Leftovers for breakfast (updated)

Yesterday's announcement that reliever Shawn Armstrong cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk had me checking the terminology to make sure I didn't read too much into it.

As it turns out, Armstrong being "assigned" is the same as "outrighted." He's reporting to the Tides.

I was checking whether he could decline and become a free agent.

Armstrong was outrighted by the Mariners in 2018 and could have refused yesterday's assignment, though he'd forfeit his salary. The unwillingness to do has kept many players in the organization over the years.

The Indians traded him to the Seattle on Dec. 13, 2017 for international bonus slot money and the Orioles selected him off waivers on April 28, 2019.

A player with at least five years of service time also can decline, but Armstrong is a tick above three.

The Orioles wanted Armstrong to stay in the organization, though the lack of a minor league option limits flexibility. A likely contributor to why he went unclaimed.

Armstrong can work with Norfolk pitching coach Kennie Steenstra and try to get back to the majors, and back to the way he pitched in 2020.

The struggles hit Armstrong as soon as he was reinstated from the injured list. He went through the necessary protocols following his stint on the paternity list, rejoined the team April 5 and allowed 19 runs (20 total) and 28 hits with 10 walks in 20 innings.

He also lost his touch with inherited runners after stranding 11 of 13 last season.

In six spring training games, Armstrong worked a total of 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs and three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Opponents batted .136.

The Orioles avoided arbitration with Armstrong by signing him to an $825,000 deal. He's eligible again this winter and pitching for a job, whether he's in Triple-A or the majors.

* The Orioles will try to avoid setting the club record tonight with a 14th consecutive road loss.

The streak began at Citi Field when the Mets swept the two-game series on May 11-12.

Two other Orioles teams lost 13 in a row. The 0-21 start in 1988 obviously had to include a stretch of April futility. The 2018 team was winless on the road from April 13-May 17.

The Orioles owned only the third-longest active road losing streak after their game ended. The Rangers had dropped 15 in a row heading into their game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, and the Diamondbacks lost their last 19.

The grass is always browner on the other side.

* Free-agent pitcher Logan Gillaspie signed a minor league contract earlier this week, according to the Major League Baseball transactions page. He debuted with Single-A Aberdeen on Wednesday and allowed two runs in one inning.

Gillaspie, 24, moved from independent ball in 2017 to the Brewers organization, where he pitched at the Rookie-league level in 2018 and Single-A Wisconsin in 2019 prior to his release.

Perhaps the most interesting fact about Gillaspie is how he caught and played first base and shortstop with the Monterey Amberjacks in the Pecos League in 2017.

As a minor league pitcher, he's registered a 3.97 ERA and 1.214 WHIP in 129 1/3 innings and surrendered only 10 home runs.

A few extra nuggets:

* Brandon Lowe's two-run homer last night was the first allowed by Keegan Akin to a left-handed batter in his career. Lowe has five hits in 65 at-bats against left-handers this season.

* Ryan Yarbrough joined J.A. Happ last night as the only pitchers to give up three home runs to Trey Mancini in his career

The homer was Mancini's first extra-base hit since May 26, a stretch of 10 games.