One-time O's signee and trade chip cashes in via free agency

One-time O's signee and trade chip cashes in via free agency
It all made sense at the time of the trade on July 31, 2014. The Orioles had a chance to win the American League East for the first time since 1997. At the time of that deal, the Orioles had not reached as far as the AL Championship Series since 1997. But after the deal, they would both win the AL East and advance to the ALCS. The price was steep, though, to get lefty reliever Andrew Miller. The Orioles had to part with their No. 3 prospect and a top 100 pitcher who was then at Double-A Bowie,...

O's game blog: O's play Red Sox in home opener

O's game blog: O's play Red Sox in home opener
Riding on a bit of a high after their 11-inning win at New York last night, the Orioles would love to take that momentum and roll it into a win this afternoon. They host the Boston Red Sox in their 2021 home opener to start a three-game series. In a game where the Orioles were held to four hits and struck out 17 times, and needed their bullpen to cover 6 1/3 innings, they pulled out a thrilling 4-3 win over the Yankees. The game ended with right fielder Anthony Santander's outfield assist,...

O's game blog: Chris Tillman starts Fenway Park series opener

O's game blog: Chris Tillman starts Fenway Park series opener
Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman remains confident he is a different and better pitcher than he was last year. But so far, the stat sheet doesn't provide much support of that. When the Orioles begin a four-game series in Boston tonight, Tillman (0-2, 8.68 ERA) will make his third start. In his first outing of 2018 he gave up four runs over four innings in Houston. Then he allowed five in 5 1/3 at New York. Over 9 1/3 innings he has yielded 15 hits and nine runs with eight walks to three...

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in Game 2

O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in Game 2
After their sixth straight win in a series-opening game, the Orioles play the second game of a three-game set today at Fenway Park. The Orioles' 16-3 win on Friday improved their overall record to 63-65, their road record to 25-39 and their record against the American League East to 28-22. The Orioles set a season-high for runs last night, and tied their season high with 20 hits. The Orioles have scored 67 runs over their last 10 games. They hit two homers Friday, with Mark Trumbo connecting...

Asher on getting another start, Joseph on catching E-Rod

Asher on getting another start, Joseph on catching E-Rod
After his short outing in Houston on Sunday, right-hander Alec Asher had to wait a couple of days to find out if he would get another chance in the Orioles rotation. He will. Asher will start at Camden Yards on Friday night against Boston. "It's great. It was disappointing what happened that last start. It happens, but I'll go back out there tomorrow and go at it again," he said this afternoon. Asher threw 54 pitches Sunday at Minute Maid Park, gaving up six hits, six runs and one homer as...

Wrapping up a controversial pitch and a 6-2 loss

Wrapping up a controversial pitch and a 6-2 loss
The Orioles lost a game today, but kept their third baseman in one piece. A 6-2 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 35,522 at Camden Yards was overshadowed by a pitch from reliever Matt Barnes in the eighth inning that sailed behind Manny Machado's head. The pitch, clocked at 90 mph, appeared to hit Machado until replays showed that it actually ricocheted off his bat. Plate umpire Andy Fletcher ejected Barnes, Red Sox manager John Farrell argued and Machado was sent back to the...

Updating Miguel Gonzalez and wrapping up a 1-0 win

Updating Miguel Gonzalez and wrapping up a 1-0 win
The Orioles are deciding whether to place starter Miguel Gonzalez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin muscle. Gonzalez left tonight's game with one out in the fifth inning and the bullpen completed a 1-0 win over the Red Sox before 28,460 at Camden Yards. Closer Zach Britton recorded his second five-out save in a week. With a six-man bullpen, the Orioles could DL Gonzalez and bring back left-hander Cesar Cabral, who doesn't need to stay down the minimum 10 days if he's...

O's game blog: Matt Wieters on returning to Camden Yards (Rajsich on today's draft)

O's game blog: Matt Wieters on returning to Camden Yards (Rajsich on today's draft)
Matt Wieters was pretty happy to return to the Orioles roster over the weekend, and tonight he gets to play in front of the home fans for the first time since May 10, 2014. "I'm excited, this is a great place to play," Wieters said this afternoon. "Been looking forward to getting back to playing at Camden Yards for a long time now. I'm ready to go and excited we have a big series here with Boston." Wieters is 5-for-12 with a double, a triple, a homer, 3 RBIs and an OPS of 1.301 in his...

Stats, Wieters, Jones and upcoming starters (Jones homers)

Stats, Wieters, Jones and upcoming starters (Jones homers)
The Orioles are 1-20 when scoring two runs or fewer following yesterday's 2-1 loss to the Indians. The Orioles are 8-8 in one-run games. They're also 0-27 when trailing after seven innings, 0-28 when trailing after eight innings and 3-21 when scoring fewer than four runs. Catcher Matt Wieters is 4-for-7 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored since coming off the disabled list. Center fielder Adam Jones is 8-for-16 in his last four games, with a double, two triples, two home runs and three...

Wrapping up today's 7-6 loss with quotes from Showalter

Wrapping up today's 7-6 loss with quotes from Showalter
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph was scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Twins in Fort Myers. However, he's been scratched from the lineup while waiting for his son to be born. It would have been Joseph's first road game this spring. "Everything's going well," said manager Buck Showalter, "but it could be a long process." Ryan Lavarnway is expected to catch starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who lasted only 1 1/3 innings against the Tigers on Tuesday and allowed six runs...

Brach on his outing, cheering section, plus reaction to the Andrew Miller trade

Brach on his outing, cheering section, plus reaction to the Andrew Miller trade
Right-hander Brad Brach has been pitching very well for the Orioles and that continued at Camden Yards last night. In the Orioles 1-0 loss in 13 innings to the Angels, Brach pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings on just 21 pitches. He retired all six batters he faced with three strikeouts. "When you go out there in a tie game, you just want to get the outs as quick as you can and get the team back in to hit," Brach said. "That is all I was focused on, to put up zeroes for the...

A take on the Andrew Miller-Eduardo Rodriguez deal

A take on the Andrew Miller-Eduardo Rodriguez deal
Dan Duquette called Andrew Miller a left-handed reliever that can dominate left-handed batters and be very effective against right-handed batters as well. In the end, it appears the Orioles were just not willing to pay the price to get a starter like Jon Lester or David Price, so they strengthened the back-end of their bullpen. As Duquette mentioned today, a lot of postseason games are decided late by the performance of the bullpens. Miller is having one strong season. He is 3-5 with a 2.35...

Duquette on today's trade

Duquette on today's trade
The trade today that brought Red Sox reliever Andrew Miller to Baltimore was in the works for the past few weeks, according to executive vice president Dan Duquette. It gained steam over the last three or four days, though Duquette tried to keep Double-A Bowie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. Duquette said he tried a few combinations, but the Red Sox wanted Rodriguez. Here's a transcript from Duquette's press conference: On the impetus for making the trade "We were looking to add some depth...

Showalter on trade

Showalter on trade
Orioles manager Buck Showalter expects new reliever Andrew Miller to arrive here around 10:30 p.m. "He's pitched the last two days," Showalter said. "He'll be in uniform and available tomorrow." The Orioles acquired Miller from the Red Sox today for minor league pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, strengthening a bullpen that's already been solid. "He's just another good piece," Showalter said. "He goes with some other good pieces down there. He gives us more depth down there, keep...

Eduardo Rodriguez reacts to being traded by the Orioles

Eduardo Rodriguez reacts to being traded by the Orioles
He's been with the Orioles since the day he was signed by former Oriole pitcher Calvin Maduro out of Valencia, Venezuela in January 2010. But now, 21-year-old left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez is leaving the organization after being traded today to Boston for reliever Andrew Miller. Reached by phone today in Binghamton, New York where the Double-A Bowie Baysox play tonight, Rodriguez said he was surprised by the news. "They called me and said you got traded. I just have to keep doing my...

Orioles acquire Andrew Miller

Orioles acquire Andrew Miller
The Orioles have acquired Red Sox left-hander Andrew Miller from the Red Sox for Double-A Bowie pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, according to an industry source. With this move, the Orioles currently have four left-handers in their bullpen. ESPN.com first reported that the Orioles acquired Miller. A source has confirmed that Rodriguez is involved in the trade. Rodriguez was 3-7 with a 4.79 ERA, 69 strikeouts, 29 walks in 16 starts with Bowie. He is 22-26 with a 3.45 ERA in his career in the...

Teams still coveting Orioles' young pitching, looking at tonight's matchup

Teams still coveting Orioles' young pitching, looking at tonight's matchup
While wondering whether umpire Hal Gibson III and the strike zone should wear name tags and get to know each other... We're exactly one week away from the non-waiver trade deadline, at which point Orioles manager Buck Showalter will remind us that it's not really a deadline. It just means players must pass through waivers before being dealt. It happens all the time. Showalter will be amused by the media frenzy that builds over the "deadline." I'd still rank it a notch or two below the...

Updating Matt Hobgood and other minor league notes

Updating Matt Hobgood and other minor league notes
Single-A Frederick right-hander Matt Hobgood is seeing a doctor today after leaving his relief outing last night with shoulder tightness and stiffness. The Orioles' 2009 first-round draft pick came on to pitch in the sixth inning against Winston-Salem, gave up a single and then got a strikeout before leaving the game. After pitching at a velocity between 92 and 95 mph most of this season, his fastball was only touching as high as 88 mph last night. "He just felt some stiffness in his shoulder...

Minor league notes on Rodriguez, Johnson, Sisco and more

Minor league notes on Rodriguez, Johnson, Sisco and more
Double-A Bowie left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is progressing well from a sprained knee. He has been in Sarasota, Fla. the last four days and could potentially return to the Baysox within two weeks. "He's doing well," Orioles director of player development Brian Graham said this morning. "He's throwing and his knee is doing very well. It's just a matter of taking the time to make sure it's 100 percent. "He's going to have a throwing progression prior to coming back to Bowie....

Friday's win latest example O's have turned it around since 1-4 start

Friday's win latest example O's have turned it around since 1-4 start
Considering the Orioles are playing without Manny Machado, Ubaldo Jimenez is 0-3 with an ERA of 7.31, J.J. Hardy missed six games, Chris Davis and Adam Jones have one homer each and the O's started 1-4, an 8-7 record looks pretty good about now. It sure does, as the Orioles have suddenly won seven of their last 10 games. They've won three in a row, outscoring the Rays and Red Sox 18-5. Meanwhile the question that fans keep asking reporters is what happens when Machado returns? Good...