Orioles trying to find ways to fix a frustrating situation

Orioles trying to find ways to fix a frustrating situation
There are no easy or obvious solutions to the Orioles' explosive bullpen, holes in the rotation and thinning roster due to injuries. Not unless the production picks up at its highest affiliate. That would at least provide an option. Relievers have surrendered 52 runs in the past five games - 16 scored in the eighth inning in the Rays' sweep - and manager Brandon Hyde can't be criticized for running the same group into games every night. He can't be ripped for ignoring hot hands that simply...

Mountcastle appears headed to concussion injured list

Mountcastle appears headed to concussion injured list
Out of the lineup tonight, Orioles rookie Ryan Mountcastle is moving toward an exit from the active roster. The Orioles are expected to place Mountcastle on the seven-day concussion injured list after he absorbed Wander Franco's hard tag on the side of the head last night while attempting to steal second base in the first inning. Mountcastle came out of the game in the top of the third, with Maikel Franco replacing him at first base. He underwent a concussion evaluation and the club has been...

Rays inflict painful loss on Orioles (updated)

Rays inflict painful loss on Orioles (updated)
Ryan Mountcastle was thrown out trying to steal second base tonight, absorbed a hard tag to the side of his head and left the game in the top of the third. Trey Mancini fouled a ball off his crotch in the fifth, dropped face-down in the dirt and didn't move for several seconds. The Orioles were trying to win a game while in full survival mode, with Nelson Cruz doling out more punishment. Mancini lined his second double of the night on the next pitch and scored on Jorge Mateo's triple to...

Trade deadline arrives today with O's still trying to make a deal

Trade deadline arrives today with O's still trying to make a deal
We've plummeted below the 24-hour mark until reaching baseball's trade deadline. It's the final countdown. We're leaving together, but still it's farewell. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is fielding and making calls, the activity brisk but producing nothing so far that's impacting the roster and the rebuild. There aren't many trade chips on the table, but contenders certainly are expressing interest in a handful of them, most notably in the bullpen. Quite similar to...

Short starts resume in second half in 9-2 loss (updated)

Short starts resume in second half in 9-2 loss (updated)
The Orioles were comfortable going with a 25-man roster tonight in Kansas City following a four-day break that rested and recharged a tired bullpen. Manager Brandon Hyde didn't want to dip into it early, no matter its condition, but that same break didn't improve the early results of the second-half rotation. Rookie Keegan Akin fell behind by six runs in three innings and the Orioles lost to the Royals 9-2. Cedric Mullins singled in his first two at-bats, the only hits against Royals...

Orioles aren't done debuting players

Orioles aren't done debuting players
Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis, and the law states that he can't be referenced without his signature pitch proceeding his name, became the eighth Oriole on Wednesday to make his major league debut this season. Konner Wade was the ninth, and the 42nd player used by the club, when he replaced starter Keegan Akin yesterday and allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. Alexander Wells became Nos. 10 and 43 when he replaced Wade in the seventh and tossed two scoreless innings. And it's only...

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...

A look at how Bowie moved to the top of its league in offense

A look at how Bowie moved to the top of its league in offense
Players for the Double-A Bowie Baysox this year can go hitless, yet still get praise from the coaching staff for their hitting. And not just because they may have made a productive out. It's all about the swing decisions they make. They are graded both on the pitches they do swing at and those they do not. The goal is to get a very hittable pitch and drive it. Let almost everything else go. Even borderline strikes are sometimes spit on while a hitter waits for a better pitch. Sometimes, even...

Jorge López allows three homers as road losing streak continues

Jorge López allows three homers as road losing streak continues
As they tried to end a couple of losing streaks today, the Orioles fell into a three-run hole in the first inning at Cleveland this afternoon. They got close mid-game, but when Cleveland opened up a four-run lead in the sixth the Indians were on their way to a 10-3 win, and they swept a four-game series from the Orioles. The Orioles started this road trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., and Cleveland by scoring 12 runs in the first five games of the trip. But in the last three losses to the Indians...

A few notes as O's have lost first two this weekend at the Trop

A few notes as O's have lost first two this weekend at the Trop
Losing games is frustrating enough, but racking up close losses provides a whole other level of angst. The Orioles fell to 22-41 with Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. They have lost by two runs and one run in this series. During their 14-game losing streak, the Orioles went 0-7 in games decided by two runs or fewer. They are 1-2 in such games since the losing streak ended, with both losses this weekend at Tropicana Field. The Orioles are now 4-10 in one-run games. Austin Wynns hit...

Hyde on Mountcastle, Mancini, Nevin, pitching and more

Hyde on Mountcastle, Mancini, Nevin, pitching and more
Ryan Mountcastle made it through yesterday's doubleheader without any physical setbacks, the only negative besides the losses being the five strikeouts in six at-bats. Mountcastle is listed among the reserves this afternoon in Chicago, while Trey Mancini returns to the lineup as the designated hitter. Two players that pass in the day. "His hand's still a little bit sore," manager Brandon Hyde said during his Zoom call with the media. "Proud of him, how he handled yesterday. We kind of...

Orioles and White Sox lineups

Orioles and White Sox lineups
Trey Mancini has returned to the Orioles lineup this afternoon, batting third as the designated hitter, but Ryan Mountcastle returns to the bench after playing both ends of yesterday's doubleheader. Tyler Nevin is the first baseman, DJ Stewart is in left field and Anthony Santander is in right. Stevie Wilkerson is the second bnaseman. Left-hander Keegan Akin is making his fifth appearance this season and his first start since Sept. 27 in Toronto, when he allowed four runs (two homers) in three...

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 and White Sox Game 1 lineups

Orioles and White Sox Game 1 lineups
Ryan Mountcastle hit on the field today and is in the Game 1 lineup against the White Sox. Mountcastle, who bruised his left hand Tuesday on a hit by pitch, is the designated hitter. "He feels good enough to give it a try," manager Brandon Hyde said on his Zoom call. "Really encouraged by that, give him a lot of credit for understanding our situation and playing banged up. Shows me a lot about him and his character of trying to be a pro. He's still sore, but he's going to try." First...

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...

Positive updates on Mancini, Mountcastle (game postponed)

Positive updates on Mancini, Mountcastle (game postponed)
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde passed along good news this afternoon on Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle, who could be ready to play over the weekend while recovering from their respective injuries. Mancini left last night's game in the first inning after being hit on the right elbow by Dylan Cease's 95 mph fastball. X-rays and exams were negative and Mancini sustained only a bruise. "We dodged a bullet with Mancini," Hyde said in his Zoom call with the media. "He's feeling a lot better....

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...

Minor league notes on OBP, Aberdeen's steals, promotion timing and more

Minor league notes on OBP, Aberdeen's steals, promotion timing and more
Birdland has likely noticed and no doubt enjoyed some great starts by both individual players and teams on the Orioles farm. Through Sunday's games, three of the O's four full-season affiliates are playing .667 ball or better. The four teams have a combined record of 29-18 (.617) and the Orioles rank seventh among major league organizations in minor league win percentage. Among several players off to great starts are two of the club's best young prospects. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez is 1-0...

Dorrian doing good work in Double-A

Dorrian doing good work in Double-A
I just made another check of a few Orioles prospect lists and can't find any mention of Patrick Dorrian. Not a trace. The casual fan might ask, "Who's Patrick Dorrian?" He's the Double-A Bowie infielder who was the player to be named later in the May 2019 Yefry Ramirez trade with the Pirates. The former Braves 12th round pick in 2014 out of Kingston High School who was released two months later and signed by the Pirates four years later. Dorrian changed his mind about professional...

A frustrating one-run loss for the O's, plus farm notes

A frustrating one-run loss for the O's, plus farm notes
We've seen seasons when the New York Yankees batters had their way with Orioles pitching at Camden Yards. This is not one of those seasons. The Yankees were 2-2 at Camden Yards this year, scoring 17 runs in those four games heading into last night's series opener at Oriole Park. And while they hit three homers last night - they had hit six in the previous four games - they only put up five runs. But that was enough to beat the Orioles 5-4 to start the weekend series. The Orioles are going...