The Orioles signed five more pitchers this week to minor league deals, according to Major League Baseball's transactions page: Right-handers Bryan Bautista, Raynel Duran, Wilton Rondon and Darwin Caballero, and left-hander Noelin Cuevas. They also signed right-hander Jarlin Guerrero on Monday, which I noted a few days later. I didn't think the page was incorrect, but I checked anyway for confirmation. You're safe to run with it. These are the signings that don't garner much attention....

The task of clearing room on the 40-man roster began as the Orioles worked through the final games on their schedule. No need to wait until the last out. Pitcher Carson Fulmer, the former first-round pick of the White Sox, didn't make it through waivers. Reliever Cody Carroll passed through and was outrighted. The 40-man roster was reduced to 37 players, but the Orioles activated pitcher Kohl Stewart from the 10-day injured list yesterday, per their transactions page, and he goes back on the...

Orioles reliever Dillon Tate tossed a scoreless inning in Sunday's game at Camden Yards and showed no signs of an injury. Nothing happened at the ballpark that led to his placement on the injured list with a sprained finger on his pitching hand. A fall in his apartment the following day was responsible, the final blow in a 2020 season that brought pains and gains. Tate didn't have the best luck. He was struck on the right arm by a Pat Valaika comebacker during a July 10 intrasquad game at...

Orioles reliever Dillon Tate fell yesterday in his apartment and landed on the injured list. Tate "had an unfortunate accident where he tripped in his apartment yesterday," manager Brandon Hyde said during a Zoom conference call with the media. The accident occurred on the team's off-day. Tate came down on his hand and sprained his right pinky finger, and he's scheduled to undergo an MRI later today. The Orioles reinstated reliever Shawn Armstrong from the injured list as Tate's...

The trade that brought right-hander Conner Loeprich to the Orioles organization was announced in the ninth inning of Sunday afternoon's game against the Rays. In the middle of the filing frenzy, when most of the beat crew is rushing to get its stories ready to post after the final out - and hoping that the score and stats don't require a late adjustment. César Valdez was in the process of retiring the side in order for his second save. Leadoff hitter Willy Adames smoked a ball to the...

Carson Fulmer's stay in Baltimore was brief. The Orioles lost Fulmer today on a waiver claim by the Pirates after he made three relief appearances. He's headed back to the organization that lost him on a waiver claim by the Orioles two weeks ago. Reliever Cody Carroll was placed on outright waivers, cleared them and will remain assigned to the alternate camp site in Bowie. The moves leave the Orioles with only 37 players on the 40-man roster and 59 in the 60-man pool. Fulmer, the eighth...

Alex Cobb took his turn tonight, the senior member of a rotation that's filling up with freshmen. A bend in a popular September storyline. If Cobb is going to impact the rebuild, it's likely to be as a mentor for the rookies. Maybe as a trade chip over the winter or at next summer's deadline. Or perhaps he lessens the pain of it with a standout 2021. He has one season left on the four-year, $57 million deal he signed in March 2018. He has one start remaining after tonight. He needs to take...

Keegan Akin made it out of the first inning tonight, a relatively modest accomplishment except he couldn't do it in his last start. And he's young and inexperienced and therefore unpredictable. He had plenty of help while making that early exit. He had a short memory tonight. Akin's outing was more important than the game result in the grand rebuild scheme, but the Orioles got the best of both worlds. Akin shut out the Braves over five innings, striking out a career-high nine batters while...

The Orioles are going to need a starter for Tuesday night's game against the Braves. Manager Brandon Hyde already has eliminated the idea of rookie Keegan Akin working on short rest. One potential candidate eliminated. Akin threw 39 pitches in two-thirds of an inning in the second game of Friday night's doubleheader. Hyde won't disrupt his rest and routine. If the roster is unchanged from its current state, Hyde most likely is going to choose between Thomas Eshelman and Asher Wojciechowski...

The losses are easier for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde to stomach when his team is playing crisp baseball. When the mental and physical mistakes are removed from the equation. They were front and center tonight in the first inning in the second game of the doubleheader. The Orioles weren't charged with an error, but fielding data is influenced by other factors. So are outcomes. The Yankees responded to the latest DJ Stewart homer with four runs in the bottom of the first, chasing rookie Keegan...

Alex Cobb is staying with the Orioles beyond today's start, his status as the 29th man more of a procedural move. How the Orioles make room for him on the active roster is going to be decided after the second game tonight. Manager Brandon Hyde could check pitch counts after the doubleheader and gauge the availability of his relievers. Carson Fulmer, claimed off waivers from the Pirates, is out of minor league options. Cole Sulser still had three options when the Orioles claimed him from the...

Chris Davis is back on the Orioles' active roster, but he isn't in their lineup for tonight's game against the Mets at Citi Field. Pat Valaika is playing first base and Renato Núnez is the designated hitter. Núñez has been receiving treatment for a sore hamstring and missed the last two games. José Iglesias moves up to second in the order after batting third this season. Davis hasn't played since Aug. 19 and has two hits in his last 23 at-bats. "Chris, the last few days, has...

The Orioles have reinstated first baseman Chris Davis from the 10-day injured list and designated utility player Dilson Herrera for assignment. Davis traveled with the team to New York yesterday after working out again at the alternate camp site in Bowie. He played in a simulated game on Saturday to test his injured knee. The Orioles placed Davis on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 21 with left knee patellar tendinitis. He was slashing .122/.173/.184 with three doubles, three walks and 16...

The latest pitcher the Orioles wants to take a look at to see if they can tap into talent that must be there somewhere is right-hander Carson Fulmer. On July 25, Detroit claimed him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, the club that had drafted him. On Aug. 24, Pittsburgh claimed him from Detroit. On Saturday, the Orioles claimed him from Pittsburgh. That is four teams for Fulmer since late July. Quite a wild ride for a player that had a brilliant college career at Vanderbilt and was drafted...

The Orioles have made a late roster move tonight, again impacting their bullpen. Carson Fulmer has been activated after completing the intake process. Branden Kline was optioned to the alternate camp site in Bowie as the corresponding roster move. Fulmer has joined the team in New York, where a two-game series against the Mets begins Tuesday night. The Orioles also are playing four games against the Yankees. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias claimed Fulmer, 26, on waivers from...

A day without baseball is like a day without sunshine. Except the forecast is calling for it today in Baltimore. Lots of it. A day without sunscreen could lead to a nasty burn. There's always the risk of a nasty burn when I sort through my mailbag. And the sarcasm doesn't require extra postage. You know the drill. You keep asking the same stuff and I keep answering it. Or I just make it up as I go along. I don't like stale bread - unless it's used for my mother's homemade stuffing - or...