Cobb impressive early, Santander with two hits in 4-2 loss (updated)

Alex Cobb knows the pain of being unable to start on opening day for the first time because an injury ruined the experience. He can sympathize with left-hander John Means, whose assignment in Boston is in jeopardy due to arm fatigue.

Cobb isn't a candidate to replace Means because he stood on the mound tonight with baseball in hand and his own, more modest goal, in mind.

The Orioles wanted to stretch out Cobb to four innings and never considered the idea of using him on short rest against the Red Sox. He was limited to three April starts in 2019 before undergoing hip and knee surgery and is slightly behind the other starters.

Scratched from his March 12 start in Fort Myers due to a blister, a game that never happened as baseball shut down, Cobb made it back into an exhibition tonight against the Nationals and didn't allow a hit until one out in the fourth. He made it through the inning as prescribed, hit Asdrúbal Cabrera with his 56th pitch to lead off the fifth and was replaced by Travis Lakins Sr. in a 4-2 loss at Camden Yards

Cobb surrendered two runs and two hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Starlin Castro singled in the fourth and Howie Kendrick drove a sinker deep into the left field seats with two outs for the first scoring of the night.

Pitching in 97-degree heat, Cobb struck out the first two batters and retired the third on a broken-bat roller to the mound. Ten pitches and eight strikes. He walked Juan Soto leading off the second, struck out Kendrick and Thames, and retired Cabrera on a liner to center field.

Bryan Holaday threw out speedster Trea Turner trying to steal to end the third inning after Victor Robles walked with one out and the Orioles failed to turn a double play on Turner's grounder. A perfect throw from Holaday.

Manager Brandon Hyde remarked earlier in the day that Cobb has been impressive in workouts, saying, "The ball's coming out of his hand good," but added that "the most important part is he comes out of the appearance healthy and feeling good about the shape of his pitches and his arm feels good.

"To have somebody with a track record that he's had and the success in the league, especially in this division over the years, it would be a huge boost for us to have him 100 percent."

Stephen Strasburg celebrated his 32nd birthday tonight by getting in a first inning jam. DJ Stewart led off with a single into left field and Anthony Santander, in his first real at-bat since allowed to rejoin summer camp, doubled off the left field fence with one out. He looks ready.

Renato Núñez popped up and Chris Davis grounded out to kill the rally. Núñez had a bloop RBI single to right field off Erick Fedde in the eighth.

Santander wore his mask throughout the game, both at the plate and in right field. He looped a single down the left field line in the third inning after José Iglesias singled, which ended Strasburg's streak of retired batters at seven in a row. Strasburg had struck out the side in the second.

Dilson Herrera replaced Santander in right field in the top of the fifth. Andrew Velazquez replaced Hanser Alberto at second base.

Davis doubled into the right field corner leading off the bottom of the fourth and later scored on Rio Ruiz's grounder to cut the lead to 2-1.

Strasburg allowed one run and six hits with six strikeouts over five innings and 81 pitches. Iglesias collected two of the hits and also had an infield single off Fedde in the eighth.

Lakins faced three batters and recorded four outs. Paul Fry induced two ground balls and gave up Soto's leadoff double in the seventh. David Hess replaced Fry and Kendrick drove in Soto with a double for his third RBI of the night. Kendrick scored on Yan Gomes' single and the Nats led 4-1.

Hess also hit a batter and struck out two in the inning. He needed a good showing with the Orioles facing some difficult 40-man roster decisions.

Richard Bleier worked a scoreless eighth but drew a mound visit from Hyde and assistant athletic trainer Mark Shires after reaching back awkwardly to field Pat Valaika's toss and cover the bag. He stayed in the game and picked off Emilio Bonifácio.

Bleier came back out for the ninth and retired the side in order with two strikeouts.

Cedric Mullins started in center field and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. Ryan Mountcastle replaced Stewart in left field and lined to center in the seventh, making loud contact and having nothing to show for it.

The game began with a moment of silence, still observed in a ballpark lacking fans, for civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

An instrumental version of the National Anthem was played. The four umpires stood at home plate, with lineup cards now exchanged electronically. Hyde and Nats manager Davey Martinez left their dugouts and had a quick chat before first pitch.

Catcher Taylor Davis handed out waters to players camped under the tent, warmed up Fry between innings and played first base in the ninth. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias conducted an interview with MASN behind home plate while wearing his mask and holding a radar gun.

Elias said the team would make a decision on Means by Wednesday.

At least Cobb knows his status moving forward.

Update: Stevie Wilkerson suffered a phalanx fracture of his left ring finger and will miss "significant time," according to Hyde.

Wilkerson was injured last night while making a diving catch in right field to rob the Phillies' Jean Segura. He visited a hand specialist earlier today.

The club was bracing for the worst with a player who affectionately became known as "Dr. Poo Poo."

"Very disappointing," Hyde said. "Kind of a freak injury, freak accident where he makes a diving catch and the finger bent back. He's very down about it, obviously. It's a tough blow for him, it's a tough blow for us and he's a big part of this team, not only what he brings to the field but the life and personality that he has in the clubhouse. He's so close with a lot of these guys. It's an unfortunate injury."

Wilkerson is valued for his ability to play any position and he also made four relief appearances, earning the first non-pitcher save in baseball history in Anaheim.

The utility competition is down to Pat Valaika, Herrera and Velazquez. All three could be on the opening day roster.

Reliever Hunter Harvey is day-to-day with "a little bit of arm fatigue," Hyde said. The Orioles will be careful with him.

"We've just been keeping him out," Hyde said. "We're hoping to see him one more time but we're monitoring it closely. Same thing with John. We're going to be conservative with those two guys. So he's dealing with a little bit of fatigue and we don't want to push it."

Chance Sisco is dealing with some triceps soreness after being hit by a pitch in live batting practice. He took some swings today, but didn't catch.

"It's not a big deal. He should be back in two or three days," Hyde said.

"He's fine swinging the bat. He's just a little tender when he's throwing."

Hyde said Cobb's outing was "very encouraging." Finally, some positive news.

"I thought he threw the ball great. Saw a lot of 93s on the board. He had some good secondary stuff with the curveball and the changeup. He just made one bad pitch to Howie there. But I thought he threw the ball very, very well.

"He got five ups, which is big. That was huge for us. I wasn't expecting that, to be honest with you, but his pitch count was so low after four, so we got him back out there."

Said Cobb: "I felt really strong early on. Feel like later on maybe I got a little bit, I don't want to say lazy, but there's a point in the game when you start fatiguing a little bit that you have to dig a little bit deeper and really focus on finishing your pitches. I think that got away from me a couple times, a few at-bats, but all in all I was happy with the body of work."

Hyde also said Santander wanted to stay in the game, but he was getting two at-bats and coming out.

"He'll play a little bit more tomorrow. He's on the right track," Hyde said.