More on Urías, Ortiz and Orioles bullpen

CHICAGO – The Orioles could be on the verge of making another roster move.

Infielder Joey Ortiz was in Triple-A Norfolk’s lineup last night as the shortstop and cleanup hitter in Nashville, but the Orioles had him removed as a precaution while infielder Ramón Urías remains in concussion protocol and is assessed by doctors.

Ortiz is on the 40-man roster and a logical replacement if Urías, who has a .388 on-base percentage in 13 games, goes on the seven-day injured list. The organization’s No. 7 prospect might be making his major league debut at some point.

Not the way that the Orioles wanted it to happen.

Urías was drilled on the left side of the head by Kendall Graveman, who lost control of a 96.2 mph sinker. It takes guts to stand at the plate against the White Sox, who have walked 19 batters in the series and clearly are at a loss to command the baseball.

Ortiz, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, is a plus-defender whose bat caught up last summer. He hit a combined .284/.349/.477 with 35 doubles, six triples, 19 home runs and 85 RBIs in 137 games between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie, and is 10-for-35 (.286) this season with a double, triple, one walk and nine strikeouts.

Jordan Westburg, the Orioles' Minor League Player of the Year in 2022 who impressed in spring training, remains day-to-day with lower-back tightness. He isn’t an immediate option for the Orioles, who would need to make room on the 40-man.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are trying to find ways to rest their bullpen, beginning with deeper starts from the rotation, and they played an extra-inning game yesterday at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Can’t make up these things.

Five more relievers were called upon – six if you count Austin Voth’s name being announced in the press box, when it actually was Logan Gillaspie in the 10^th.

We’ll go with five.

Yennier Cano retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the ninth, the second day in a row that he pitched after joining the team on Friday. Left-hander Cionel Pérez also has appeared in both games of the series.

Félix Bautista stayed seated because manager Brandon Hyde wasn’t using him three days in a row.

Spenser Watkins hasn’t pitched since April 8 with Norfolk. I’d say he’s ready.

Pérez replaced Bryan Baker yesterday with one out in the eighth, induced a popup and got into trouble with a Lenyn Sosa double and intentional walk to Elvis Andrus after reaching a three-ball count. Andrew Benintendi flied to left field and Pérez raised his arms before the ball fell into Austin Hays’ glove.

Pérez spun and yelled as catcher Adley Rutschman met him along the first base line. A scoreless outing, but also his 16^th hit allowed in 7 2/3 innings.

The Orioles must be able to provide coverage for rookie Grayson Rodriguez, who’s making his third major league start today. He’s gone five and 4 1/3 innings, with a high of 99 pitches Tuesday against the Athletics.

Watkins is the long guy. Voth hasn’t pitched since Thursday and also could hear his name called when the phone rings.

Kyle Bradish is expected to be activated from the injured list Wednesday and the Orioles will need to make a corresponding roster move.

They’re busy today with Urías and the possibility of having Ortiz in uniform, or playing a man short until Tuesday night in D.C.