camden Yards and had his first face-to-face interaction with the media since spring training shut down on March 12, 2020. No more Zoom interviews during his pregame session. And for Hyde, no mask. The return to pre-pandemic days is creeping along. The key is how it's moving forward. "This feels normal," Hyde said as his players took batting practice. "It's been strange, for you, too, doing everything through...

Orioles activate Sceroler

Orioles activate Sceroler
Two days after optioning left-hander Zac Lowther to Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles filled out their 26-man roster by reinstating Rule 5 pick Mac Sceroler from the injured list prior to tonight's series opener against the Mets at Camden Yards. The Orioles also reinstated infielder Pat Valaika from the bereavement list and optioned infielder Ramón Urías to Norfolk. Sceroler has made two appearances, none since April 11, due to right shoulder tendinitis. He's allowed three runs and five...

Hyde on Means, rotation, Santander and more

Hyde on Means, rotation, Santander and more
Orioles pitcher John Means underwent an MRI on his left shoulder a couple of hours ago and the team is waiting for the results before speculating on the length of his absence from the active roster and how it impacts the rotation. Means was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strain. Rookie Zac Lowther was recalled again from Triple-A Norfolk. "With a couple off-days coming up, he leaves the game in the first inning with some tenderness in his shoulder, we're going to side with caution...

Notes on Armstrong, Harvey, Hays and more

Notes on Armstrong, Harvey, Hays and more
Orioles reliever Shawn Armstrong began the 2021 season on the paternity list, was transferred to the injured list in a procedural move caused by the intake process and spent two months unable to regain his effectiveness out of the bullpen. The next move for Armstrong could be joining a new organization. The Orioles designated Armstrong for assignment this afternoon while also recalling reliever Travis Lakins Sr. from Triple-A Norfolk, and claiming infielder Domingo Leyba on waivers from the...

Orioles DFA Armstrong and Waddell (plus lineups)

Orioles DFA Armstrong and Waddell (plus lineups)
The Orioles have designated right-hander Shawn Armstrong and left-hander Brandon Waddell for assignment today among a bunch of moves leading into tonight's game against the Indians at Camden Yards. Reliever Hunter Harvey was activated today from the 60-day injured list and he's on the field for early work with the rest of the pitchers. Left-hander Zac Lowther was optioned yesterday to Triple-A Norfolk to make room on the active roster. Infielder Pat Valaika has been placed on the bereavement...

Mancini, Mullins among Orioles on All-Star ballot (with note)

Mancini, Mullins among Orioles on All-Star ballot (with note)
Major League Baseball has launched its All-Star Game ballots this afternoon, with fans beginning to cast votes at noon via mobile devices at MLB.com, the team websites, the MLB At Bat and MLB Ballpark mobile apps, and on Google Search. Phase 1 ends on June 24 at 4 p.m. The top three vote-getters at each position and top nine outfielders will be revealed on June 27, which moves the process into a four-day Phase 2 period. Remember when you would receive a ballot at the ballpark and punch out the...

O's woes grow with 7-4 loss in Game 1 (updated)

O's woes grow with 7-4 loss in Game 1 (updated)
Games shortened to seven innings aren't capable right now of preventing losing streaks from growing. The Orioles must hope that they don't run out of ideas. Another early lead for the Orioles was erased in rapid fashion today after Freddy Galvis hit the first of his two home runs off White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel in the first inning. A single by José Abreu tied the game in the first. A pair of Matt Harvey walks and a wild pitch to open the third were followed by Abreu's two-run...

Orioles see logic and challenges with short bench

Orioles see logic and challenges with short bench
The idea of a 14-man pitching staff still makes sense during a season with heightened injury concerns. The increase in games and innings endangering the arms. The handling of workloads done with care. Carrying two Rule 5 picks on opening day solidified the logic. Hard to punch holes through it. The complication resides in the trainers' room. Keeping nine relievers on a 26-man roster allows for only a three-man bench and the Orioles have found themselves stripped down to the extra...

Orioles recall Nevin and option Waddell (updated)

Orioles recall Nevin and option Waddell (updated)
The Orioles have brought Triple-A Norfolk corner infielder Tyler Nevin to Chicago for tonight's game against the White Sox and he's expected to be placed on the active roster. The club is short on healthy first basemen with Ryan Mountcastle taking a 93 mph fastball off his left hand Tuesday and Trey Mancini being struck in the right elbow last night by a 95 mph fastball. Mountcastle has been day-to-day, deemed unavailable again last night after taking some swings in the cage. Pat Valaika...

O's pitching bashed as Nats rally from five down (quotes added)

O's pitching bashed as Nats rally from five down (quotes added)
This is how badly it is going for the Orioles right now: For the second time in four games, they held a five-run lead but did not win. Leading 5-0 in the first and 6-1 after they batted in the top of the third, O's pitching collapsed to allow four runs each in the third and fourth innings and three in the sixth today as Washington stormed back to post a 12-9 win. The Orioles have lost the first two games in this series and will be swept three straight in back-to-back series if they lose...