Orioles and Mariners lineups, news of Ray Miller's passing

Orioles and Mariners lineups, news of Ray Miller's passing
Freddy Galvis is out of the Orioles lineup this afternoon for their series finale in Seattle that also concludes their road trip. Ramón Urías is the shortstop and Pat Valaika is starting at second base. Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays continue to bat 1-2 in the order. Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter. Left-hander John Means will try to maintain his roll. He's posted a 1.70 ERA, 0.838 WHIP and .163 average against in six starts and has allowed...

The RISP issues and a look at opening night on the farm

The RISP issues and a look at opening night on the farm
For the Orioles, it has been a recurring problem with their offense: a lack of clutch hits. This issue showed up again big time in the second game of the Seattle series Tuesday night. The Orioles had the bases loaded and one out in the second inning. They had bases loaded and two outs in the sixth and the same situation in the eighth. The last two times, catcher Chance Sisco grounded out in each instance to end the threat. He went hitless and is now batting .162 with a .414 OPS. He had company...

Elias discusses trade and roster after 8-5 loss

Elias discusses trade and roster after 8-5 loss
The search for pitching won't keep executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias glued to the waiver wire and free agent market. He resorted to a third option late this afternoon. Elias acquired right-hander Adam Plutko from the Indians for cash considerations and gave manager Brandon Hyde more innings coverage to begin the regular season. He also raised a few interesting questions that he addressed after an 8-5 loss to the Braves in North Port. Plutko can work as a starter and reliever,...

Long on McKenna: "He impressed me"

Long on McKenna: "He impressed me"
The optioning and reassignment of players to Twin Lakes Park is done only to reduce the camp roster. They aren't confined to the complex as if surrounded by an electrical fence. The Orioles have the freedom to play them in Grapefruit League games. Out of sight on occasion, for sure, but not banned from the site. They are still able to remain visible and fresh in the minds of the evaluators on the Ed Smith side of spring training. The last round of cuts on March 16 removed infielders Rylan...

Updating Mountcastle and reviewing 2-0 loss

Updating Mountcastle and reviewing 2-0 loss
Ryan Mountcastle was supposed to make the trip to Fort Myers and play left field tonight for the Orioles. It said so on the first lineup card posted in the afternoon. The second card an hour later had Tyler Nevin in left field, also batting third. An explanation on Mountcastle's removal sort of came after a brisk 2-0 loss to the Red Sox. Manager Brandon Hyde explained on his Zoom call that Mountcastle was scratched with "a non-physical injury." "It's just something that I can't disclose...

Hernández leaves game with elbow discomfort

Hernández leaves game with elbow discomfort
Veteran starter Félix Hernández left today's start against the Rays with discomfort in his right elbow. He's undergoing an examination and the Orioles should have more information in the morning. Hernández retired the side in order with two strikeouts, but manager Brandon Hyde sensed that there was an issue. "I thought the velo was the same," Hyde said following a 7-1 seven-inning loss in Port Charlotte. "He was getting outs, he had a good slider. I just thought the body language...

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Richie Martin won't make his spring debut this afternoon against the Rays, with manager Brandon Hyde giving him a little more time following hamate bone surgery rather than sending him to Port Charlotte to play shortstop. Martin underwent the procedure in January after breaking the bone in Puerto Rico. He batted yesterday in a simulated game and was expected in the lineup today, but his first Grapefruit League activity remains on hold. The former Rule 5 pick said on his Zoom call that he'll...

Ruiz's return a rousing success in 12-3 win

Ruiz's return a rousing success in 12-3 win
Rio Ruiz had something to say this afternoon before hopping on his media Zoom call. He knows about the club's pending move for free agent third baseman Maikel Franco and how it impacts him. He knows that missing more than a week with an illness and being 1-for-12 before today's game against the Pirates are sabotaging his attempts to make the club and keep his position. Ruiz isn't wearing blinders. He wore the look today of a much better version of himself. Ruiz made a diving stop and throw...

Orioles and Tigers lineups (and more)

Orioles and Tigers lineups (and more)
Adley Rutschman is rewarded for yesterday's double, the Orioles' only hit in Dunedin, with a start today as the designated hitter against the Tigers in Lakeland. Rutschman is batting seventh, one spot ahead of Ryan McKenna, who gets the start in center field. Austin Wynns is behind the plate. Yolmer Sánchez is leading off. Ryan Mountcastle is in left field. Dean Kremer is making his third start after allowing three runs and walking three batters in 4 2/3 innings. He tossed three scoreless...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
In 12 exhibition games in 2019 after his trade to the Orioles, outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. collected 12 hits in 28 at-bats, hit five home runs and posted a 1.448 OPS. He slashed .241/.297/.412 in 392 plate appearances during the regular season. Catcher Chance Sisco went 13-for-34 (.382) with four home runs and 11 RBIs in the Grapefruit League, his 1.298 OPS ranking third on the club, but he batted .210 with a .729 OPS and played in only 58 games after the Orioles broke camp. Joey Rickard...

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Wade LeBlanc has resurfaced to start today's game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, his first Grapefruit League appearance since tossing two scoreless innings on March 3. LeBlanc has been building innings on the back fields. The Orioles are putting Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays in the same outfield again today - Mullins in center and Hays in left. They're batting first and second in the order. Yusniel Diaz is in right field. Chance Sisco is the designated hitter and Jahmai Jones is the...

Some Orioles decisions harder than others

Some Orioles decisions harder than others
The Orioles won't really sink their teeth into their camp roster until they get closer to opening day. The first round of cuts was more like a nibble. There are decisions to be made that are going to challenge them. Others shouldn't consume hours and run late into the night. For example: Easy: Outfielders Yusniel Diaz and Ryan McKenna head to the alternate camp site in April and await their major league debuts later in the summer. The Orioles, meanwhile, celebrate their outfield depth that...

More from Elias and details on 4-3 win

More from Elias and details on 4-3 win
The minor league seasons are starting late, which is a heck of a lot better than nothing at all. That's the attitude carried by the Orioles, who are busy finalizing plans for their alternate camp site in Bowie and the minor league spring training in Sarasota that commences after they break. Exhibition games are played and rightfully get most of the attention, including today's 4-3-win over the Blue Jays at Ed Smith Stadium, but there's much more activity churning behind the scenes. "We've...

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said yesterday that he wanted to give Ryan McKenna more at-bats against major league pitching and the team a longer look at him. McKenna is starting in left field this afternoon against the Blue Jays in Sarasota. McKenna is batting ninth. Austin Hays is leading off and playing center field. The lineup also includes Trey Mancini as the designated hitter and Freddy Galvis batting cleanup. Ramón Urías is starting at third base, with Rio Ruiz remaining out of the...

Orioles lineup vs. Twins

Orioles lineup vs. Twins
Austin Hays is in right field this afternoon and Cedric Mullins is in center as the Orioles travel to Fort Myers to play the Twins. Trey Mancini is the first baseman and Tyler Nevin is the designated hitter. DJ Stewart (hamstring) and Chris Davis (back) remain out of the lineup. Rylan Bannon is starting at third base. Rio Ruiz is on the bench and struggling at the plate, where he's gone 1-for-12 with three strikeouts. Pat Valaika is 2-for-10 with a home run while in the thick of the utility...

Leftovers for breakfast

Leftovers for breakfast
The center field competition between Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins won't necessarily push one of them to the bench. Manager Brandon Hyde is willing to put them in the same lineup with their ability to handle all three outfield spots, which would strengthen the defense. The designated hitter role comes with a revolving door now that Renato Núñez has left the organization. On any given day, Ryan Mountcastle or another outfielder could land in that spot. "I think I'm going to move all...

Reviewing Harvey's start, Mountcastle's homer and a 13-4 loss

Reviewing Harvey's start, Mountcastle's homer and a 13-4 loss
The contract was signed and workouts monitored. The ball was handed to him today in Dunedin, Fla. But Matt Harvey wouldn't really fit in with the Orioles until he faced Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk. Now he's truly a member of the club. Making his debut appearance, Harvey loaded the bases in the first inning and Grichuk drove in two runs with a double in Toronto's 13-4 win in Dunedin. Pat Valaika and Ryan Mountcastle homered for the Orioles, who are 2-3-1. Catcher Nick Ciuffo drove in...

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays
Tyler Nevin gets the start at first base and Brett Cumberland is the designated hitter for today's game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. Ramón Urias is making back-to-back starts, being a late replacement for Freddy Galvis at shortstop yesterday and starting at second base today. Galvis remains day-to-day with a sore hip. Pat Valaika is the shortstop today. Ryan Mountcastle is in left field and Austin Hays is in center. First baseman Chris Davis remains out of the lineup with a...

Tyler Nevin on joining Orioles and relationship with father

Tyler Nevin on joining Orioles and relationship with father
Tyler Nevin finished a round of batting practice last month in Orioles camp and caught the eye of executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, who offered a hint at how the organization viewed him in the field. "I got here and I was hitting and Elias was behind the cage watching," Nevin recounted this morning in his Zoom conference call. "I got out and rolled around the cage and he goes, 'Hey, did you bring all your gloves?' I said, 'Yep,' and he goes, 'OK, you're going to need...

Hyde on Means, Mullins, Rutschman and more

Hyde on Means, Mullins, Rutschman and more
Orioles left-hander John Means was told that he'd pitch two innings today. He had no idea that he would come out of the first early and re-enter the game later. Manager Brandon Hyde had a plan with Means' pitch count rising against the Yankees. He pulled his ace and returned him to the mound in the second. "That's a new rule this year that we have a couple backup pitchers for every game in case a situation like that occurs," Hyde said on his Zoom call after a 4-2, seven-inning loss at Ed...