Ort gets claimed, Stowers is confident, and a pair of young pitchers are nearly ready for the show.
Good morning, Birdland!
That game last night stunk. The offense didn’t make the most of their opportunities, and the bullpen couldn’t keep it close enough to matter. At least there’s one more game in this series, and the O’s have Corbin Burnes on the bump. So, vibes are still solid. That said, there were some areas of lingering concern that popped up again last night.
Keegan Akin struggled again. He has now allowed a run in three straight appearances. In that time he has coughed up seven runs (all earned) over five innings, and his ERA has risen from 2.66 to 4.62. It’s a small enough sample size to just a be a blip, but he also has a history of being a subpar major league pitcher. So, it’s OK to be worried.
Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays occupied the same lineup spot. Mullins started in center and was pinch hit for by Hays in the sixth inning. They combined to go 0-for-4, and Hays had two strikeouts. It’s not a lot of fun to watch these two hit right now. Unlike Akin, they both have a track record of being good, but they also have more competition for their playing time than Akin does in a thin bullpen.
Of course, the Orioles remain in a really good spot. They trail the Yankees by only 1.5 games in the AL East standings, and they have played three fewer games. There will be no pushing of the panic button in the warehouse. But as the season progresses incremental improvements will need to be made. That means that time is running out for some of the most familiar faces in the clubhouse to sort themselves out.
Links
Astros Claim Kaleb Ort From Orioles | MLB Trade Rumors
Back in the spring it seemed like Ort would factor into the Orioles’ bullpen at some point in the year, even if just for a one-off appearance. Unfortunately, he had a rough go of it at Triple-A, and now he will try to make an impact with the Astros instead.
More thoughts on Orioles losing Wells and Means from rotation | Roch Kubatko
At this point the Orioles have to be bracing for the worst possible news for both Wells and Means. It seems like Wells could be back eventually, but he has missed a month-and-a-half already, and he still doesn’t even have a throwing program plan. The fact that Means is seeking a second opinion sounds incredibly ominous.
Orioles outfielder Kyle Stowers, playing with confidence, hopes this trip to the majors sticks | The Baltimore Sun
It would be nice to see Stowers get an honest run in the team. He’s never been an uber prospect, but his performance at Triple-A has long been good enough to warrant an extended big league chance. And let’s be honest, the Orioles could use some offense from their outfielders, so why not see what Stowers can do for a little while?
Is the O’s rotation ready for top prospects? | The Baltimore Banner
Mike Elias doesn’t get desperate, so it’s unlikely that the rotation’s recent injury crisis is going to encourage him to promote Chayce McDermott or Cade Povich before he thinks they are ready. But…they might both be ready. It’s nice to have some exciting depth in the Norfolk pitching ranks for the first time in a while.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Tyler Nevin is 27 years old. The utility man spent parts of 2021 and ‘22 in Baltimore as an up-and-down depth option. It looked like he was on the verge of a second stint with the Birds coming into 2024 but was instead DFA’d just before Opening Day. He is currently in DFA limbo once again as the A’s parted with him and his .649 OPS on Tuesday.
- Jerry Hairston is 48 today. From 1998 through 2004 he was a fine middle infield (and later outfield) option for the Birds. He was dealt to the Cubs ahead of 2005 as part of the package to land Sammy Sosa in Charm City.
- Eric Davis turns 62. He was an Oriole from 1997-98. At the same time, he was battling and recovering from colon cancer. The diagnosis cost him most of the ‘97 season although he was able to recover in time for the playoffs, in which he did hit a game-winning homer in the ALCS. He bounced back in ‘98 to post a .970 OPS, earning some down-ballot MVP votes.
- Fred Holdsworth celebrates his 72nd birthday. He pitched in 28 total games for the O’s between 1976 and ‘77.
- Dyar Miller is 78 today. His big league career began in Baltimore, where he was a steady reliever from 1975 through ‘77. In that time he had a 3.26 ERA over 157.1 innings.
This day in O’s history
1965 – National Brewing Company president Jerry Hoffberger buys a 32 percent share in the Orioles from the team’s then-president Joe Iglehart. The sale was forced so that Iglehart, who also owned shares in CBS, would not have a conflict of interest. CBS had recently purchased the New York Yankees.
1967 – The Orioles trade first baseman Mike Epstein and pitcher Frank Bertaina to the Washington Senators for pitcher Pete Richert.
1970 – Mike Cuellar strikes out four batters in the fourth inning of a 2-0 win for the Orioles over the California Angels. That one frame included a passed ball by catcher Elrod Hendricks, allowing the lead-off runner to reach base despite the punch-out.