Nolan Reimold is serving as the designated hitter today, as the Oriolestry to complete a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics.
Nate McLouth remains the leadoff hitter. Ryan Flaherty gets the start at second base.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Nolan Reimold DH
Miguel Gonzalez RHP
Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk's Jonathan Schoop extended his hitting streak to 10...
The Oakland Athletics activated outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from the disabled list today and designated Casper Wells for assignment.
The Toronto Blue Jays selected Wells, the Towson University alum, off waivers from the Seattle Mariners on April 10. The A's purchased him from the Blue Jays on April 22.
Now he's out there again.
The Orioles had some interest in Wells earlier this year. He's out of minor league options, which is why he keeps hitting the open market more than...
The Orioles placed backup catcher Taylor Teagarden on the 15-day disabled list today with a dislocated left thumb and recalled catcher Luis Exposito from Triple-A Norfolk.
Exposito, 26, is batting .218/.254/.273 in 16 games and 59 plate appearances with Norfolk. He's 1-for-15 throwing out runners attempting to steal.
The Orioles also transferred catcher Luis Martinez from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk.
The Orioles' game notes say Monday's starter "is expected to be LH Zach...
Veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia remains listed as today's starter for Triple-A Norfolk. If he takes the mound, he won't be taking a flight to Seattle.
Left-hander Zach Britton remains the favorite to start Monday for the Orioles. He hasn't pitched in the first three games in Oakland and it's doubtful that he would be needed today in relief, considering that Tommy Hunter and T.J. McFarland are well-rested and available out of the bullpen.
Hunter hasn't pitched in four days. McFarland...
The Orioles will place backup catcher Taylor Teagarden on the disabled list today with a dislocated left thumb. They're not going to make an announcement until his replacement gets to Oakland.
The corresponding move would figure to involve Triple-A Norfolk's Luis Exposito, who's on the 40-man roster. Chris Robinson is not, and he caught last night for the Tides. He probably would have been scratched if the Orioles intended to select his contract.
Caleb Joseph was behind the plate last...
Orioles backup catcher Taylor Teagarden exited today's game in the bottom of the sixth inning after taking a foul tip off his left thumb.
Teagarden removed his mitt and immediately headed to the dugout. There was no hesitation.
The thumb obviously isn't exposed, but the foul ball from Josh Donaldson still created an injury situation.
Donaldson has been a pest today. Two RBIs, one injured catcher.
Teagarden's departure is complicated by Matt Wieters serving as the designated hitter today....
Manny Machado extended his hitting streak to six games today, reaching on a bunt single with one out in the top of the first inning.
I won't dare suggest that it was a "perfect" bunt. I did that once this season on a Machado sacrifice and was shouted down in the comments section.
Machado didn't keep the ball on the ground, ending his quest for perfection, but he sailed it past diving Oakland Athletics pitcher A.J. Griffin, who decided to cushion his fall with his face.
Once the ball...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is putting Matt Wieters and Taylor Teagarden in the same lineup this afternoon.
Teagarden will catch a day game after a night game. Wieters will serve as the designated hitter.
Otherwise, it's the standard lineup vs. a right-handed starter.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters DH
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Flaherty 2B
Taylor Teagarden C
Chris Tillman RHP
The Orioles have released veteran right-hander Scott Proctor, who was pitching at Triple-A Norfolk.
Proctor allowed seven earned runs, and 13 total, in 7 1/3 innings with the Tides. He surrendered 10 hits, walked 10 and struck out six.
The Orioles have plenty of other pitching options at Norfolk. Josh Stinson returned to the Tides today after starting for the Orioles on Wednesday. Left-hander Chris Jones was promoted from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk.
Reliever Rob Delaney was transferred from...
You've probably figured out that the Orioles have struggled in Oakland in past years. Here are a few more examples:
The Orioles have posted consecutive quality starts in Oakland for the first time since April 16-18, 2010 when they posted three straight - Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz.
The Orioles have won three straight in Oakland, dating back to Sept. 16, 2012, for the first time since Aug. 15-17, 2005. The Orioles haven't won four straight in Oakland since May 23-Sept....
The day after the Orioles optioned pitcher Jake Arrieta to Triple-A Norfolk, manager Buck Showalter sought out catcher Matt Wieters to discuss the right-hander and bounce ideas about what went wrong.
"Very frustrating for Matt," Showalter said. "He's as good as there is at putting fingers down. Most of us are looking at how we're failing him."
Arrieta didn't fail last night. Making his first start for Triple-A Norfolk, he tossed six scoreless innings and didn't walk a batter. Arrieta...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter is rooting for one of his starters to go seven innings just so he doesn't have to address the topic during every postgame media session.
It's a hot topic among reporters. Probably a few fans, too.
Wei-Yin Chen has come pretty close, going 5 2/3, 6 1/3, six and six innings this season. He's turned in three straight quality starts. He's allowed three runs or fewer in all four.
At the risk of slowing his roll, I'll point out that Chen allowed one baserunner...
The Orioles have a red-hot hitter sitting on their bench tonight.
Nate McLouth is 4-for-8 with two doubles, three RBIs, three walks, five runs scored and three stolen bases in his last two games. He's 8-for-18 with two doubles, four walks, eight runs scored and four stolen bases in his last five games.
McLouth has really thrived atop the order, but he's not in tonight's lineup against the Oakland Athletics. Nick Markakis is batting first. Nolan Reimold is starting in left field.
Manager...
Major props again to the Oakland Athletics, and their charming 500 miles of foul territory, for posting their lineup ridiculously early.
For the Athletics
Coco Crisp DH
Chris Young CF
Josh Reddick RF
Jed Lowrie 2B
Josh Donaldson 3B
Derek Norris C
Nate Freiman 1B
Casper Wells LF
Adam Rosales SS
Tommy Milone LHP
The Athletics have lost six of their last seven games.
In his only career start against the Orioles, Milone allowed one earned run (two total) and six hits in 6 1/3...
Could the umpiring have been any worse last night? Not to mention the official scorer.
OK, I just mentioned him.
You know it's bad when a pitching coach, in this case Oakland's Curt Young, comes out of the dugout for a mound visit and instead yells at the first base umpire, who ejected him. Young never did talk to Jarrod Parker. I hadn't seen that happen before last night.
Did it count as a mound visit?
Brian Matusz never made it to the mound last night. Two other left-handers, Troy...
Jason Hammel was at 80 pitches through five innings tonight. Seemed like a pretty good bet to become the first Orioles starter to make it through the seventh.
Not anymore.
Hammel needed 24 pitches to complete the sixth and strand two runners. That's 104 pitches.
Manager Buck Showalter shook Hammel's hand in the dugout. It's up to the bullpen now - except for closer Jim Johnson, who has pitched in three straight games and needs a break.
Hammel threw 113 pitches in his last start against...
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy popped up to end the second inning tonight and strand Chris Davis, who drew a walk off Oakland right-hander Jarrod Parker.
Hardy is in 2-for-20 and 4-for-33 slumps that have lowered his average to .177.
He did produce a hit in the 10th inning yesterday that almost won the game for the Orioles, but Rajai Davis threw out Manny Machado at the plate.
Hardy's average dropped from .269 in 2011 to .238 last season, and manager Buck Showalter vowed to remove him from...
The Orioles confirmed that they have recalled left-hander Zach Britton from Triple-A Norfolk. He's available in the bullpen tonight.
Nate McLouth is back in the leadoff spot tonight, which comes as no surprise.
Over his last five games, McLouth is batting .462 (6-for-13) with six walks and six runs scored. In the leadoff spot, McLouth is batting .321 (17-53) with 11 walks.
McLouth is second in the American League in walks by a leadoff hitter behind Oakland's Coco Crisp (14), but Crisp has...
The Oakland Athletics have already posted their lineup for tonight's series opener against the Orioles.
For the Athletics
Coco Crisp CF
John Jaso C
Seth Smith DH
Jed Lowrie SS
Brandon Moss 1B
Chris Young LF
Josh Reddick RF
Josh Donaldson 3B
Eric Sogard 2B
Jarrod Parker RHP
Reddick batted .343 with two homers and seven RBIs in eight games against the Orioles last season.
The A's haven't lose a season series to the Orioles since 1998.
The Orioles have lost 34 of their last 45 games in...
Zach Britton is still listed as tonight's starter for Triple-A Norfolk. If he isn't a late scratch, he won't be starting for the Orioles on Monday.
Update: Zach Clark (UMBC) is now listed as Norfolk's starter tonight instead of Britton. Feel free to speculate. The assumption here is that Britton will be in the Orioles' bullpen the next few nights and will start Monday if he isn't used in relief for an extended stretch.
Update II: Britton is definitely in Oakland and he will take Josh...