A look at the latest comeback win on this road trip

A look at the latest comeback win on this road trip
The Orioles have been the comeback kids on this road trip to Washington and Philadelphia. They won this afternoon and are 5-0 on this trip. Four of the wins have been come-from-behind victories. Today the offense erupted for four runs in the fifth, two runs two innings later, three more in the eighth and two in the ninth to produce an 11-4 win over the Phillies. They improved to 10-7 and completed their second three-game sweep of the year. The Orioles have won five in a row and are 7-1 on the...

Ruiz on his defense and hair, Hyde on Davis and Akin

Ruiz on his defense and hair, Hyde on Davis and Akin
Rio Ruiz hit his fourth home run of the season last night, tying him with Anthony Santander for second-most on the team. Ruiz leads the Orioles in average exit velocity at 90.3 mph, according to Statcast data. But is he most proud of his work at the plate or third base? Where is he making the greatest contribution? "That's a tough one," he said. Of course it is. Ruiz had a sore shoulder that removed him from the lineup and exposed the Orioles at the position. His range, hands and consistency...

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies
The Orioles already won their fourth series of the season. Today's goal is to complete the sweep in Philadelphia before returning home. Their last series sweep of the Phillies came on June 15-16, 2015 when they took two games at Camden Yards. The last three-game sweep occurred on June 19-21, 2009 at Citizens Bank Park. José Iglesias is the designated hitter today with Renato Núñez at first base and Chris Davis on the bench. Pat Valaika is the shortstop with Iglesias hampered by a sore...

Updating Means, Akin, Iglesias, attempted steal of home

Updating Means, Akin, Iglesias, attempted steal of home
Orioles pitchers John Means and Jorge López are going through the intake process and remain on the injured list rather than joining the active roster. "Hoping soon," manager Brandon Hyde said during today's Zoom conference call, "but I don't have a for-sure date yet because we have to wait for results and other things." Hyde dismissed the possibility of Means pitching in Friday's suspended game against the Nationals at Camden Yards. The game will resume in the top of the sixth inning...

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies

Orioles lineup vs. Phillies
José Iglesias has returned to the Orioles' lineup tonight in Philadelphia as they try to extend their winning streak to four games. And perhaps do it in regulation and without any rain-related madness. Chris Davis stays in the eighth spot and Chance Sisco is catching and batting ninth. Hanser Alberto and Anthony Santander remain one-two in the order. Wade LeBlanc is trying to rebound from Thursday night's start against the Marlins, when he surrendered six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3...

More on rotation, Urías, Iglesias, winning and chemistry

More on rotation, Urías, Iglesias, winning and chemistry
The roster manipulation by the Orioles yesterday was minimal. One player on the taxi squad for the trip to Philadelphia. Nothing else to report. Left-hander John Means joined right-hander Jorge López on the injury list in a pair of procedural moves. They can be placed on the active roster after undergoing COVID-19 intake testing and the team has the results. Keegan Akin remained in the bullpen last night, still unsure how long he's going to stay in the majors. He gives the Orioles an extra...

Cobb looking like chip and O's win in bizarre fashion (updated)

Cobb looking like chip and O's win in bizarre fashion (updated)
The new baseball trade deadline is creeping up on teams. None are certain how the market is going to evolve in a truncated season. But pitching always is in demand and an expansion of the playoff field could lure more executives into discussions. Alex Cobb was supposed to be a topic of conversation last summer, except he was injured in spring training, made only three starts and underwent hip and knee surgeries. Not much demand for an injured pitcher in the second year of a four-year, $57...

Orioles place Urías on taxi squad, Means on IL (and other notes)

Orioles place Urías on taxi squad, Means on IL (and other notes)
Allowed to carry five players on their taxi squad for the trip to Philadelphia, the Orioles have taken a more conservative approach and added infielder Ramón Urías for their series against the Phillies. Urías is the lone extra and he's with the club to provide insurance with shortstop José Iglesias out of the lineup again tonight due to soreness in his left quadriceps muscle. Manager Brandon Hyde planned to sit Iglesias on Sunday, but the veteran was expected to start tonight....

Orioles and Phillies lineups

Orioles and Phillies lineups
José Iglesias was given a planned day off Sunday in D.C., but he remains out of the lineup tonight in Philadelphia. Pat Valaika is the starting shortstop to open the series. Iglesias is 3-for-6 with a double against Phillies starter Zack Wheeler and 15-for-37 (.405) this season with seven doubles and seven RBIs. Pedro Severino is behind the plate and batting fifth after sitting out Sunday's suspended game with a sore left wrist and hand. Austin Hays is batting seventh and Chris Davis...

Fourteen games into season, O's have plenty to feel good about

Fourteen games into season, O's have plenty to feel good about
Tarp follies or not, the Orioles have plenty to feel good about after a weekend of solid baseball in Washington, D.C. They outscored the Nationals 21-5 and were a few innings away from an 8-7 start to the 60-game season. During a year when 16 teams will get in the playoffs, a final regular season record of 32-28 will likely be good enough. Now we have to see if the final 77 percent of the season can go as well. The team has gotten decent pitching from a rotation that had produced eight starts...

Hyde sits Severino with sore wrist and hand

Hyde sits Severino with sore wrist and hand
Pedro Severino is on the bench this afternoon after being hit last night on the left wrist by a pitch from Nationals reliever Ryne Harper. Manager Brandon Hyde intended to start Severino until checking on him this morning. "Sevie's wrist is sore, his hand, from being hit last night, so he was going to play today, but I talked to him this morning and he's pretty sore from getting hit last night," Hyde said today in his Zoom conference call with the media. Bryan Holaday gets his first start...

Orioles and Nationals lineups

Orioles and Nationals lineups
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is providing rest for a few of his veterans this afternoon as the team attempts to complete a three-game sweep over the Nationals in D.C. Pat Valaika is the shortstop, with José Iglesias on the bench. Renato Núñez is the first baseman, with Chris Davis on the bench. Bryan Holaday gets his first start behind the plate. Chance Sisco is the designated hitter and Pedro Severino is out of the lineup again after his pinch-hit home run last night. Austin Hays...

Wojciechowski the starter choice over Akin

Wojciechowski the starter choice over Akin
Nothing against Asher Wojciechowski, who's been chosen to make today's start for the Orioles to close out the series in D.C., but confirmation that he'd get the assignment stung a fan base that's itching to watch Keegan Akin's major league debut. The Orioles recalled Akin from the alternate camp site in Bowie and the jumping to conclusions looked like an Olympic event. They needed a starter with John Means away from the team. A bullpen game was an undesirable option. Akin was summoned to...

Orioles and Nationals lineups

Orioles and Nationals lineups
Chance Sisco is going to catch Thomas Eshelman tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Nationals in D.C. Sisco came off the bench last night in an 11-0 win, but he's behind the plate tonight and Pedro Severino is among the reserves. Hanser Alberto stays in the leadoff spot and Austin Hays remains at the bottom of the lineup. Dwight Smith Jr. is the left fielder again and Chris Davis continues to bat eighth. A lineup very similar to last night. Because it ain't broke. With...

O's put it all together for one night, producing impressive result

O's put it all together for one night, producing impressive result
Who could have predicted that after a 13-2 loss on opening night the Orioles would take the next two games at Boston? Or that they would sweep the Tampa Bay Rays, who won 96 games last year? Or they would be swept by the Miami Marlins, who had to retool their roster so drastically? Or that what happened last night would happen. Coming off four losses to Miami, the last three by a single run - including a game Thursday in which the Orioles looked terrible - they played their best and most...

Milone coasts and offense crushes in 11-0 win (updated)

Milone coasts and offense crushes in 11-0 win (updated)
WASHINGTON - On a night that their offense stayed in high gear, the Orioles made certain that their pitching and defense didn't shut down the operation. Keeping everyone on the same page brought a much different result. Nine of the first 15 Orioles batters reached against Aníbal Sánchez, three runs scored and a team still bruised from a four-game sweep in its home ballpark hit the road and kept hitting in an 11-0 win over the Nationals in D.C. José Iglesias had a run-scoring double,...

Early aggressive offense leads to big number against Nats

Early aggressive offense leads to big number against Nats
The Orioles used a formula they used earlier this season to produce an early lead tonight. And lefty Tommy Milone took it from there. It was an impressive night of Orioles baseball. In crushing Washington 11-0 in the opener of a three-game series, the O's scored three early runs and led 4-0 by the top of the fourth. It was quite a change from earlier this week and the three straight games scoring one run combined versus Miami. Later in the game they poured on the offense. Meanwhile, Milone...

Orioles and Nationals lineups (updated)

Orioles and Nationals lineups (updated)
Rio Ruiz is back in the Orioles lineup tonight as they open a three-game series against the Nationals in D.C. Ruiz has been on the bench with inflammation in his right shoulder. Austin Hays drops to ninth in the order while Hanser Alberto continues to lead off. José Iglesias is batting third as the shortstop. Pedro Severino is catching tonight and Chris Davis is batting eighth again. Chance Sisco, who isn't in the lineup, has gone 5-for-11 with two doubles, a home run and five walks. He's...

Defensive shortcomings for O's contribute to series sweep (updated)

Defensive shortcomings for O's contribute to series sweep (updated)
The bats came out of the rack. They made some loud noises. The threat of another shutout was obliterated like the pitch Renato Núñez launched into the left field seats to open the top of the second inning. If the Orioles were going to lose again tonight, at least they'd go down swinging. A problem is fixed and the ship springs two other leaks. And the solution wasn't to keep plugging away. Wade LeBlanc lasted only 3 1/3 innings, the defense collapsed behind him and an offensive rush...

Orioles and Marlins lineups

Orioles and Marlins lineups
José Iglesias is getting the start at shortstop tonight rather than kept as the designated hitter or a pinch-hitter. Rio Ruiz, however, isn't ready to return to third base while dealing with a sore right shoulder. Ruiz is 7-for-22 (.318) with three home runs and a 1.112 OPS. Iglesias is 11-for-24 (.458) with six doubles and a 1.188 OPS. The Orioles need both of them with their offense in a major funk. An offense that's totaled one run and 10 hits in three losses in the series. Ruiz could...