Gary Sánchez drove a fastball to deep center field tonight in the second inning, flipping his bat on the backswing, and began his trip around the bases. Where else was he going after making that kind of contact? Cedric Mullins sprinted to the ball, timed his leap at the fence and reached high above it, came down, hopped twice to his left - sticking the landing wasn't important in this event - and flipped it to Austin Hays. Hays would flip the lead later and watch it spin back. John Means...

The Orioles are going for the sweep this afternoon with John Means making his second start since exiting the injured list. Means allowed five runs in five innings Tuesday night against the Rays and the Orioles held him to 78 pitches. He's made one career start against the Nationals and surrendered three runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning on Aug. 16, 2020. Ramón Urías gets a break today, with Pat Valaika at shortstop and Domingo Leyba at second base. Trey Mancini is the...

The baseball side of Alexander Wells' life came at him hard again, with little interest in his comfort or convenience. The short notice that he'd make his first major league start this afternoon. The leadoff home run by Randy Arozarena. The two walks that followed in the inning and the run-scoring triple before an out was recorded in the second. Wells doesn't get flustered. He doesn't crumble beneath the pressure. He was wearing the uniform and living the dream. Maybe the quality of some...

As Orioles manager Brandon Hyde soaked in the loud music last night and other celebratory sounds coming from the auxiliary tent that serves as the visiting clubhouse at Sahlen Field, the end of a 20-game road losing streak playfully compared to a wild card victory, he highlighted the key points that enabled his club to overtake the Blue Jays. Less flashy than the big hits were a bunch of walks that validated his lectures to his hitters, young and experienced, about the importance of plate...

The perfect game and no-hit drama dissipated tonight just two batters into the bottom of the first inning after Freddy Galvis slapped a single into left field to beat the shift. Rain wasn't in the forecast. Umpires checking for sticky substances already felt like old news. The Orioles moved on from their lopsided and waterlogged defeat. Each day presents a fresh start. A new opposing pitcher and the latest opportunity to begin spinning their season in the right direction. Astros veteran Zack...

The questions aimed at Orioles manager Brandon Hyde earlier this season sought an explanation for his team's inability to play as well at home as on the road, where the majority of wins were achieved. After the Orioles dropped their 19th road game in a row yesterday, Hyde was asked before boarding a flight out of Cleveland how much he looked forward to getting back to Baltimore. The venues must not be the issue. And a neutral site isn't an option. There's no real science to it. The Orioles...

Austin Hays is on the injured list again with a strained hamstring. Ryan Mountcastle is day-to-day with a bruised hand. And now there's Trey Mancini, drilled on the right elbow tonight and unable to stay in the game after making a couple of throws across the infield in the bottom of the first inning. Aren't the losses bringing enough pain? How much more are the Orioles supposed to endure? They didn't need to watch Mancini collapse to the ground, grimacing with forehead planted in the dirt,...

The Orioles' five-man rotation is set and announced. Manager Brandon Hyde said today that Jorge López will start the fourth game of the season on April 5 against the Yankees in the Bronx, with Dean Kremer following him on April 6. The group turns over with opening day starter John Means closing out the series and Matt Harvey starting the home opener on April 8 against the Red Sox. López came into camp out of minor league options and perhaps viewed as more likely to work in long relief,...

Trey Mancini is in the lineup again tonight at first base against the Yankees after hitting his first home run of the spring last night. Richie Martin and DJ Stewart are marked absent again. Ramón Urias is starting at second base and Freddy Galvis at shortstop. Cedric Mullins is in center field, Austin Hays in left and Anthony Santander in right. Manager Brandon Hyde wants to start playing his regulars in consecutive games. Rio Ruiz is the designated hitter and Pat Valaika is the third...

With the Orioles working out the final details on a deal with free agent third baseman Maikel Franco, their pursuit intensifying late last night, according to an industry source, there are dominos set up to fall upon his arrival. The 40-man roster is full and a major league deal, pending a physical, would require a corresponding move. Rio Ruiz's future in the organization is in question. He could share the position with Franco, which limits the number of super-utility players able to travel...