The Orioles recalled left-hander Bruce Zimmermann from Triple-A Norfolk this morning, returning the Baltimore native to the majors. Reliever Beau Sulser was optioned after last night’s thrilling 5-4, walk-off win over the Angels at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde will explain later whether Zimmermann goes back into the rotation or provides length out of the bullpen.

The timing of today’s move suggests at least a temporary relief assignment. Another long man after Keegan Akin pitched last night.

Zimmermann was optioned while the Orioles were in Toronto. He allowed 17 home runs in his last seven starts, and 18 overall, while compiling a 5.94 ERA and 1.470 WHIP in 13 games over 66 2/3 innings.

During his reset, Zimmermann made three appearances and two starts with Norfolk and allowed nine runs and 18 hits with six walks and 20 strikeouts in 18 innings. He held Gwinnett to one run and three hits in six innings on June 28, faced them again in his last start and allowed three runs with no walks in seven innings.

Reaching for the bullpen phone used to burn the fingers of Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. He should have blisters from doing it.

He’d try to remain stoic as the television cameras zoomed in, the internal meltdowns allowing for some privacy, some cover from what tortured him.

Hyde needed to remove a starter, often in the early innings, but he couldn’t find anyone to slow the opponent’s roll, to keep a game close or hold a late lead.

You play the hand that’s dealt, with the understanding that folding isn’t an option. And you take your lumps.

The choices in 2022 weren’t supposed to be this desirable after the Orioles traded Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott near the end of camp, but Hyde finds it much easier to push the right buttons when there’s some cooperation.

Mike Trout stood at home plate tonight and twisted his body as if trying to make his fly ball stay fair down the left field line. Willing it with his torso.

Tyler Wells turned his head, hoping for a different result.

Trout circled the bases with a three-run homer, receiving confirmation in the dugout after a crew chief review, and Wells had allowed his largest offensive output in five starts with just one pitch.

Then the Orioles did what they always seem to, get up off the floor while picking up their starter if he has an off night.

Four consecutive two-strike hits with two outs in the ninth. A clubhouse trying to explain how this happens. A manager just so proud that it does.

Kyle Bradish is expected to make two or three starts in the minors before the Orioles activate him from the injured list and return him to the rotation.

Bradish starts Saturday for Double-A Bowie in Somerset.

“We’re going to build him back up,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “The first outing’s going to be three to four innings and we’ll build him back up to be full-go before he comes back up here.”

The Orioles arranged a simulated game for Bradish yesterday before deciding to send him on a rehab assignment.

“We’re not going to bring him back up here if he can’t throw five or six innings,” Hyde said, “so we’re going to build him back up that way.”

The Orioles will try tonight to win their sixth game in a row and move three below .500 for the first time since April 23.

They’re 22-17 at home, winning nine of their last 12.

Tyler Wells has lowered his ERA to 3.09 and his WHIP to 1.004 in 16 starts. He’s given the Orioles five quality starts despite the restrictions on his pitch counts, and he’s held opponents to three runs in his last four outings over 22 innings.

Wells hasn’t started against the Angels. He made three relief appearances last summer, retired all 12 batters and struck out four.

Tyler Nevin is starting at third base, giving his father, Phil, a chance to watch from one of the suites. Phil is the Angels’ interim manager who’s serving the final game of his suspension from the brawl with the Mariners.

John Means has always wanted to visit Wrigley Field, and his chance finally arrives next week for the Orioles’ short series against the Cubs.

Means never imagined that he’d be injured and done pitching for the entire summer, but he’ll make the most of it.

“Those were games I circled on the list to try to make it to,” he said.

The left-hander came back to Camden Yards for the current homestand and will join them on the charter to Chicago. He can hop on a flight back to his Texas home while the Orioles continue their road trip in St. Petersburg.

The activity at home beyond chasing his son McCoy is limited to workouts in the weight room that don’t put a strain on his surgically repaired left elbow.

Rougned Odor stood on the grass in front of the Orioles’ dugout tonight and waited to hug Adley Rutschman in the second inning, a tight embrace that lasted almost as long as the ball’s flight before it landed in front of the railing above the scoreboard in right and bounced onto the field.

Robinson Chirinos held up the home run chain on the top step, placed it around the catcher’s neck, threw both arms around him and patted his back.

Rutschman removed his helmet first. A veteran move by the rookie.

Fans rose in unison and roared, aware that Rutschman’s fourth major league home run was also his first at Camden Yards. And they got to witness it.

They also saw Jordan Lyles grind early and hold the Angels to one run in six-plus innings, Ryan Mountcastle celebrate his return to the lineup with a run-scoring double and sacrifice fly, and the Orioles win their season-high fifth game in a row, 4-1.

Kyle Bradish is making at least one appearance on an injury rehab assignment.

Bradish will start for Double-A Bowie in Saturday night’s game at Somerset. He’s on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

The Orioles could activate Bradish next week, depending on whether they decide that he’s built up and ready to face major league hitters again. The other alternative would be to option him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Bradish is 1-4 with a 7.38 ERA and 1.770 WHIP in 10 starts. He allowed 11 runs and 20 hits in 8 2/3 innings in his last two games, and didn’t complete the fifth in his last five.

The initial plan of having Bradish pitch in a simulated game today at Camden Yards was scrapped in favor of Saturday's rehab start.

Tyler Nevin’s father is in town tonight with the Angels arriving in Baltimore for a four-game series.

Phil Nevin is the interim manager serving two more games of his suspension related to the June 26 brawl between the Angels and Mariners. He returns to the dugout on Saturday.

Tyler is on the bench tonight, but Ryan Mountcastle has worked past a sinus infection and is starting at first base.

Austin Hays is playing left field Jonathan Araúz gets the start at third base.

Adley Rutschman is catching and batting sixth.

Ryan McKenna doesn’t step up to the plate with the intent to hit a home run. He has the power but isn’t going to flex.

When McKenna’s fly ball in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s game cleared the vaunted left field wall, he broke a tie – another temporary lead – and delivered the first go-ahead hit of his career.

The home run was his third in 288 plate appearances, and his first since last September.

The ball left McKenna’s bat at 103 mph. The 396 feet were sufficient.

Was he confident that it would land in the seats?

The Orioles won’t turn away a walk-off win and all of the dramatics that go along with it. The late lead changes, the heart-pounding drama. And the complaints will be kept to a minimum when it happens in extra innings in consecutive games.

Manager Brandon Hyde held the double-edged sword earlier today while revisiting last night’s insanity, how the Orioles became the first team in major league history to surrender tying or go-ahead home runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth without losing.

Happy for the comebacks, pained by the reasons behind them.

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” he said.

“We can laugh about it now. Last night I wasn’t laughing at it.”

Austin Hays has returned to the Orioles’ lineup tonight after doing some early hitting and informing the club that his right wrist is fine.

Hays didn’t play last night and had the wrist wrapped after being hit by a pitch Monday afternoon. He’s starting in left field, with Ryan McKenna in right and Anthony Santander serving as the designated hitter.

Ryan Mountcastle took about 30 swings in the cage this afternoon and isn’t ready to return. He’s taking medication for a sinus infection that’s left him feeling a bit woozy.

Mountcastle is optimistic about being in the lineup Thursday night against the Angels to begin a four-game series.

“He still doesn’t feel great,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Hoping he’s available off the bench again like he was last night.”

The Orioles discussed potential bullpen moves after last night’s wild 10-9, 10-inning victory over the Rangers and decided upon Beau Sulser, who’s been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He was on the taxi squad during the last road trip.

Left-hander Nick Vespi was optioned to Norfolk after last night’s game. Vespi was charged with six runs in one-third of an inning on June 29 in Seattle, tossed 1 1/3 scoreless with three strikeouts Monday against the Rangers, and served up a game-tying three-run homer last night to Norfolk native Nathaniel Lowe in the eighth.

Sulser has made one appearance with the Orioles and allowed two runs and seven hits in three innings. He has a 3.20 ERA in seven games with the Tides.

Marcos Diplán appeared to be a candidate to rejoin the Orioles, but they designated him for assignment and claimed left-hander Kirk McCarty off waivers from the Guardians. McCarty has been optioned to Norfolk.

The 40-man roster remains at full capacity.

The chatter starts again, which requires Anthony Santander to tune out. Just ignore it. Can’t control it and won’t let it distract.

The trade deadline arrives on Aug. 2, a few days later than usual. Deals can be consummated at any time leading to it, and Santander remains one of the Orioles’ most attractive chips.

A hamstring injury lessened his value last summer. Santander struggled with it and his numbers suffered. But teams checked on his availability during the winter, with the Marlins one of the most interested.

Santander is healthy in 2022 and leading the Orioles in home runs with 15, five short of his career high in 2019. His 31 walks are the most in his career. The .325 on-base percentage is the highest.

The speculation that he could be traded will peak, as well.

The Orioles didn’t post their lineup today until the clubhouse closed to the media and manager Brandon Hyde finished his daily briefing. Much later than usual. Not the way he wants it done.

Hyde knew that Austin Hays wouldn’t play due to a sore right wrist, but he had to wait on Ryan Mountcastle, whose sinus issues restricted him to designated hitter duties yesterday, and Jorge Mateo, who was hit by a fastball on the left quadriceps to force in the winning run in the 10^th inning.

Only Mateo made it into the lineup, leaving Hyde with few healthy players on the bench.

Mateo delivered an RBI single in the second inning, stole his 20th base and raced home on Cedric Mullins’ two-run double. The leg was fine.

So, too, were the Orioles, after squandering leads of four and three runs, and watching a one-run lead disappear in the ninth.

Austin Hays has his right wrist wrapped and is out of tonight’s lineup against the Rangers.

Hays was hit by a pitch yesterday, but X-rays were negative. He tried to swing a bat in the cage today and said it just didn’t seem like “a good idea to try to push it and make it even worse,” so he’s sitting as a precaution.

At least he avoided the injured list.

“It’s not feeling too bad,” said Hays, who’s celebrating his 27^th birthday today. “The swelling seems like it’s stayed down, so it’s really just certain movements are what’s bothering it. It’s just like a day-to-day thing right now. X-rays were clean, no bad news from that front.

“I’ll be available off the bench tonight if I need to. … Let the trainers do their thing and treat it, and it should be good to go either tomorrow or the next day.”

The Orioles revealed plans today for the 30^th anniversary celebration of Camden Yards on Aug. 5-6, including the return of former players Chris Davis, Jay Gibbons, Robert Andino, Chris Hoiles, Rick Sutcliffe, Jeff Reboulet and Rodrigo López on the first night.

Other former players have been invited to participate. This is just an early list.

The group will attend a luncheon on the sixth floor of the warehouse and participate in a question-and-answer session. The event begins at noon and includes a silent auction, raffles and door prizes.

Tickets are available by contacting Keiko Baker of the Oriole Advocates at (443) 596-7691 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A limited number of VIP tickets, including a pre-luncheon reception, also are available.

The first 20,000 fans 15-and-over attending the Friday night game against the Pirates will receive a Cedric Mullins 30/30 club bobblehead.

Dean Kremer’s streak of scoreless innings ended yesterday at 22 2/3 after the Rangers loaded the bases in the fifth on three singles, Adolis García lifted a sacrifice fly, Nathaniel Lowe tied the game with a single on a two-strike pitch, and Mitch Garver followed with a three-run homer.

The Elias Sports Bureau and STATS don't credit Kremer for the two outs he recorded in the inning. Otherwise, it would have been 23 1/3.

Kremer had gone three consecutive starts for the Orioles without allowing an earned run, tying the club record shared by nine other pitchers, per STATS research.

Matt Harvey was the most recent last season.

Here’s the list:

Dane Dunning’s 89 mph sinker dug into Austin Hays’ right wrist today in the second inning. Hays slammed down the bat, spiked his elbow guard and voiced his displeasure as he walked to first base.

Nothing aimed at the Rangers’ starter. Just some general venting.

Getting hit has become a major issue for the Orioles.  

The pitch wasn’t intentional. They usually aren’t. But the pain is real.

Hays has a well-documented injury history and doesn’t appreciate being hit under any circumstances.

The Orioles began their homestand with a roster move today, activating infielder Ramón Urías from the 10-day injured list and optioning infielder Richie Martin to Triple-A Norfolk.

Urías returns from a strained left oblique. He appeared in two rehab games at Double-A Bowie and went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts.

Martin has gone 5-for-30 with two triples and 10 strikeouts with the Orioles. He started at shortstop yesterday in Minnesota.

Urías is on the bench for today’s game against the Rangers. Jonathan Araúz is the third baseman, Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Rougned Odor is starting at second base.

Fourteen of Odor’s last 22 hits since May 20 have gone for extra bases. He hit a home run yesterday on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, the longest of his career that resulted in a homer.