Taking the Orioles rotation for another spin

Taking the Orioles rotation for another spin
The revisiting of the Orioles rotation could have worn a path deeper than the actual pitching staff. Chris Ellis and Keegan Akin are confirmed to close out the series at Yankee Stadium, and Matt Harvey would stay on turn if he pitches Monday afternoon against the Royals at Camden Yards. John Means won't be ready before Wednesday after starting last night and allowing two runs in five innings. What the Orioles do for the remaining weeks of the season is one of the more interesting topics to...

Checking on Orioles who have a lot to play for this month

Checking on Orioles who have a lot to play for this month
What can we expect from the Orioles in September and those three October games in Toronto that attach to the schedule like skin tags? Probably more losses than wins, considering their record and the teams awaiting them, though four games at home against the Royals and four against the Rangers will be spun as soft spots. That's not what I'm talking about. Let's move beyond the schedule and look closer at how the Orioles could use these final weeks. Some players who could really benefit from...

Orioles go from no-hit to no loss in Toronto (updated)

Orioles go from no-hit to no loss in Toronto (updated)
In a season with so many challenges for the Orioles, testing them seemingly in every way imaginable, the attempt to win a game on a particular night can suddenly become a struggle of a different sort. Just trying to get a hit. Blue Jays left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu allowed two baserunners in the first inning tonight but retired 15 batters in a row and flirted with history until Ryan Mountcastle lined a double into right field with two outs in the sixth in a one-run game. Austin Hays drove in the...

Akin solid again and O's get rare AL East win over Toronto

Akin solid again and O's get rare AL East win over Toronto
The Orioles had to wonder whether lefty Keegan Akin could put together another good start to follow up his recent seven-inning outing. As the game wore on, they also had to wonder if they would get to Hyun Jin Ryu, a pitcher who has finished in the top three of the last two Cy Young Award votes, once in each league. The answers were yes and yes. And they helped the Orioles pick up a rare win against an American League East opponent. The Orioles (41-90) beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 tonight at...

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays (plus notes, updated)

Orioles lineup vs. Blue Jays (plus notes, updated)
Keegan Akin will try to build on his last start and the Orioles will try to end a four-game losing streak tonight against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Akin earned his second major league win Thursday by holding the Angels to one run and three hits in seven innings with six strikeouts and lowering his ERA from 7.92 to 7.26. He faced the Blue Jays on June 26 in Buffalo and allowed six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette hit home runs. Akin also faced the Blue...

Ellis' improvement overshadowed by Guerrero (updated)

Ellis' improvement overshadowed by Guerrero (updated)
The first batter of the fourth inning got Chris Ellis again, except he kept going tonight. Kept himself in the Orioles' pitching plans that otherwise are in their familiar unsettled state. Ellis didn't allow a run against the Blue Jays until Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered to lead off the fourth and tie the game. He went a career-high 4 2/3 innings, allowing just the one run and two hits. Ryan Mountcastle homered and had an RBI infield hit to drive in both Orioles runs, but Dillon Tate was...

Rays take final swings at Orioles in 12-8 win (updated)

Rays take final swings at Orioles in 12-8 win (updated)
The Orioles won't have the Rays to kick them around anymore. Not this year, at least. The schedule for the remainder of the season doesn't include another series between the teams, with the Rays' parting shot a 12-8 victory before an announced crowd of 8,353 at Camden Yards. The three-game sweep, pretty much sealed by Joey Wendle's grand slam off Paul Fry in the seventh, left the Orioles 1-18 against the Rays and 0-9 in Baltimore. They've lost the last 12 games. This is the club's first...

Alexander Wells rejoins Orioles, today's lineups

Alexander Wells rejoins Orioles, today's lineups
Alexander Wells worked two innings and threw 26 pitches in last night's start at Triple-A Norfolk, but he's healthy. The Orioles are keeping him available to work in relief this week. Chris Ellis is starting on Monday in Toronto, but Wells can be a bulk guy behind him if he's added to the active roster. He's making the trip. The 26-man roster expands to 28 on Wednesday. Last night's outing was the equivalent of a side session for Wells, who hasn't allowed a run in his last three...

Quality start for Means can't prevent 4-3 loss (updated)

Quality start for Means can't prevent 4-3 loss (updated)
The Orioles keep a shorter bench to provide manager Brandon Hyde with an extra reliever, a survival tactic with his starters routinely unable to provide much length. More position players are coming with rosters expanding on Wednesday. Meanwhile, with the timing odd, Hyde's rotation is attempting to produce the kind of streak that the Orioles won't regret. Keegan Akin closed out the Angels series by going a career-high seven innings. Matt Harvey logged six last night before succumbing to the...

López looks relieved to be changing responsibilities

López looks relieved to be changing responsibilities
Jorge López joined the other Orioles pitchers yesterday throwing in the outfield, dark clouds rolling in but failing to produce rain that would have rushed the group back inside the clubhouse. He cut through the dugout after he finished, a big smile on his face, a stark contrast to his mood during and after his last start in St. Petersburg, Fla. López was removed from the game after two innings, and after he received a mound visit to check on his physical condition and a conversation with...

O's game blog: Series begins vs. Rays

O's game blog: Series begins vs. Rays
After scoring 23 runs in back-to-back wins that followed a 19-game losing streak, the Orioles have a bit of momentum as they head into the series that begins tonight at Oriole Park. But this series is against the team with which they have had the toughest time this year. The first-place Tampa Bay Rays (79-48) come to Baltimore for a three-game weekend series to wrap up a nine-game homestand for the Orioles. The Rays are 15-1 this season against the Orioles and have outscored Baltimore 128-57 in...

Leftover thoughts on Wells and López in bullpen roles

Leftover thoughts on Wells and López in bullpen roles
While wondering how I possibly could have missed using a "sage advice" pun in Wednesday night's game story ... So much could get lost in the streak-breaking victory, including the importance of Chris Ellis completing three innings in a bullpen game and burning herbs in the clubhouse. Seems like a small detail - the Ellis part - but one-and-done could have left manager Brandon Hyde in a real bind. Tyler Wells was denied a chance at his first major league save after the Orioles added a fifth...

Jorge López gets off to good start in 'pen, plus other O's notes

Jorge López gets off to good start in 'pen, plus other O's notes
It was two innings at the end of a blowout win for the Orioles. But for the second time in two outings, right-hander Jorge López threw scoreless ball out of the bullpen. He's now thrown three scoreless innings in his new role on the pitching staff. Over two innings Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels, López, who went 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA in 25 games as a starter, retired six of seven batters, fanned four, allowing no hits or runs. In his first relief outing, when he pitched one...

Akin goes career-high seven innings in O's 13-1 romp (updated)

Akin goes career-high seven innings in O's 13-1 romp (updated)
Given new life late in their baseball season, the Orioles are trying to avoid a new losing streak. They may never lose again. Rearranging the outcomes can't be done without turning the tables. Shohei Ohtani lofted a ball onto the flag count on the second pitch from starter Keegan Akin, but the left-hander did his finest work as a professional with one run allowed in seven innings. The Orioles tied the game in the third, Pedro Severino hit a grand slam as part of a six-run fifth and they...

Akin's strong start, Mullins steals, Severino slam as O's win again

Akin's strong start, Mullins steals, Severino slam as O's win again
When the day began and he took the mound with a record of 0-8 and 7.92 ERA, lefty Keegan Akin would probably have been an unlikely candidate to become the first Baltimore pitcher this year not named John Means to go seven innings or more. But he pitched his way out of an early jam in the top of the second and got rolling after that. Akin was stellar on the mound in the heat of Camden Yards this afternoon, and the O's put up a big inning in the last of the fifth to beat the Los Angeles Angels...

Orioles lineup vs. Angels

Orioles lineup vs. Angels
Austin Hays and Jorge Mateo are on the bench again today as the Orioles close out their series against the Angels and try to put together back-to-back wins for the first time since July 30-31 in Detroit. DJ Stewart stays in left field. Ramón Urías is the shortstop. Mateo is day-to-day with soreness in his lower back. Jahmai Jones gets another start at second base. Anthony Santander has recorded back-to-back games with three hits or more for the first time in his career. He's in right...

Hyde won't share rebuild stories with players

Hyde won't share rebuild stories with players
The streaks keep trying to suffocate the Orioles. Putting the squeeze on them like a boa constrictor. Number of games lost in a row was the biggie, of course. If not for last night's rally, they would have drawn within one of tying the franchise and American League records of 21 in a row. They'd also be on the verge of suffering their sixth series sweep in a row. Say that three times fast. They don't have to worry about a 17th sweep this season. Brandon Hyde appreciates the support he's...

Orioles rush to 16th loss in a row (updated)

Orioles rush to 16th loss in a row (updated)
Opportunities are rolled out like carpets, with the Orioles trying to keep teams from walking all over them. Keegan Akin is in the rotation with Bruce Zimmermann perhaps done for the season and he's getting more starts beyond tonight. What he does with them could strengthen his case for the 2022 season. The Orioles are just looking to win some games in 2021. Akin surrendered a pair of home runs within the first three innings and worked into the sixth, allowing manager Brandon Hyde to stay away...

O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves

O's game blog: Homestand begins against Braves
If the Orioles are to end a 15-game losing streak when they start a long homestand tonight, they will have to beat a first-place team that has been recently playing outstanding baseball. The Orioles (38-82) host the Atlanta Braves (65-56) in the opener of a three-game series and nine-game homestand versus the Braves, Angels and Rays. The Braves have won six in a row, scoring 47 runs, and are 13-2 since Aug. 3. They were in third place and four games behind first when this stretch began. But...

Orioles claim Ellis and DFA Valdez

Orioles claim Ellis and DFA Valdez
The Orioles made their latest bullpen move this afternoon, claiming right-hander Chris Ellis off waivers from the Rays and designating César Valdez for assignment. Left-hander Ryan Hartman cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Ellis, 28, made his second major league appearance Tuesday night against the Orioles and earned the win with four scoreless innings in relief. He allowed three hits, walked one, struck out seven and was designated for assignment to create room for...