Quick hits from the Winter Meetings

Quick hits from the Winter Meetings
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said his relievers are drawing lots of interest at the Winter Meetings. The Mets reportedly want Brad Brach for outfielder Curtis Granderson. Other bullpen arms also are deemed attractive by clubs hoping to dip into the Orioles' relief depth. "We want to keep that strength intact," Duquette said while meeting with local media inside his suite at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. I'll pass along more...

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have gone through brief portions of the season with closer Zach Britton as their only left-handed reliever. By the time I'm allowed inside their clubhouse this morning at Tropicana Field, they will have a fourth southpaw with Brian Duensing coming off the 60-day disabled list. Britton and Duensing will join Donnie Hart and Jayson Aquino as part of their expanded September roster and pitching staff. It completely changes how a manager works a game. Buck...

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (Tolliver to Angels on waiver claim)

Orioles lineup vs. Yankees (Tolliver to Angels on waiver claim)
Left-hander Kyle Lobstein cleared waivers and was outrighted today to Triple-A Norfolk. As for tonight's Orioles lineup, Steve Pearce is batting second and playing right field and Nolan Reimold is in left field and batting eighth. Caleb Joseph is behind the plate. For the Orioles Adam Jones CF Steve Pearce RF Manny Machado 3B Mark Trumbo DH Jonathan Schoop 2B Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nolan Reimold LF Caleb Joseph C Kevin Gausman RHP Update: Left-hander Ashur Tolliver has been claimed off...

Orioles acquire Lobstein from Pirates

Orioles acquire Lobstein from Pirates
The Orioles may have found their left-handed specialist in time to include him on the postseason roster if they qualify. Executive vice president Dan Duquette acquired reliever Kyle Lobstein from the Pirates for minor league lefty Zach Phillips. No word yet on how the Orioles envision using him, but the splits suggest that he'd be a good fit in the bullpen. To make room for Lobstein on the 40-man roster, the Orioles have designated Triple-A Norfolk southpaw Ashur Tolliver for...

Notes on Rickard, Tillman, McFarland and more

Notes on Rickard, Tillman, McFarland and more
The Blue Jays won today in New York, leaving the Orioles and Red Sox 1 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East. Outfielder Joey Rickard will have his right thumb in a splint for another two to three weeks following today's appointment with a hand specialist. The Orioles were hoping that Rickard would be available by Sept. 1, but that date no longer is attainable. However, they still anticipate that he will play next month. Manager Buck Showalter used one of his favorite...

A few early notes

A few early notes
Orioles Rule 5 outfielder Joey Rickard is still scheduled to have his right thumb examined Wednesday in Baltimore. Rickard, on the disabled list with a slightly torn ligament, could be cleared to begin baseball activities. Manager Buck Showalter said reliever Darren O'Day wouldn't have been available to pitch tonight if the Orioles kept him on the active roster. The Orioles initially thought that O'Day might avoid the disabled list by skipping the series in San Francisco and gaining...

Random trade deadline thoughts

Random trade deadline thoughts
Orioles manager Buck Showalter still needs one more win to tie Wilbert Robinson for 28th place on the all-time list with 1,399 and Paul Richards for second place on the club's all-time list with 517. With the non-waiver trade deadline arriving Monday at 4 p.m., it's important to note again that it's a flimsy deadline. That the Orioles make deals beyond it. That opportunities to improve the roster don't die at 4:01 p.m. The deadline simply means that trades made beyond it require a player to...

Showalter on O's All-Stars, plus other notes (Orioles win 4-1)

Showalter on O's All-Stars, plus other notes (Orioles win 4-1)
LOS ANGELES - Orioles manager Buck Showalter spent a good portion of his pregame meeting with reporters today talking about his club getting five players chosen for next week's All-Star Game. "Real proud of them, for the organization, for the fans," he said. "It's good to see that they got there by different ways. Somebody asked me which one meant more. I think they all mean something. The fans, the players, the managers picked. All are very deserving." Showalter said Chris Tillman, who...

O's notes on O'Day, Givens, Wright (Harvey to pitch at Aberdeen)

O's notes on O'Day, Givens, Wright (Harvey to pitch at Aberdeen)
SEATTLE - The Orioles are hopeful that reliever Darren O'Day could throw another bullpen session when the team plays in Los Angeles starting Monday. But while saying O'Day felt good today and that was a positive step, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said again that O'Day's return from a high hamstring strain is still moving at a slow pace. Showalter made it sound like the chances for O'Day to throw a 'pen session during the upcoming Dodgers series are not great. "That would be a nice...

Complicated starter and lineup process for doubleheader (updated)

Complicated starter and lineup process for doubleheader (updated)
Orioles manager Buck Showalter made the decision to start Kevin Gausman in Game 1 of today's doubleheader and Chris Tillman in Game 2 after considering a variety of separators. Showalter also consulted with Tillman, the veteran right-hander, to get his preference. Making out the lineups against two right-handed opponents, Matt Andriese and Jake Odorizzi, also was a complicated process. "It starts like a week ago," Showalter said. "I'm not going to tell things that reflect on one versus the...

Tolliver on his first win, Machado on his return, Gallardo on his outing

Tolliver on his first win, Machado on his return, Gallardo on his outing
The Orioles' four-run rally tonight in the sixth inning not only gave the team the lead but led to another special moment for lefty reliever Ashur Tolliver. A pitcher that finally got to the majors this year after being drafted in 2009, Tolliver got his first major league win in his fifth big league appearance. In the postgame clubhouse, he was asked if the game ball will find its way to a special place. It will indeed. "You know what? I have a son on the way coming in the next two weeks,"...

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win

Showalter speaks after 6-3 win
Yovani Gallardo surrendered two runs tonight within his first four pitches. Matt Moore didn't allow a baserunner until one out in the fifth inning. The Rays held the advantage into the middle innings before the Orioles ripped it from their grasp. Adam Jones homered with one out in the bottom of the sixth to ignite a four-run rally that proved decisive, as the Orioles opened the series with a 6-3 victory over the Rays before a sellout crowd of 44,956 at Camden Yards. The Orioles loaded the...

Orioles eager for Machado's return after tonight (O's win 7-2)

Orioles eager for Machado's return after tonight (O's win 7-2)
The Orioles are down to their last game tonight without third baseman Manny Machado, whose suspension ends after the final out. The roster goes back to 25 players. A team feels whole again. The Orioles made another move today by placing Brian Duensing on the 15-day disabled list and recalling Ashur Tolliver from Triple-A Norfolk. They recalled Oliver Drake yesterday and outrighted infielder Paul Janish. Each day has led to another adjustment, whether the Orioles are comfortable with a shorter...

O's Brian Duensing on heading to the DL, Ashur Tolliver on returning to team

O's Brian Duensing on heading to the DL, Ashur Tolliver on returning to team
Orioles lefty reliever Brian Duensing went on the 15-day disabled list this afternoon, retroactive to June 20, with left elbow inflammation, and lefty Ashur Tolliver was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. Duensing said he will have an arthroscopic procedure on Friday that will likely keep him out four to eight weeks. He is hoping for an Aug. 1 return. He said there are what he described as cartilage chips in the elbow that got irritated over the years and will be removed. How he discovered the...

Janish accepts outright assignment (plus other notes)

Janish accepts outright assignment (plus other notes)
Infielder Paul Janish accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, according to industry sources. He is expected to join the team this weekend. Janish had the right to refuse the assignment based on a previous designation. He cleared waivers and was outrighted yesterday to make room for reliever Oliver Drake, giving him three days to make a decision. The Orioles have signed 15 more of their 2016 draft picks, bringing their overall total to 21. The newest players to sign are shortstop...

Orioles recall Ashur Tolliver

Orioles recall Ashur Tolliver
The Orioles have placed reliever Brian Duensing on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation and recalled left-hander Ashur Tolliver from Triple-A Norfolk. The DL move is retroactive to Monday. Duensing, 33, posted a 5.40 ERA (4 ER/6.2 IP) over seven games with the Orioles this season, allowing four earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. Manager Buck Showalter revealed yesterday that Duensing was undergoing an examination on the elbow. Tolliver, 28, allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings...

Orioles option Tolliver to Triple-A Norfolk

Orioles option Tolliver to Triple-A Norfolk
The Orioles have optioned rookie reliever Ashur Tolliver to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for left-hander T.J. McFarland on the 25-man roster. McFarland has been recalled from Norfolk and will work out of the bullpen. Tolliver, 28, made four appearances in his first exposure to the majors, allowing three earned runs (four total) and four hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out five. The Orioles promoted Tolliver from Double-A Bowie, where he was 1-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 18 appearances....

With a ninth-inning out last night, Ashur Tolliver kept his name out of the record book

With a ninth-inning out last night, Ashur Tolliver kept his name out of the record book
When Orioles rookie left-hander Ashur Tolliver was called in to pitch the ninth inning last night - on just his eighth day in the big leagues - his first batter was Mookie Betts. The Red Sox right fielder had already homered in the first and third innings off Kevin Gausman and in the seventh off Dylan Bundy. Betts was trying for a four-homer night and to make Tolliver his third victim of the evening. Only 16 players in major league history have hit four home runs in one game. Betts was chasing...

T.J. McFarland headed to Baltimore

T.J. McFarland headed to Baltimore
Left-hander T.J. McFarland has left Triple-A Norfolk and is headed to Baltimore. No word on whether he's going to be recalled tonight or a corresponding move, but I've got confirmation that he's joining the Orioles. McFarland was 0-1 with a 4.73 ERA in eight relief appearances with the Orioles. He allowed seven runs and 12 hits in 13 1/3 innings. McFarland threw two scoreless innings on Monday after coming off Norfolk's disabled list. He's also made three starts with the Tides. In 16...

Thoughts on the bullpen

Thoughts on the bullpen
Orioles manager Buck Showalter mentioned yesterday that he had 2 ½ relievers he didn't want to use. I'm assuming that the half referenced Brad Brach, since Showalter told reporters after the game that he would have called upon the right-hander in a specific situation, but otherwise preferred to rest him. "If we had scored some runs," Showalter said, "we might have tried to push the envelope on Brach." This whole bullpen management thing is tricky and Showalter does a marvelous job with...