Orioles complete sweep with 11-4 win over Phillies (updated)

Orioles complete sweep with 11-4 win over Phillies (updated)
The doubters keep fueling the Orioles. Haters gonna motivate. Manager Brandon Hyde enjoys how his players carry chips on their shoulders, how they take pleasure in knocking down their critics. But he isn't obsessing over playoff positioning after 17 games, including this afternoon's 11-4 rain-delayed win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer off Thomas Eshelman in the fourth inning, but the Orioles responded with four runs in the fifth against Jake...

Updating Means, Akin, Iglesias, attempted steal of home

Updating Means, Akin, Iglesias, attempted steal of home
Orioles pitchers John Means and Jorge López are going through the intake process and remain on the injured list rather than joining the active roster. "Hoping soon," manager Brandon Hyde said during today's Zoom conference call, "but I don't have a for-sure date yet because we have to wait for results and other things." Hyde dismissed the possibility of Means pitching in Friday's suspended game against the Nationals at Camden Yards. The game will resume in the top of the sixth inning...

Orioles claim López while going for sweep (game suspended)

Orioles claim López while going for sweep (game suspended)
The search for pitching that can provide length and serve in swingman and long relief roles has brought the Orioles to right-hander Jorge López. A team that's trying to get back above .500 fiddling with its roster. The Orioles claimed López off waivers from the Royals earlier today, filling their 40-man roster and 60-man player pool with one transaction. They made the move while also busy building a lead against the Nationals that's been put on hold in the top of the sixth inning due to...

Milone coasts and offense crushes in 11-0 win (updated)

Milone coasts and offense crushes in 11-0 win (updated)
WASHINGTON - On a night that their offense stayed in high gear, the Orioles made certain that their pitching and defense didn't shut down the operation. Keeping everyone on the same page brought a much different result. Nine of the first 15 Orioles batters reached against Aníbal Sánchez, three runs scored and a team still bruised from a four-game sweep in its home ballpark hit the road and kept hitting in an 11-0 win over the Nationals in D.C. José Iglesias had a run-scoring double,...

Defensive shortcomings for O's contribute to series sweep (updated)

Defensive shortcomings for O's contribute to series sweep (updated)
The bats came out of the rack. They made some loud noises. The threat of another shutout was obliterated like the pitch Renato Núñez launched into the left field seats to open the top of the second inning. If the Orioles were going to lose again tonight, at least they'd go down swinging. A problem is fixed and the ship springs two other leaks. And the solution wasn't to keep plugging away. Wade LeBlanc lasted only 3 1/3 innings, the defense collapsed behind him and an offensive rush...

Orioles and Marlins set for unusual doubleheader today

Orioles and Marlins set for unusual doubleheader today
Getting the Marlins to play one game is a chore. Let's try two. The Orioles are the hosts today for the first game of a doubleheader and the visitors for the second. The uniform colors should change, but the teams won't be switching dugouts. We wouldn't want to make a mockery of coronavirus baseball. The clubs get an extra player for the doubleheader, with both games set for seven innings. The Orioles likely will want another bullpen arm, but I'm done trying to predict anything as it...

Notes on Harvey, lineup trend, bullpen, Cobb and more

Notes on Harvey, lineup trend, bullpen, Cobb and more
Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey won't come off the 10-day injured list when he's eligible on Thursday, with manager Brandon Hyde noting that the right-hander is improving but still facing a number of tests. Players on the injured list, including John Means and Dillon Tate, have moved to the alternate camp site in Bowie. Harvey is shelved with a right forearm strain that's been described as arm fatigue. "He's still in a progression," said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. "He's going to start...

Orioles drop opener to Red Sox 13-2 (updated)

Orioles drop opener to Red Sox 13-2 (updated)
The Orioles formed a row along the third base line tonight while waiting for the playing of the national anthem. One of baseball's long-standing traditions that brought each of them to one knee. They clutched the long black ribbon that's been unfurled in ballparks as a symbol of the racial reckoning that's happening in the United States. Rising to their feet, the Orioles moved closer together and linked arms as another gesture of unity and equality that didn't require or demand social...

Opening night blowout: O's lose big at Boston

Opening night blowout: O's lose big at Boston
In search of their ninth opening day win in the last 10 years, a couple of bad innings happened to the Orioles tonight. A couple of really, really bad innings. They got bombed 13-2 at Fenway Park in the 2020 season opener. Instead of another opening day win - and the club was 15-4 its previous 19 openers coming in - the Orioles have lost back-to-back opening day games for the first time since 2007 and 2008. Lefty Tommy Milone was making his first career opening day start and his Orioles debut....

Orioles skillfully maneuver 40-man roster

Orioles skillfully maneuver 40-man roster
The Orioles demonstrated yesterday how they're able to do the 40-man roster dance without tripping over their own feet. It was an impressive feat. They had one open spot and a lengthy list of non-roster players competing for jobs, though Stevie Wilkerson dropped out due to a broken finger on his left hand. That's a lot of traffic and the potential for a massive pileup. But utility player Pat Valaika was the lone addition, pretty much winning a job in spring training prior to the shutdown. He...

Means on injured list and excluded from 30-man roster

Means on injured list and excluded from 30-man roster
The Orioles will begin the long-awaited 2020 season without their No. 1 starter and projected closer. John Means and Hunter Harvey have been placed on the 10-day injured list. Reliever Dillon Tate also is on the IL - with all three assignments backdated to Monday - but outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. has been activated and made the 30-man roster for Friday night's opening game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Manager Brandon Hyde indicated yesterday that Means likely would start against the...

Orioles moving on to finalization of roster for opening day

Orioles moving on to finalization of roster for opening day
The Orioles must turn in their opening day roster by noon Thursday and decide whether anyone else is headed for the injured list. They must sort through the pile of ailing players and figure out if it's smarter to just remove guys from the pool and send them to the alternate camp in Bowie. It's a job so big, they should hire interns. Infielder Richie Martin underwent wrist surgery and is on the 60-day injured list, pitcher Ty Blach had a ligament reconstructed in his left elbow and utility...

Cobb impressive early, Santander with two hits in 4-2 loss (updated)

Cobb impressive early, Santander with two hits in 4-2 loss (updated)
Alex Cobb knows the pain of being unable to start on opening day for the first time because an injury ruined the experience. He can sympathize with left-hander John Means, whose assignment in Boston is in jeopardy due to arm fatigue. Cobb isn't a candidate to replace Means because he stood on the mound tonight with baseball in hand and his own, more modest goal, in mind. The Orioles wanted to stretch out Cobb to four innings and never considered the idea of using him on short rest against the...

Valdez and Herrera making surprising bids for opening day roster

Valdez and Herrera making surprising bids for opening day roster
One of the more startling developments of summer training camp beyond John Means' dead-arm period is the potential crashing of the opening day roster projection party. Who invited César Valdez and Dilson Herrera? It feels like they carpooled and brought their own keg. The odds of Valdez's making the trip to Boston for Friday night's opener were placed at a "hard no" back in March, if such a thing actually exists, as he worked out at the minor league complex in Twin Lakes Park. His five...

Updating Means, exhibition pitchers and more

Updating Means, exhibition pitchers and more
The Orioles remain uncertain about John Means' status for opening day, though there's been improvement in the condition of his left arm. Manager Brandon Hyde said the club remains in day-to-day mode with Means. "He felt a lot better today," Hyde said during his Zoom conference call with the media. "Has done a lot of treatment today. We haven't made a decision on that yet, but obviously we need to do that here in the next couple days." The Orioles won't use a starter on short rest if...

Valdez impressive in intrasquad (MASN airing two exhibitions)

Valdez impressive in intrasquad (MASN airing two exhibitions)
Asher Wojciechowski made his latest bid tonight to stay in the Orioles rotation by starting for the orange team, designated as the hosts, in the penultimate intrasquad game at Camden Yards. Never read too much into a scrimmage, whether or not it's accompanied by recorded crowd noise and walkup music, but Wojciechowski is lined up to serve as the No. 4 starter behind John Means, Alex Cobb and Wade LeBlanc. Dilson Herrera didn't care. He lined a two-run homer into the left field seats in the...

Orioles' first intrasquad game features home runs by Núñez and Hays

Orioles' first intrasquad game features home runs by Núñez and Hays
Austin Hays led off the top of the first inning tonight with a fly ball to the right field warning track. It bounced. It rolled. No one was around to retrieve it. Mark it down as F-9. Stevie Wilkerson was the only outfielder for the "home" team in the intrasquad game at Camden Yards. He played center field. Flanked by two ghost defenders. DJ Stewart played left field and Hays was in center for the "visiting" team, which settled for a 3-3 tie as the last few innings dissolved into live...

Recapping Day 2 of summer training camp

Recapping Day 2 of summer training camp
The Orioles still don't have a full turnout for their summer training camp, with manager Brandon Hyde saying again this afternoon that a couple of Dominican players remain in the intake process for COVID-19 testing. "We're still waiting on that," Hyde said today in a Zoom conference call. While some teams are confirming positive tests, whether or not they receive permission from players to reveal the names, the Orioles are keeping the process under wraps. Major League Baseball announced...

Hess goes from optioned to an Orioles option for opening day

Hess goes from optioned to an Orioles option for opening day
David Hess spent the offseason following a program created for him at Premier Pitching & Performance center in St. Louis. The same facility that changed John Means' professional life. He made it through the first version of spring training with a spot on the camp roster. He lost that spot a week later when the Orioles included him among four players optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. He made it back onto the camp roster Sunday afternoon when the Orioles included him among 44 players announced...

Reviewing the weekend's activity

Reviewing the weekend's activity
The past two days have been productive for the Orioles and media covering the team. An announcement was made Saturday afternoon on the signings of draft picks Jordan Westburg, their Competitive Balance Round A selection and the 30th overall pick, and outfielder Hudson Haskin, their second-rounder and the 39th overall. And yesterday brought confirmation on 44 of the 60 players who will be tossed in the pool for spring training 2.0. More players will be announced later in the week. The Orioles...