Mayo joins Orioles and starts at third base tonight

CLEVELAND – The prospect watch has lost another participant. Coby Mayo officially is in the majors.

The Orioles selected Mayo’s contract today from Triple-A Norfolk, filling the one vacancy on the 40-man roster. Livan Soto was optioned as the corresponding move on the active roster, a day after he was recalled and met with the local media.

Mayo was told yesterday to have his passport overnighted, but he didn’t find out officially about his promotion until his removal from last night’s game in Charlotte. He went 4-for-6, came out in the eighth inning and received the news from manager Buck Britton. He boarded a flight this morning to Cleveland.

The move was inevitable for the No. 3 prospect in the system. Mayo, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, was batting .301 with 22 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .961 OPS despite missing a month with a rib injury sustained in a collision with a dugout railing.

Injuries pulled Mayo out of the minors. Jorge Mateo has a dislocated left elbow and Jordan Westburg has a fractured right hand, and their absences will extend deep into September. Mayo can play third base, where Westburg made 64 starts this season. He’s another right-handed bat for a team that wanted to correct its imbalance.

Four other Orioles prospects have debuted this season – Jackson Holliday on April 10, Connor Norby on June 3, Cade Povich on June 6 and Chayce McDermott on July 24. All of them played their first games on the road.

Mayo is at third base and batting eighth tonight, followed by Holliday, who said his left hand is fine after being hit last night. The ball caught “the good part,” he said.

The Orioles are showcasing a homegrown infield with Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and Ryan Mountcastle at first base.

Adley Rutschman moves down to fifth in the order. Colton Cowser stays in the leadoff spot. Cedric Mullins is in center field. All of them drafted by the Orioles.

Dean Kremer is making his 15^th start. He’s 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.462 WHIP in three career starts against the Guardians.

Kremer allows 2.45 home runs per nine innings at home and 0.94 on the road.

The Orioles are 65-45 and no longer have sole possession of first place for the first time since July 13. They’re tied with the Yankees, who have won five games in a row.

Guardians right-hander Carlos Carrasco is 3-9 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.400 WHIP in 19 starts. He’s gotten rocked in his last two starts, allowing a combined 12 runs and 15 hits in nine innings. He’s walked only four batters this month and struck out 25 in five starts.

Carrasco faced the Orioles on June 26 in Baltimore and allowed two runs in five innings. He owns a career 2.23 ERA and 1.060 WHIP in eight career games (seven starts) against them.

For the Orioles

Colton Cowser LF
Anthony Santander RF
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Cedric Mullins CF
Coby Mayo 3B
Jackson Holliday 2B

Dean Kremer RHP

The Marlins reportedly claimed outfielder Cristian Pache on waivers from the Orioles. Pache was designated for assignment yesterday, less than a week after the Orioles acquired him from the Phillies.