The Orioles gained a starting outfielder today and created a little more balance in their bullpen.

Cedric Mullins was reinstated from the 10-day injured list, and the Orioles recalled reliever Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk.

Outfielder Ryan McKenna and reliever Joey Krehbiel were optioned. The move with McKenna came after yesterday’s game.

Mullins is expected to lead off and play center field tonight in Seattle, where the Orioles begin a three-city West Coast swing. He hasn’t played since sustaining another groin injury while running the bases July 15 against the Marlins at Camden Yards.

Four rehab games with Double-A Bowie were deemed sufficient to activate Mullins, who went 3-for-20 with a couple of leaping catches.

The third at-bat ended much like the first two, except the last strike was called.

Austin Hays fell behind 0-2 yesterday in the seventh inning, worked the count full and watched an 89 mph fastball from Astros reliever Phil Maton catch the outside half of the plate. Hays threw back his head in frustration, compounded by Adam Frazier running on the pitch and being thrown out at second base.

The opposite-field two-run homer Wednesday night didn’t unlock Hays, but it offered some relief and encouragement.

Hays is 16-for-90 (.178) in the second half. The home run off Crístian Javier was his first since July 9 in Minnesota, before starting in left field in the All-Star Game.

“Felt good,” he said. “He’s got a good heater, so just trying to get on top of that thing. It was a heater up in the zone, so I was able to center it up and drive it to the right side of the field.”

The Orioles didn’t fall behind to the Astros this afternoon. They were tied once and grabbed another lead right away. The margin got tight and they found more padding.

They pitched, played defense and hit in the clutch.

Getting swept in a series just isn’t in their DNA.

Dean Kremer worked seven innings for his 11^th quality start, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle drove in two runs, and the Orioles held on to defeat the Astros 5-4 before an announced crowd of 22,981 at Camden Yards.

Mountcastle extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a two-run shot off rookie Hunter Brown in the seventh, and the Orioles improved to 71-44. They’re 2 ½ games ahead of the second-place Rays, who play tonight.

Orioles reliever Danny Coulombe was placed on the 15-day injured list this morning with left biceps tendinitis. The move is retroactive to yesterday.

Reliever Joey Krehbiel, optioned on Monday, is recalled because he’s replacing an injured player. Krehbiel has a new locker set up at Camden Yards.

Coulombe is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in 47 games. He’s an important high-leverage reliever for a bullpen that’s slipped to seventh in ERA in the majors at 3.71 after allowing 10 runs the past two nights.

Coulombe, who’s averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, hasn’t allowed a run in his last five appearances. He pitched Saturday and surrendered two hits in the eighth.

Krehbiel has retired all five batters faced with the Orioles, striking out two.

The Orioles haven’t been swept in their last 75 multi-game series. The streak could end this afternoon.

If the rain does.

They will try to play and win, board their flight to Seattle and resume the countdown until their final road trip of the regular season.

They’re down to only three – Seattle, San Diego and Oakland; Arizona, Anaheim and Boston from Sept. 1-10; Houston and Cleveland from Sept. 18-24.

The questions about this team never run out. I’ve got a few more.

Jack Flaherty received the ball from catcher Adley Rutschman, flipped it in the air and caught it with his bare hand in a swiping motion. He picked up the rosin bag and spiked it. And he waited for pitching coach Chris Holt.

The frustration was building in the second inning. The pitcher who retired 15 batters in a row in Toronto was unable to slip his start into cruise control.

No serious wreckage, but a rough ride.

And the bullpen lost control again.

Flaherty left the bases loaded after falling behind by three runs in the second inning, and he did it again in the fifth. His follow-up outing with the Orioles, and first career start in Baltimore, was more of a grind, and the Astros prevailed 8-2 before an announced crowd of 25,479 at Camden Yards.

Center fielder Cedric Mullins could rejoin the Orioles for the start of their three-city West Coast trip.

The Orioles play a weekend series in Seattle before flying to San Diego and Oakland.

Mullins will stay with Double-A Bowie tonight for a fourth game. He’s 3-for-15 with the Baysox.

A second groin injury for Mullins this season is forcing the Orioles to be more careful with the workload. Perhaps ease him back into his usual role, seek more rest days.

“This last one was a little different in that, it started in a different spot and then it kind of moved,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Definitely want to keep him as healthy as I possibly can. So, probably talking to him every day, day games after night games, things like that. Might have to give him some rest to make sure he’s fresh.

Ramón Urías is out of the lineup tonight with a bruised heel. However, Urías said he’s feeling better and should be available off the bench.

Urías hit his heel with his bat during last night’s game and was removed after the sixth inning.

“It feels good,” he said. “Just a little sore today.”

Jordan Westburg is the third baseman tonight. Colton Cowser is playing center field.

Second baseman Adam Frazier is back in the lineup after jamming his right thumb during the last game in Toronto.

The Orioles optioned reliever Joey Krehbiel to Triple-A Norfolk after last night’s game and activated reliever Jacob Webb, who was a waiver claim Monday from the Angels.

Krehbiel made two appearances with the Orioles and retired all five batters he faced.

Webb, who’s wearing No. 66, was designated for assignment Saturday after posting a 3.98 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in 29 relief appearances. He walked 20 batters and struck out 34 in 31 2/3 innings.

The Braves drafted Webb in the 18^th round in 2014 out of Tabor College in Kansas. Prior to this season, he had appeared in 78 games over three seasons and had a 2.47 ERA and 1.304 WHIP in 76 2/3 innings.

Reliever Reed Garrett wore No. 66 earlier this season. It previously belonged to Tanner Scott and T.J. McFarland.

The Orioles will try to get back to 28 games above .500 tonight, perhaps stretching their lead to three over the second-place Rays, who gained a little ground last night.

Trying to contend again and grab a wild card berth has been replaced by winning the division and posting the best record to seize home field advantage.

Could make a fascinating book.

An entire chapter, maybe more, could be devoted to what many of us didn’t see coming.

For instance:

Among the many impressive accomplishments by the Orioles in 2023 is their handling of a starter who pitched a no-hitter in his previous outing. A trait that didn’t figure to surface twice.

They show no fear of also being on the wrong end of history. And they don’t tolerate any drama.

That last part didn't arrive tonight until the top of the ninth inning, against a closer who hadn't surrendered a run since June 24. Because baseball never lets itself become too predictable.

The Yankees’ Domingo Germán no-hit the Athletics on June 28, faced the Orioles on July 3 and surrendered three runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The Astros arrived today for a three-game series and sent Framber Valdez to the mound, a week after he became the first left-hander in franchise history to toss a no-hitter.

Adley Rutschman led off the bottom of the first inning with his 66^th walk to surpass last year’s total, and Ryan Mountcastle drove an 83 mph cutter 472 feet to left-center field, beyond the bullpens, for the longest home run by an Orioles player in the Statcast era.

Orioles second baseman Adam Frazier has his right thumb taped after jamming it on a diving play in the final game in Toronto. He remains out of the lineup.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Frazier is available off the bench tonight. He might not have started anyway with the Orioles facing another left-hander, Houston’s Framber Valdez, who threw a no-hitter in his last outing.

“He’s been getting treatment since then, but he feels way better today,” Hyde said.

“He should be in there tomorrow.”

Center fielder Cedric Mullins remains with Double-A Bowie, starting in center field tonight in Richmond. His rehab assignment is nearing a conclusion.

Adley Rutschman is leading off and serving as designated hitter tonight, as the Orioles begin their three-game series against the Astros at Camden Yards.

The Orioles are facing another left-hander tonight, Framber Valdez, which obviously impacts how manager Brandon Hyde writes out his lineup.

Jorge Mateo is in center field, and Austin Hays returns to the lineup as the left fielder.

Gunnar Henderson is playing shortstop and batting fifth. He leads the Orioles with 62 runs scored and can become the first rookie to finish first in that category since Cal Ripken Jr. (90) in 1982, per STATS.

Willie Tasby led the Orioles with 69 runs in 1959 and Tito Francona was first with 62 in 1956.

The All-Star break didn’t shatter the Orioles’ momentum toward their first playoff berth in seven years.

They are 16-7 in the second half. Their lead over the Rays grew to three games. Their 70 wins matched the Braves’ total yesterday.

Any drama left in the season appears to involve possible promotions, fitting pitchers on the roster who are returning from the injured list, and whether the Orioles win the division and receive a first-round bye in the playoffs.

That last one is a biggie.

If the season ended today, the Orioles would kick back and wait for the winner of the Rays-Astros wild card series. The Rangers would play the Twins or Blue Jays.

The Orioles are making an adjustment to their bullpen prior to Tuesday night’s series opener against the Astros at Camden Yards.

Right-hander Jacob Webb has been claimed on waivers from the Angels. A corresponding move is pending because Webb hasn’t reported to the club.

A spot on the 40-man roster opened with pitcher Austin Voth transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Voth is on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk, where he tossed a scoreless and hitless inning yesterday. He hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since June 13 due to right elbow soreness, so a move to the 60-day IL isn’t impactful for his return.

Webb, who turns 30 on Aug. 15, was designated for assignment Saturday after posting a 3.98 ERA and 1.358 WHIP in 29 relief appearances. He walked 20 batters and struck out 34 in 31 2/3 innings.

Orioles rookie Jordan Westburg stood at the plate yesterday against Mets starter José Quintana, nobody on base and two outs in the sixth inning, and got the barrel of his bat on a first-pitch sinker. His line drive through the left side of the infield, clocked at 108.7 mph, produced the Orioles’ fourth hit of the afternoon.

Catcher James McCann led off the seventh with a double down the left field line on a first-pitch changeup from Quintana, and he scored on a fielder’s choice grounder.

The only runs in the game.

Pretty much on brand for this club.

The Orioles began yesterday leading the majors with a .395 average on the first pitch after ranking 26^th last season at .316, according to STATS.

The bullpen juggling began today with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning, after balls kept missing the strike zone. Manager Brandon Hyde not wanting the Orioles to drop a game in the series.

Hyde has limits to his patience and desires to back off his relievers. Kyle Bradish tied his career high with five walks but didn’t allow a run. The pressing of luck would have to stop.

Former Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart grounded out against left-hander Cionel Pérez, the matchup game working out, and Jorge Mateo tripled and scored in the bottom half of the inning.

Félix Bautista notched his 30^th save after Shintaro Fujinami topped 100 mph on six of his nine pitches, and the Orioles registered their seventh sweep with a 2-0 victory over the Mets before an announced crowd of 27,100 at Camden Yards.

Mets left-hander José Quintana shut out the Orioles through the fourth, but center fielder Rafael Ortega whiffed on a diving attempt on a sinking liner and Mateo had his second triple of the season. Third baseman Mark Vientos mishandled Adley Rutschman’s grounder and settled for the out at first to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Austin Hays is out of the lineup for the second consecutive day due to soreness that’s accumulated over the last two series.

Hays played left field in all four games against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre and made a sliding catch in foul territory in the ninth inning Friday night at Camden Yards with the Orioles leading 10-3. Hays came up limping and grimacing, but he stayed in the game.

Colton Cowser started in left last night, and Hays is on the bench again today, with Ryan McKenna in left and Jorge Mateo in center.

“He’s made a lot of diving catches on turf, on dirt,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Just a little sore. Off-day works out tomorrow where he’s going to get a few days off here. Should be available possibly off the bench today but just wanted to give him another day to mend a little bit.”

Mateo is making his eighth career start and 14^th appearance in center. He handled the final two innings last night and didn't have a ball hit to him.

The Orioles will go for the sweep this afternoon with Jorge Mateo making his first start in center field in two years.

Austin Hays is on the bench again today. He must be one of the “bumps and bruises” guys from the trip to Toronto.

Mateo was a defensive substitution in center field last night. He hasn’t started since June 13, 2021 with the Padres.

Manager Brandon Hyde said yesterday that Mateo has worked out in center to improve the club’s depth with Cedric Mullins and Aaron Hicks on the injured list.

“Of course, I feel comfortable playing out there,” Mateo said via interpreter Brandon Quinones.

Players stood in the dugout yesterday at sold out Camden Yards to watch the ceremony honoring the 1983 World Series champions. None of them born before future Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. squeezed Garry Maddox’s line drive for the last out.

All of them hoping 40 years is the limit between titles.

Ripken headed downstairs after the Orioles’ 7-3 win last night and talked to manager Brandon Hyde in the hallway outside the clubhouse. The 1983 team endorses the 2023 group that is a season-high 27 games above .500, loving the talent and energy, and how it’s brought fans back to Camden Yards.

Here’s more from Friday’s media sessions:

Al Bumbry on the similarity between the 1983 and 2023 Orioles.