The inevitable home run record was set tonight in the third inning. The watch is over. The only drama is in the final tally.
Taking an early lead was the first order of business for the Orioles, but they also had to deal with their place in baseball history.
The Rays' Austin Meadows lined a curveball from Asher Wojciechowski over the railing in front of the flag court in right field with two outs for the 259th homer surrendered by the Orioles this season.
Move over 2016 Reds. There's a new...
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis hasn't been in the lineup for the last four games and nine of 14, and manager Brandon Hyde conceded today that opportunities will be harder to find after the roster expands in September.
"Yeah, I think there are people we want to see and there's at-bats that we want to give to guys," Hyde said. "I'm just going to continue to pick my spots with CD, and we've had conversations about it.
"I don't think he's swung the bat this year the way he's wanted...
Chris Davis is out of the Orioles' lineup for the fourth night in a row.
Trey Mancini remains at first base as the Orioles open a four-game series against the Rays at Camden Yards.
DJ Stewart stays in right field, with Stevie Wilkerson in center and Anthony Santander in left. Richie Martin is the shortstop after collecting two hits last night.
Hanser Alberto, leading off and playing third base, has posted a .341 (14-for-41) average with five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 11 RBIs and...
The Royals' Jorge Soler led off the sixth inning Tuesday night with a single off Dylan Bundy and the Orioles had to be flashing back to just about every game in the 2019 season.
The inning has crushed them. If wine could be made out of baseball players, the Orioles would turn every ballpark into a vineyard.
Bundy put a cork in it, inducing a ground ball from Hunter Dozier that the Orioles turned into a 5-4-3 double play. Alex Gordon lined to center field and the deficit stayed at one run.
The...
The record was inevitable, the only mystery surrounding the date of its arrival and who would be responsible on the mound and at the plate. It was coming as sure as nightfall.
The Orioles have tied the 2016 Reds for most home runs allowed in a season with 258. There are 35 games left on the schedule. They will claim it as their own, most likely while the Rays are in town beginning Thursday.
Manager Brandon Hyde will take plenty more like this one. How his team made the record an attachment...
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is unlikely to use Hunter Harvey on consecutive days out of the bullpen, which eliminates the rookie from consideration as the team closes out its series against the Royals.
Harvey retired the side in order last night in the eighth inning, striking out two batters and earning his first major league win. He also tossed a scoreless inning in his debut Saturday at Fenway Park, again striking out two and also issuing a walk.
"Probably not," Hyde said. "There's...
The Orioles conclude their three-game series against the Royals with Chris Davis out of the lineup for the third night in a row.
Trey Mancini remain at first base and DJ Stewart is in right field.
Richie Martin is the shortstop tonight with Jonathan Villar at second base and Hanser Alberto at third and leading off.
Stevie Wilkerson is in center field.
Aaron Brooks has allowed five runs or more in four of his last five starts and is dragging a 9.22 ERA and 1.756 WHIP into tonight's game since...
Chance Sisco has absorbed the usual punishment as a catcher. The foul tips, the backswings, the collisions. No one is immune to it if their chosen profession involves squatting behind home plate.
But the sixth inning. What in the world was going on in the sixth inning?
The Red Sox sent 12 batters to the plate Sunday afternoon and scored six runs. They also sent Sisco to the trainers' room, the second unfortunate incident thrashing the highest pain threshold. There was no way to withstand...
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis wasn't in tonight's lineup, but he delivered the card to home plate for the traditional exchange.
Coaches repeat the task after a win. The losing streak had manager Brandon Hyde searching for replacements.
Davis could be on the bench again Wednesday night, but he's going to be the first Orioles player at the plate.
Dylan Bundy held the Royals to one run in seven innings, the Orioles tied the game in the home half and Hanser Alberto hit a three-run shot with...
Chris Davis remains out of the Orioles lineup tonight for the second straight game with the Royals sending a right-hander to the mound.
He also could sit Wednesday night against left-hander Mike Montgomery.
Manager Brandon Hyde said the lineup isn't influenced by Davis' health. The veteran isn't injured or ailing. Hyde wants to play Trey Mancini at first base and give him a break from the outfield.
"He's fine," Hyde said. "I just wanted Trey to play first base again and it's nothing...
Less than 24 hours after having the best night of his professional career, catcher Adley Rutschman earned a promotion to the next level of the Orioles farm system.
Rutschman is moving up from short-season Single-A Aberdeen to low Single-A Delmarva, where he's expected to be in the lineup for Wednesday's home game against Greensboro. He'll be available to participate in the upcoming South Atlantic League playoffs upon the conclusion of the regular season.
The Orioles were expected to place...
Almost at the exact moment that Hunter Harvey walked through the visiting clubhouse doors at Fenway Park, mental wheels began turning about other pitching prospects who could join him. How the collection of promising arms is increasing and creeping closer to the majors.
Grow the arms, build the hype.
The position players don't create the same excitement, a deficiency that the Orioles worked hard to address in the draft. Remove catcher Adley Rutschman, the first overall pick, and the room grows...
The fingerprints are fading from the John Means panic button.
Another loss surfaced tonight, but Means seemed to be fine. He just couldn't hold form or catch a break after the fifth inning, which is a distinct pattern with the Oriole in 2019.
Means carried a no-hit bid into the sixth, faced six batters and didn't record an out. He threw 28 pitches. A one-run lead disappeared like those fingerprints.
The Royals scored three times, with Gabriel Ynoa leaving the bases loaded, and the Orioles...
Orioles catcher Chance Sisco is available tonight if the Orioles need him behind the plate or as a pinch-hitter.
A doctor cleared Sisco to play and the club was able to avoid a roster move. Sisco is on the bench for the series opener against the Royals at Camden Yards.
How comfortable is a separate matter.
Sisco was removed from yesterday's game against the Red Sox in the sixth inning after being struck in the groin by a foul ball from Xander Bogaerts. He's been issued a Kevlar protective...
Pedro Severino is catching tonight in the series opener against the Royals with Chance Sisco possibly unavailable to the Orioles due to injury.
No word on a roster move. I've heard that Austin Wynns is in Baltimore, which likely puts him on the taxi squad.
Chris Davis also is out of the lineup. Trey Mancini is playing first base and DJ Stewart is in right.
Jace Peterson continues to get starts in left field. Rio Ruiz is playing third base.
Left-hander John Means will try to lower his...
The Orioles already have made spring training plans as they move through the remaining weeks of the 2019 season.
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., on Feb. 11, with position players due on Feb. 16. The first full-squad workout is held the following day.
The first exhibition game at the Ed Smith Stadium complex is Feb. 23 versus the Red Sox. The Orioles open the Grapefruit League season on Feb. 22 at the Braves' new facility, CoolToday Park, in North Port, Fla.
A...
The news yesterday that DL Hall is going to miss the remainder of his season at Single-A Frederick with a mild strain of his left lat muscle shouldn't cause a massive panic.
The key word here is "mild," which is confirmed by the Grade 1 diagnosis.
Resist the urge to replay all the images of past injured pitching prospects. But try to say it three times fast.
An earlier occurrence would have gotten Hall back on the mound this summer, but the Keys don't have many games remaining and there's...
The sixth inning is like the trap door that keeps fooling the Orioles. If they don't fall through it, a lead certainly will disappear.
Ahead by six runs in the third, the Orioles became helpless as the Red Sox started to chip away and dismantled them by scoring six times in the sixth to take the lead and complete the sweep with a 13-7 victory at Fenway Park.
Chance Sisco was injured twice in the inning, with Sam Travis plowing into his left shoulder and a foul ball slamming into his groin...
BOSTON - Left-hander DL Hall, the Orioles' first-round pick in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft and one of their top prospects, will miss the remainder of the season at Single-A Frederick due to mild strain of his left lat muscle.
Hall complained of soreness after his last start on Aug. 8 and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain. There aren't enough games left in the minor league season to get him back on the mound, but he could pitch in the Arizona Fall League.
The season already was a...
BOSTON - Chris Davis returns to the Orioles lineup today and they'll try to avoid being swept in their three-game series at Fenway Park.
Renato Núñez is playing third base. Trey Mancini is the designated hitter and Anthony Santander is in right field.
Jace Peterson is in left.
Left-hander Ty Blach makes his second start for the Orioles.
Nathan Eovaldi is making his fifth start for the Red Sox this season and his 16th appearance. He's allowed 22 earned runs (23 total) and 38 hits in 34...