Hyde pregame on Means' return, the stolen base success and more

CINCINNATI – O’s lefty John Means is back on a major league mound tonight for the first time since Sept. 29, 2023, versus Boston. After not getting in a game in spring training and making six rehab starts at Triple-A, he faces the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of this weekend's series.

“Yeah, excited to watch him,” manager Brandon Hyde said today. “Long road back. The long road back was last year and now with the setback that he had it pushed the season back for him a little bit. But he’s excited to get out there. Hoping everything goes well and he finishes feeling good and healthy. We’re all looking forward to watching him pitch.”

O’s pitching has been on a roll recently with two shutouts in the last five games, allowing six total runs and 30 runs allowed the past 12 games with a team ERA of 2.33.

“With the amount of quality arms we have, especially in the rotation right now, the depth we have is huge. And you know, try to keep those guys healthy as much as possible,” added Hyde.

Hyde also today discussed the club’s stolen base success rate. While tonight’s opponent, Cincinnati, leads MLB with 56 steals, the Reds stolen base percentage of 83.6 percent ranks ninth in the majors. Baltimore, with 26 steals in 29 attempts, leads the majors with an 88.9 success rate.

“We’re not putting any more emphasis on it,” said Hyde. “We do talk about some things. I feel like we’re picking our spots well right now. There are certain guys we’re more aggressive with than others. But we do want to be aggressive. I think our numbers are going to go up a little bit. But we’re not going to force anything either and run into outs.”

Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins lead the club with six steals each and Jorge Mateo has five. Jordan Westburg has four, Colton Cowser three and Ryan Mountcastle two. 

“There are certain guys that I’ve given freedom to and when they get a jump they can go. I’ll shut them down on occasion, but not very often. I want our guys to be aggressive. The majority of guys that I put in on for them, I free them up at times, but there are certain guys on our club that really have the green light to go,” he said.

Hyde mentioned right-hander Albert Suárez as a bullpen wildcard this week in terms of how he might use him. We’re waiting to find out.

“With a lead,” Hyde said, likely not joking, meaning he could join the other leverage relievers like Danny Coulombe and Yennier Cano that seldom pitch if the club is behind.

“There is a great chance you will see him in one of the next two days. I love the strike-throwing ability and I really believe in his arm. The situation just hasn’t come up since he’s been available. He was going to pitch last night if I didn’t use Craig (Kimbrel).”

He said indeed yes, that Suárez could be used as a multi-inning reliever.

The Orioles seem likely to stay on turn in their rotation even with off days coming next week on both Monday and Thursday around the two-game series at Washington. It's expected that Corbin Burnes and Kyle Bradish would pitch those games on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

With tonight's game, the Orioles will have gone 102 consecutive regular-season series of at least two decisions (no ties) without being swept According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the fourth-longest regular-season streak in MLB history, trailing the 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals (124), 1906-09 Chicago Cubs (115), and 1903-05 New York Giants (105). Baltimore's current streak is the longest in O's history, ahead of 46 such series from 1971-72.

The Orioles (21-11) winners of four of five and nine of the last 13 games, would end a six-series losing streak against NL Central teams with a win tonight or tomorrow.