An organization that's emphasizing drafting and developing, talent infusion and patience isn't going to find many soft spots in its major league schedule. The challenges just get more daunting for stretches, especially in the American League East. The heights from the tightrope seem to reach the clouds. The falls that much harder.
The Orioles weren't the team crashing to the ground tonight.
Jorge López went from rattled early to unhittable through the fifth inning, his run support...
Yesterday's news that the Orioles released Triple-A pitchers Cody Carroll and Evan Phillips forced the latest revisit to the trades that brought them into the organization.
Reliever Dillon Tate is the last man standing in the Zack Britton deal with the Yankees in July 2018. The Orioles released left-hander Josh Rogers in June and he signed a minor league deal with the Nationals.
Rogers recovered from another surgical procedure on his elbow but hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019. His...
Infielder Richie Martin is back in the majors.
In a surprise move, the Orioles reinstated Martin from the 60-day injured list this afternoon and he's in New York for tonight's series opener against the Yankees.
The Orioles optioned infielder Domingo Leyba to Triple-A Norfolk to make room on the active roster. They also put left-hander Ryan Hartman, claimed off waivers from the Astros, on the injured list.
Hartman is going through the necessary COVID-19 protocols after joining the organization...
Cedric Mullins is back in the lineup, after a rare rest yesterday, as the Orioles begin a three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx.
Austin Hays is in left field and Anthony Santander is in right.
Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and cleanup hitter.
Pat Valaika is starting at second base.
The Yankees won two of three games against the Orioles in New York in April. The teams split four games later in the month in Baltimore and the Yankees won two of three at Camden Yards in...
Orioles first-round draft pick Colton Cowser and second-rounder Connor Norby made their professional debuts this afternoon in the Florida Complex League.
Cowser started in center field and batted third for the orange team against the Rays' Matthew Peguero. He lined a single into center field in his first at-bat, homered to right and was called out on strikes.
Norby started at second base and batted second. He grounded out 3-1 and struck out twice.
The Orioles made Cowser the fifth-overall...
The Orioles are in New York for the next three nights, with their roster again reset, a role changed and one confirmed.
Keegan Akin isn't a starter and has been assigned to the bullpen as a second left-hander after Tanner Scott was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left knee. He can provide more length than Scott, but also might be needed just to get three outs in a matchup-type role late in games.
Akin tried to play the part of Scott yesterday, at least in terms of usage, by...
A fastball from Spenser Watkins in the first inning this afternoon caught the top of the strike zone or just missed it, depending on the perspective from the mound and behind home plate.
Watkins wanted the call, which would have closed out the inning without a runner reaching base. Umpire Marvin Hudson didn't give it to him. Hudson had the final word.
The ensuing walk led to another, followed by the only two hits off Watkins through the fifth. The Tigers finally broke through again in the...
The Orioles are placing reliever Tanner Scott on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left knee. Pitcher Keegan Akin is taking his place on the active roster and in the bullpen.
Akin is reinstated today from the COVID-19 injured list. Pitcher Thomas Eshelman has been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Scott is 4-4 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.488 WHIP in 48 games. He's averaging 6.8 walks and 13 strikeouts per nine innings.
The injury came as Scott remained in the...
Austin Hays is leading off today and playing left field and Ryan McKenna is in center as the Orioles close out their series in Detroit and attempt to win three of four games.
Maikel Franco moves up to fifth in the lineup. Pat Valaika is playing shortstop. Austin Wynns is behind the plate.
Cedric Mullins and Ramón UrÃas get a breather.
Ryan Mountcastle is the designated hitter today. He has 10 hits and seven RBIs in his last 10 games.
Spenser Watkins is making his fifth major league start...
The learning continues today for Spenser Watkins. And we'll find out more about him, as well.
We know about Watkins' perseverance as a 30th-round draft pick, his pitching intelligence, how he grasps the art of his profession as a survival tactic.
Today, he gets the chance to show how he responds to his first dose of adversity at the major league level.
Watkins allowed a total of three runs in his first three starts, but Marlins catcher Sandy Leon matched them with one swing - the ball landing...
Anthony Santander is the cleanup hitter tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Tigers in Detroit.
Santander is starting in right field and DJ Stewart is in left. Austin Hays is on the bench.
Pat Valaika remains in the lineup at second base.
Pedro Severino is catching again tonight. He homered twice last night for his second career multi-homer game, and has hit three in the last two games. He's 5-for-14 in his last four games.
Severino is batting .333/.400/.767 in his last...
The trade talk is silenced. Another important date is crossed off baseball's calendar.
Unless you get excited over expanded September rosters - and only two additional players may be added in 2021 - there isn't much left beyond the actual games.
For the Orioles, attention to the minors only intensifies. Like the Adley Rutschman watch as he keeps pushing for a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk.
It can't be much longer. And how convenient if he simply has to go from Richmond, where Double-A Bowie...
The Orioles tried to trade at least one of their relievers prior to today's deadline. Talks began more than a week ago and kept moving at varying paces until 4 p.m.
The effort wasn't lacking, only an agreement.
Triple-A reliever Shawn Armstrong was dealt to the Rays this morning for cash considerations. Injured shortstop Freddy Galvis was sent back to the Phillies for Single-A pitcher Tyler Burch just before the negotiating window slammed shut.
No one in the current bullpen had to pack up and...
The Orioles reinstated outfielder Anthony Santander from the COVID-19 injured list today and optioned pitcher Thomas Eshelman to Triple-A Norfolk, again lengthening their bench to four players. Santander is in tonight's lineup in Detroit, playing right field and batting fifth.
The 40-man roster had room after the Orioles traded injured shortstop Freddy Galvis to the Phillies.
Manager Brandon Hyde said the team will take another day or two to determine the status of pitcher Keegan Akin, to...
The Orioles managed to make another trade at the 4 p.m. deadline and again didn't touch a player on their active roster.
After dealing Triple-A reliever Shawn Armstrong to the Rays this morning for cash considerations, the Orioles sent injured shortstop Freddy Galvis to the Phillies for 23-year-old Single-A pitcher Tyler Burch.
Galvis hasn't played since straining his quadriceps muscle June 26 in Buffalo, the last image of him as an Oriole being carted off the field. He batted .249/.306/.414...
The Orioles kicked off the final day of baseball's trade deadline by moving one of the organization's relievers.
Not one who's on the active roster or has been riding the waves of rumors and speculation.
The Rays have acquired right-hander Shawn Armstrong from the Orioles for cash considerations. A source confirmed that a deal was close and the Orioles just announced it.
Armstrong was designated for assignment on June 4 after posting an 8.55 ERA and 1.900 WHIP in 20 games. He accepted his...
We've plummeted below the 24-hour mark until reaching baseball's trade deadline. It's the final countdown.
We're leaving together, but still it's farewell.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias is fielding and making calls, the activity brisk but producing nothing so far that's impacting the roster and the rebuild.
There aren't many trade chips on the table, but contenders certainly are expressing interest in a handful of them, most notably in the bullpen. Quite similar to...
Over the past few hours, the Orioles attempted to win a game in Detroit, find a trade partner and gain more clarity on their roster heading into the weekend.
They went 0-for-3.
Casey Mize was only partially to blame.
Rookie Alexander Wells surrendered four runs in five innings, Mize carried a shutout into the seventh, the Tigers won 6-2 and manager Brandon Hyde concluded his postgame Zoom call with the same players who made the ride from the team hotel to Comerica Park earlier in the...
There isn't much news to report from the Orioles as afternoon moves into evening.
Pat Valaika is out of the lineup again tonight in Detroit, his last start coming Sunday against the Nationals. He played an inning last night.
Manager Brandon Hyde indicated that Valaika is fine physically.
"I'm just giving (Domingo) Leyba some opportunities against right-handed pitching," Hyde said on his Zoom call.
Valaika hit a home run on July 21 and two more the following game. He had a single and RBI in...
Can the Orioles produce another ninth inning win?
If so, it's going to happen in Detroit, where they begin a four-game series against the Tigers.
Austin Hays is in right field tonight with Ryan McKenna in left. DJ Stewart is batting fourth as the designated hitter.
Trey Mancini is playing first base and Ryan Mountcastle is on the bench.
Domingo Leyba gets another start at second base and Austin Wynns is catching.
McKenna's bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning last night was the club's first...