Kremer has shortest outing and O's lengthen skid with 9-1 loss

Kremer has shortest outing and O's lengthen skid with 9-1 loss
Staying in the pennant race until the final week of the season is small consolation for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. A feeling of pride that doesn't overflow the cup. Hyde recounts the leads lost along the way. The games that should have been won. And it gnaws at him. A "pretty good accomplishment," Hyde says, considering the inexperience, injuries and daily challenges of living and working in a pandemic. But his competitive side reminds him of the offensive droughts and late-inning...
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Sifting through candidates for Most Valuable Oriole

Sifting through candidates for Most Valuable Oriole
The winner of the Most Valuable Oriole award, determined now that the media votes are calculated, is going to be deserving of the honor without the glowing statistics. They weren't going to illuminate in 2020. A shortened season has left us in the dark in so many ways. I'm not going to reveal my ballot until the victor is announced on Friday. However, it seems apparent that four players are under consideration, though the order and exclusion vary, according to an informal poll taken of the...
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Hyde on Iglesias, Phillips, Kremer, offense and defense

Hyde on Iglesias, Phillips, Kremer, offense and defense
Orioles shortstop José Iglesias is receiving treatment again today on his sore left wrist and hasn't been shut down for the week. Manager Brandon Hyde still believes that Iglesias could return to the lineup before the Orioles play their final game on Sunday in Buffalo. "He feels better," Hyde said during his Zoom conference call with the media. "Hopefully the next couple days." Reliever Evan Phillips won't pitch again this season due to soreness in his right elbow. He's on the 10-day...
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Phillips on injured list (plus lineups and notes)

Phillips on injured list (plus lineups and notes)
The Orioles placed reliever Evan Phillips on the 10-day injured list this afternoon with right elbow inflammation and recalled Branden Kline, who traveled with the team as part of the taxi squad. Phillips won't pitch again this season, but avoided a more serious injury. He walked off the mound in the sixth inning last night after surrendering a three-run homer to Christian Vázquez, and while facing Jackie Bradley Jr. Kline has made one relief appearance with the Orioles this summer and...
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This, that and the other

This, that and the other
Orioles reliever Dillon Tate tossed a scoreless inning in Sunday's game at Camden Yards and showed no signs of an injury. Nothing happened at the ballpark that led to his placement on the injured list with a sprained finger on his pitching hand. A fall in his apartment the following day was responsible, the final blow in a 2020 season that brought pains and gains. Tate didn't have the best luck. He was struck on the right arm by a Pat Valaika comebacker during a July 10 intrasquad game at...
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Sloppy play and Phillips' injury lowlight 8-3 loss (updated)

Sloppy play and Phillips' injury lowlight 8-3 loss (updated)
There are a few goals remaining for the Orioles as they fall out of the playoff race. Keep trying to win as many games as possible and have players and a couple of young starters leave on a high note. Keegan Akin opened the series tonight against the Red Sox in Boston. Dean Kremer will follow him on Wednesday. Bruce Zimmermann could resurface out of the bullpen. One more week of evaluations and providing opportunities to gain valuable experience. To get a bigger jump on spring training and the...
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Hyde on Tate, Iglesias, Zimmermann, Fulmer and more

Hyde on Tate, Iglesias, Zimmermann, Fulmer and more
Orioles reliever Dillon Tate fell yesterday in his apartment and landed on the injured list. Tate "had an unfortunate accident where he tripped in his apartment yesterday," manager Brandon Hyde said during a Zoom conference call with the media. The accident occurred on the team's off-day. Tate came down on his hand and sprained his right pinky finger, and he's scheduled to undergo an MRI later today. The Orioles reinstated reliever Shawn Armstrong from the injured list as Tate's...
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Tate on injured list and Armstrong activated (plus lineup)

Tate on injured list and Armstrong activated (plus lineup)
The Orioles have made an adjustment to their bullpen today by activating Shawn Armstrong from the injured list and putting Dillon Tate on the 10-day IL with a sprained right finger. Infielder Ramón Urías has been recalled from the alternate camp site in Bowie to fill the vacant roster spot after the Pirates claimed pitcher Carson Fulmer off waivers yesterday. Armstrong hasn't pitched since Aug. 22 due to left SI joint inflammation in his lower back. He's 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.892...
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Reviewing recent roster and player pool reconstruction

Reviewing recent roster and player pool reconstruction
The trade that brought right-hander Conner Loeprich to the Orioles organization was announced in the ninth inning of Sunday afternoon's game against the Rays. In the middle of the filing frenzy, when most of the beat crew is rushing to get its stories ready to post after the final out - and hoping that the score and stats don't require a late adjustment. César Valdez was in the process of retiring the side in order for his second save. Leadoff hitter Willy Adames smoked a ball to the...
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Orioles surrender Carson Fulmer on waiver claim

Orioles surrender Carson Fulmer on waiver claim
Carson Fulmer's stay in Baltimore was brief. The Orioles lost Fulmer today on a waiver claim by the Pirates after he made three relief appearances. He's headed back to the organization that lost him on a waiver claim by the Orioles two weeks ago. Reliever Cody Carroll was placed on outright waivers, cleared them and will remain assigned to the alternate camp site in Bowie. The moves leave the Orioles with only 37 players on the 40-man roster and 59 in the 60-man pool. Fulmer, the eighth...
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Núñez and Severino trying to be set free of slumps

Núñez and Severino trying to be set free of slumps
Renato Núñez was back in the Orioles lineup yesterday after sitting out Saturday night's game, a cleanup hitter in a messy slump. Pedro Severino was the designated hitter on Saturday and behind the plate yesterday, also looking lost during the times that he stepped up to it. Could two players bust out of two funks on the same afternoon? The Orioles settled for a split, which enabled them to defeat the Rays 2-1 and avoid a sweep in the final home game at Camden Yards. John Means earned...
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Means strikes out 12 in 2-1 win (updated)

Means strikes out 12 in 2-1 win (updated)
Sammy Stewart was a rookie making his major league debut in 1978 when he struck out seven batters in a row to set an Orioles record. John Means was in his second full season, though in truncated style, when he tied the record today. Pitching in the final home game in 2020. Back to the form that made him an All-Star last summer. Means went on to set a career high with 12 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings, allowing only one run in his third consecutive start, and the Orioles defeated the Rays 2-1 at...
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Hyde on Iglesias, Means and last home game of 2020

Hyde on Iglesias, Means and last home game of 2020
Orioles shortstop José Iglesias is out of today's lineup and undergoing more tests on his left wrist. Manager Brandon Hyde couldn't provide an update in today's Zoom conference call with the media. Iglesias was drilled on the left wrist last night and came out of the game. "He's getting re-evaluated this morning, but the news last night was good, that the X-rays from last night came back negative," Hyde said. "He's just really sore today. Haven't gotten the results back from doctors...
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Orioles complete Castro trade with Mets, release Shepherd (plus lineups)

Orioles complete Castro trade with Mets, release Shepherd (plus lineups)
The Orioles announced the completion of another trade, receiving shortstop Victor González from the Mets as the player to be named later in the Miguel Castro deal. González has been added to the 60-man pool and the Orioles released pitcher Chandler Shepherd from the alternate camp site in Bowie. The pool is holding 60 players. González, 17, was originally signed by the Mets on July 2, 2019, as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He hasn't played...
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Evan Phillips rolling in return trips

Evan Phillips rolling in return trips
The shuttle carried reliever Evan Phillips to Baltimore for Thursday's doubleheader against the Rays. Then it transported him back to the alternate camp site in Bowie, his status as the 29th man pretty much ensuring that his stay would be brief. He has the route memorized. Phillips was gone, but not forgotten or ignored. The Orioles recalled him again yesterday and he tossed two more scoreless innings. They were intrigued by the four batters faced and four strikeouts on 17 pitches in Game 2,...
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Orioles held to one run again and will finish below .500 (updated)

Orioles held to one run again and will finish below .500 (updated)
In a mathematical technicality, the Orioles remain in the pennant race as they close out the final homestand of the season. The numbers don't shove them to the curb. They also had a shot at finishing .500, but only by winning their last eight games. The final record won't push along the rebuild. The development and impact of Ryan Mountcastle will make a real difference. His presence in the middle of the order. What the young starters do will make a real difference. The young arms in the back...
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Davis won't play again in 2020

Davis won't play again in 2020
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde confirmed this afternoon that first baseman Chris Davis will remain on the injured list through the last eight games of the season. Davis returned to the IL five days ago with left knee patella tendinitis after already receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection, resting and working out at the alternate camp site in Bowie. He was activated on Sept. 8 after accompanying the team on its trip to New York, but appeared in only one game. In his final appearance in a 2020...
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Orioles recall Phillips and option Velazquez (plus lineups)

Orioles recall Phillips and option Velazquez (plus lineups)
The Orioles brought back reliever Evan Phillips today after his role Thursday as the 29th man in the doubleheader. Phillips was optioned after Game 2, but has been recalled from the alternate camp site in Bowie. The Orioles optioned infielder Andrew Velazquez. Phillips struck out all four batters he faced Thursday and has a 3.65 ERA and 1.541 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings. He's walked eight and struck out 16. Velazquez is batting .159/.274/.206 in 40 games and 77 plate appearances. He's made 19...
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Current Orioles wanting to follow in 1970 team's footsteps

Current Orioles wanting to follow in 1970 team's footsteps
The Orioles managed again last night to reach back to their past while focusing on the present, their latest game against the Rays that ended with a 2-1 loss, and the promising future with the influx of prospects on the roster. None of them should be ignored or neglected. Fifty years have melted away since the Orioles won the second World Series title in franchise history. They couldn't remove the pain from the upset loss to the Mets in '69, but they plowed through the regular season and...
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Cobb's quality can't control outcome in 2-1 loss (updated)

Cobb's quality can't control outcome in 2-1 loss (updated)
Alex Cobb took his turn tonight, the senior member of a rotation that's filling up with freshmen. A bend in a popular September storyline. If Cobb is going to impact the rebuild, it's likely to be as a mentor for the rookies. Maybe as a trade chip over the winter or at next summer's deadline. Or perhaps he lessens the pain of it with a standout 2021. He has one season left on the four-year, $57 million deal he signed in March 2018. He has one start remaining after tonight. He needs to take...
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