This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Representatives for Major League Baseball and the players association will meet again on Saturday, at which time we finally should get confirmation whether the start of spring training is going to be delayed. That's the expectation, and has been for a while. But commissioner Rob Manfred wasn't ready to concede it yesterday during his media session at the owners' meetings in Orlando. "We understand where the calendar is," Manfred told reporters. "Until we have that conversation and see...

Notes on Gillaspie, new hire, Severino signing and Rombach

Notes on Gillaspie, new hire, Severino signing and Rombach
Seconds after filing my story on Friday's additions to the 40-man roster that protected players in the Rule 5 draft, I did a quick search on Logan Gillaspie to make certain that I didn't completely dismiss his chances. That I didn't write something like, "He's in the Arizona Fall League and out of this discussion." I typed his name as "Conner Gillaspie" the next morning while trying to look up his statistics, then slapped myself and got it right. This guy deserves better. I've never...

Taking a closer look at some minor league free agents (updated)

Taking a closer look at some minor league free agents (updated)
No matter if baseball's Winter Meetings proceed as planned next month in Orlando, Fla., or are shelved while a new collective bargaining agreement is negotiated, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias will be keeping both eyes on the major and minor league free agent markets. Large sums of cash won't be spent, but there are ways to upgrade the roster and depth at the highest levels of the farm system. Venturing to the minor league side allows the Orioles to increase camp...

Greene starting tonight, Orioles claim Krehbiel off waivers

Greene starting tonight, Orioles claim Krehbiel off waivers
With rookie Chris EIlis unavailable to make tonight's start due to some arm fatigue, the Orioles are going with Conner Greene in a bullpen game against the Phillies. Greene is making his first major league start after 18 relief appearances this season. He hasn't gone more than two innings or thrown more than 37 pitches, which happened in his debut on July 27 against the Marlins. Until allowing three runs Sunday in one-third of an inning at Fenway Park, Greene had strung together six scoreless...

Hanhold back in majors and working to stay there

Hanhold back in majors and working to stay there
BOSTON - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde expressed his opinion of reliever Eric Hanhold by getting the right-hander out of Friday night's game after only two batters. Sounds bad until Hyde explains why. Hanhold retired both batters in the sixth after replacing Dusten Knight, snagging a comebacker to get Hunter Renfroe in a rundown between second and third base and striking out Rafael Devers on a 95 mph fastball, and made such an impression on Hyde that he was removed to keep him available the...

Orioles add relievers Eshelman and Kriske to active roster

Orioles add relievers Eshelman and Kriske to active roster
BOSTON - The Orioles shook up their bullpen again this morning by selecting the contract of Thomas Eshelman from Triple-A Norfolk and recalling Brooks Kriske from the Tides. In corresponding moves, the club has optioned Spenser Watkins to Norfolk and designated Dusten Knight for assignment. Knight had to be moved in order to create space for Eshelman on the 40-man roster. Kriske, claimed off waivers from the Yankees, joined the Orioles over the weekend and went through the intake process after...

Hays' homer can't hold back 100th loss (updated)

Hays' homer can't hold back 100th loss (updated)
BOSTON - They didn't look like the Red Sox tonight. The yellow jerseys and powder blue caps. Promotional uniforms from Nike, also featured by six other clubs. Couldn't fool the Orioles, though. They knew which team was running up Keegan Akin's pitch count early, wrestling away a lead and preparing to hand them a 100th loss in 2021. Four of the first five hits off Akin were for extra bases, including Bobby Dalbec's leadoff home run in the fourth, left-hander Chris Sale marked his return from...

Orioles recall Knight, and other notes (and O's lineup)

Orioles recall Knight, and other notes (and O's lineup)
BOSTON - The Orioles have subtracted an infielder and added a reliever as they begin a three-game series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. A day after optioning Jahmai Jones, the club has recalled pitcher Dusten Knight from Triple-A Norfolk to provide another arm in their bullpen. Knight has made five appearances with the Orioles and allowed six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings. He's walked four batters and struck out nine. Knight's most recent appearance with...

Expanded roster still stretching Orioles thin

Expanded roster still stretching Orioles thin
Grant manager Brandon Hyde one baseball wish and he could go in pretty much any direction, no GPS capable of leading him to an exact spot. Give him a bunch, however, and he's demanding more length out of an expanded roster. The bump from 26 to 28 players just doesn't cut it. He'd rub the shine off the genie lamp for a deeper bench and pitching staff. "I wish we had a 35-man roster in September this year," he said yesterday morning, sitting in the dugout for his media session and confirming...

Lowther impresses but Orioles lose lead and game (updated)

Lowther impresses but Orioles lose lead and game (updated)
The door opens so wide for Orioles in search of an opportunity, it's a wonder that the hinges don't snap in half. Faces have been reddened by that same door slamming shut, the failures bound to leave a mark. Zac Lowther got his latest chance this afternoon after making one appearance each in April, May and June, and two in July. Manager Brandon Hyde suggested that the rookie would receive multiple starts and, hopefully, open some eyes in the front office. Maybe wider than the door. Lowther...

More thoughts on yesterday's comeback win in the Bronx

More thoughts on yesterday's comeback win in the Bronx
Say what you will about the 2021 Orioles, and the dialogue fills a lot of pages, but there's no denying that they're playing hard with the season down to its final month and hopes of staying competitive buried a long time ago. You don't overcome a trio of three-run deficits yesterday at Yankee Stadium if you're already booking offseason vacations. You don't win two one-run games in the series. You don't keep grinding. There are obvious signs and more subtle ones, the latter including how...

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups, plus notes (updated)

Orioles and Blue Jays lineups, plus notes (updated)
The Orioles enter a new month with pitchers Alexander Wells and Dusten Knight added to their expanded roster. Wells has a 7.71 ERA and a 1.929 WHIP in six games with the Orioles, but he's strung together three consecutive scoreless appearances with Triple-A Norfolk. Knight allowed six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in his five outings with the Orioles over 7 1/3 innings. Both pitchers were on the taxi squad during the series against the Blue Jays...

Orioles lineup, Hyde on bench and Fry, Burdi on new team

Orioles lineup, Hyde on bench and Fry, Burdi on new team
Center fielder Cedric Mullins is out of tonight's Orioles lineup for the opener of a three-game series in Toronto. Manager Brandon Hyde is resting him. There isn't an injury situation. Ryan McKenna, recalled this afternoon, is playing center and batting seventh. Austin Hays is leading off and playing left field. Jahmai Jones also is counted among the four reserves. Jorge Mateo is the second baseman tonight, with Ramón Urías at shortstop. Ryan Mountcastle is batting second again. A...

Orioles swept for 14th time with 6-2 loss (updated)

Orioles swept for 14th time with 6-2 loss (updated)
The Orioles had their brief moment this afternoon. The early rally, the hit with a runner in scoring position, a lead against the Red Sox. Keegan Akin took his turn on the mound in the bottom of the first inning and surrendered a three-run homer to J.D. Martinez among his 22 pitches. The next three innings saw Akin bend but not break, keeping the Orioles in the game, unsure whether it keeps him in the rotation. But the losing streak is rolling into St. Petersburg, Fla., for the next stop on the...

O's game blog: Looking to end losing streak in series finale

O's game blog: Looking to end losing streak in series finale
With two losses this weekend at Boston and a riding 10-game losing streak, the Orioles are desperate for a win this afternoon at Fenway Park in the finale of this three-game series. The Orioles swept three from Boston at Fenway to begin the 2021 season, winning the games by a combined 18-5 score. But they have lost the first two games this weekend by a combined 24-3 score. Boston had 17 hits, bashed five homers and went 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position Saturday in pounding the Orioles...

Orioles add Abad and Wade to bullpen, plus lineups (updated)

Orioles add Abad and Wade to bullpen, plus lineups (updated)
The expected bullpen changes came today, with the Orioles designating Adam Plutko for assignment and optioning Dusten Knight to Triple-A Norfolk. In their place, the Orioles selected the contracts of Konner Wade and veteran left-hander Fernando Abad from Norfolk. They made room on the 40-man roster by transferring left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to the 60-day injured list. Plutko allowed home runs in a club-record six relief appearances in a row. He posted a 6.71 ERA and 1.633 WHIP in 38...

Watkins struggles again, losing streak reaches nine games (updated)

Watkins struggles again, losing streak reaches nine games (updated)
Cedric Mullins got his usual business out of the way early tonight, which is so often how it happens. Richie Martin maintained his power surge at Fenway Park, though with a pronounced gap in between home runs. The Orioles had a couple of positive moments in their return to the site of their season-opening sweep, but the slumping Red Sox kept topping them. Kept extending at-bats and innings against rookie starter Spenser Watkins. Kept flexing their muscle after the bullpen came into play. And a...

How Zimmermann's return impacts rotation and roster

How Zimmermann's return impacts rotation and roster
The TBA for the Orioles' starter Sunday afternoon is expected to become rookie left-hander Bruce Zimmermann in the latest change to the rotation. The tweaking never stops. It just takes a brief rest. John Means and Matt Harvey are staying for the obvious reasons. The Orioles were reluctant to move Jorge López into a bullpen role, though they saw the same logic as everyone else, and he's completed six innings in both starts this month with only three runs allowed to lower his ERA from 6.19...

Santander homers again, Cabrera hits 499th in O's loss

Santander homers again, Cabrera hits 499th in O's loss
Matt Harvey's right knee appears to be fine. His survival tactics were in pretty good shape tonight until the fifth inning. Harvey steered out of a couple jams but hung a curveball to Miguel Cabrera, whose 499th career home run broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Niko Goodrum added a two-run double and exited with a left groin strain, the Orioles were quiet offensively until Anthony Santander homered again in the eighth and the losing streak reached seven games. The Orioles kept their...

Latest check on Orioles roster, moves and more

Latest check on Orioles roster, moves and more
The Orioles maintained their streak yesterday of conducting business or announcing it on an off-day. Well, pretty much every day, under any circumstances. Don't get too attached to the roster. Of course, there's bound to be separation when a team is 38-72 and unable to stay healthy. The Orioles designated reliever Conner Greene for assignment Saturday and recalled Isaac Mattson from Triple-A Norfolk. The Dodgers claimed Greene off waivers yesterday. This was the last loose end, needing...