Notes on Mancini, roster moves, Nevin and more

Trey Mancini said he’s available off the Orioles bench tonight after bruising his ribs Friday night and being in a considerable amount of discomfort.

Mancini slammed into the right field wall after making a catch.

“I’m just trying to gear toward, if they need me in a big spot, I want to be out there and be able to go,” he said. “The last couple days, I was in a lot of pain. The rib bruise is no joke. Luckily, I feel definitely better today, which is really nice.

“I feel like I can definitely be available if they need me in a spot tonight.”

Mancini didn’t want to broadcast the injury when asked Saturday about his exclusion from the lineup. Meanwhile, he wasn’t available the past two games.

“He’s questionable right now,” manager Brandon Hyde said during today’s media session. “He’s getting treatment. I’m hoping he’s available off the bench.

“The rib’s sore, and I think anybody who’s had a sore rib understands it’s not an easy thing. It’s painful, it hurts to twist, but he feels a ton better today.”

Mancini has been scalding the ball and getting little in return, beginning tonight with a .224/.274/.316 line with four doubles and one home run in 84 plate appearances.

What’s gone wrong?

“Where I’m hitting it,” he said.

“If you look at the advanced stats and everything, I think I’ve actually improved a lot of what I wanted to. I think I can improve some on maybe the pitches I’m swinging at and not swinging at at times, and maybe getting my swing a little bit better connected. At times my lower half is leaking a little bit early and my upper half is trying to hang back, but by and large, I think that I’ve swung the bat pretty well. I know if you look up on the scoreboard it might not look like that, but I feel pretty good about the way I’ve been swinging, and if I keep doing what I’m doing, that will start to show up because it’s just been tough sledding, tough luck, at times.”

Said Hyde: “He has had some of the worst luck I’ve seen in the first month of a season. He’s hit a ton of balls hard with no luck. I just think he’s off to, from a numbers standpoint, a slow start, but I think he’s swinging the bat well and his numbers will increase here shortly.”

The Orioles stayed with 14 pitchers today, as expected, while reducing their roster to 26 players. They optioned outfielder Ryan McKenna after yesterday’s game and designated third baseman Kelvin Gutiérrez for assignment this morning.

“Just with pitching a little bit the way it is and so unpredictable, we felt it necessary to carry an extra pitcher,” Hyde said. “We’ll kind of take it series-by-series right now, but you just don’t want to be short pitching, so we’re not taking any chances.”

Gutiérrez was 4-for-28 in 12 games, and he doesn’t offer the same defensive versatility as other players. The club also wants to give Tyler Nevin a chance to impress.

“Kelvin is a great guy, got off to a little bit of a slow start this year, ended the season well last year,” Hyde said. “It was mainly just a numbers issue, and we want to see Nevin play a little bit. He was just the odd guy out.

“Flexibility on your roster is extremely important, and to have guys who can play multiple spots, especially in the middle of the field … Nev can play both corners infield and outfield, he has done that. That’s why I moved him around a lot in spring training, had him play everywhere. CO (Chris Owings) has played, really, everywhere in the big leagues except first base and catch, so I’m comfortable putting him anywhere, also. So, just being able to play multiple positions is a huge thing in these days.”

Optioning McKenna limits the defensive replacements late in games.

“That does hurt,” Hyde said. “Mac is a really good outfielder. But we felt like it was more important than Mac being a defensive replacement was for him to go get consistent at-bats and to go play.

“With (Austin) Hays, (Cedric) Mullins and (Anthony) Santander staying healthy, Trey playing the outfield some, also, Nev possibly playing some corner, that we felt like it was the most important thing for him in his career to go get some more at-bats, and I’m sure you’ll see him up here soon.”

Nevin is the designated hitter tonight and started at first and third base in the last series. He could get starts in the corner outfield.

“I want to find out about him,” Hyde said, “and I’m going to give him at-bats, and Mullins, Santander and Haysy will get the bulk of the playing time, but Trey, as well. I might give him a start or two. We’ll see.”

Infielder César Prieto was placed on High-A Aberdeen’s injured list with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. The Orioles believe it’s going to be a short-term stint before he’s activated.

Prieto, who received a $650,000 bonus during the January international signing period, hit seven home runs in 18 games. He sustained the hamstring injury after running out a double Friday night in Aberdeen.