Hyde on Stowers: "Just want to see him get the confidence going again" (and other notes)

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde doesn’t know how long outfielder Kyle Stowers will stay down in the minors after the club optioned him following yesterday’s game. Could be more than a quick reset. What’s important is making sure that a different version of Stowers returns.

“Just like to see him get his confidence back a little bit, get some regular at-bats,” Hyde said today during his media session. “He was swinging the bat so well before he came up here. Just want to see him get the confidence going again.”

Stowers struck out four times yesterday against the Pirates, raising his total to 12, and was 2-for-30 before his second demotion.

“Talking to him after the game yesterday, felt it was important for him to get consistent at-bats,” Hyde said. “That’s a tough adjustment up here. It’s very normal to have player struggles or scuffles, but we really believe in him as a hitter and what he’s going to be like. Just want to see him go play.”

Hyde and executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias met with Stowers yesterday and explained the reasons behind the move.

“That’s never easy and that’s a tough conversation,” Hyde said. “You want him to take it the right way. He’s a great kid and he really, really cares, and incredibly professional and does everything right. Couldn’t be happier with the person and how he goes about his business, because it’s really team-first, and he’s really, really talented. So, you want to paint the right picture for him and you want to do what’s best for him and the club.

“He took it well and he understands, and I think the confidence thing of playing at this level is really, really important, and just want to see him go back down there and take good at-bats.”

Anthony Santander is making his first major league appearance at first base. He’s been working out at the position to get reacquainted after making nine starts with Single-A Lynchburg in 2016, prior to the Orioles selecting him in the Rule 5 draft.

Ryan Mountcastle stays in the lineup but is the designated hitter.

“I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, and it just felt like it was the right time to give Mounty a rest,” Hyde said. “Tony takes ground balls over there almost every single day and has been working hard at it. We put (Ramón) Urías over there in Atlanta. Urías is unavailable, obviously, so going to give Tony the start over there.”

Urías has played every infield position and won a Gold Glove at third base. Santander is moving from the corner outfield.

“But he has first base experience in the minor leagues, so it’s not like he’s never been over there before,” Hyde said. “We gave him some innings over there in spring training. He looked really comfortable, he felt comfortable, and has continued to work on it throughout this season so far. Felt tonight was the right night.”

Santander was told after yesterday’s game that he’d be the first baseman tonight. If he was ready to go out there and play.

His response?

“I said, ‘Oh yeah,’” Santander recalled.

“Thank God for the opportunity I have at a new base, and excited,” he said. “Excited to go over there and do the job. I like challenges. It’s more exciting to be there at first base today and give the opportunity for Mounty to have some DH time. That’s awesome.”

Santander said he isn’t nervous.

“Just got to go out there, practice, prepare myself for the game and be ready for the first pitch,” he said.

Asked if there are any other positions he wants to play, Santander said, “Third catcher.” He was joking.

The Orioles face another challenge with the Angels starting Shohei Ohtani, a night after the Pirates’ Mitch Keller shut them out over seven innings and struck out 13 batters. The Angels will see Baltimore’s top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, to further spike interest in tonight’s game.

“It’s two huge talents and I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun for Grayson,” Hyde said.

“I think it’s always special facing a guy with this much ability and this talented. The starters we have faced since the season started, we’ve seen, like, everybody’s No. 1, I feel like, except in New York. We haven’t seen (Gerrit) Cole yet. But besides that, you look at almost every series, we’ve seen their No. 1. I’m really proud of how our guys have handled that and the at-bats they’ve taken off premiere pitching so far.

“The guy yesterday, that was as good as it gets and the league’s going to find out about him really soon, if they haven’t already. That was elite stuff. And we’re facing elite stuff again tonight. It’s a fun game, somebody that’s that talented and that special, what a challenge for us. So, we’re looking forward to it.”

The first-game meetings today had hitters and pitchers checking scouting reports on Ohtani.

“We just did our advance meeting to face him and I just walked past and the pitching guys were talking about pitching to him,” Hyde said. “We’re lucky to have someone like this in our league and somebody who has more ability than anybody and be an MVP candidate from both sides of the ball, so a lot of admiration for him.”

The Orioles snapped a 19-game losing streak when they faced Ohtani on Aug. 25, 2021 and hit three home runs off him in five innings.

“Much better spot now, much better spot, mentally, right now than we were the last time we faced him, for sure,” Hyde said. “Those were some tough days.”

Tough matchups are the norm for Rodriguez, who’s also made starts opposite Jacob deGrom and Dylan Cease.

“I think Grayson’s got a great mindset for it,” Hyde said. “He’s excited about the challenge. I remember talking to him before the Cease game and he was excited to pitch against the White Sox and see Cease in person.”

For the Angels
Taylor Ward LF
Mike Trout CF
Shohei Ohtani DH
Hunter Renfroe RF
Matt Thaiss 1B
Gio Urshela 3B
Luis Rengifo 2B
Chad Wallach C
Zach Neto SS

Shohei Ohtani RHP