Odor's playing time scaled back down the stretch

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde isn’t sitting on the same lineup while the offensive production keeps slipping and the organization is curious about some of the younger players who graduated this year from Triple-A.

Veteran Rougned Odor is on the bench for the fourth consecutive game. The Tigers started left-handers the past two nights, but right-hander Matt Manning is closing out the series.

Odor is 13-for-78 since going 4-for-5 on Aug. 12. He’s hitless in his last 15 at-bats and is 4-for-29 with a double, home run and 10 strikeouts this month.

“Roogie’s been an ultimate team guy and so great in so many ways for us this year,” Hyde said. “We’re giving some other guys some opportunities right now. You’re going to see (Terrin) Vavra play a little bit more, and I’ll still find spots for Roogie. But we’re just looking at some other players, too.”

Vavra is starting at second base tonight. The lineup also has Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and Kyle Stowers in right field, with Anthony Santander on the bench.

“Just giving him a little bit of a break,” Hyde said.

Jordan Lyles is making his 30^th start tonight to tie his career high set last year with the Rangers. He’s 19 innings short of his career-best 180.

The veteran leadership already made him a valuable pickup.

“That’s one thing we didn’t have much of is a ton of experience,” Hyde said. “With the group that we’ve had with Tyler (Wells) and (Kyle) Bradish and (Dean) Kremer, just really young starters that don’t have a ton of time in the major leagues, to have somebody to look up to a little bit and they like … Jordan hangs with them. He’s been a great veteran presence for those guys.”

Bradish, Kremer, Wells and Austin Voth are starting against the Astros in the upcoming series at Camden Yards.

Trey Mancini returns to Baltimore for the first time since his Aug. 1 trade. He’s batting .198/.289/.420 with five doubles, eight home runs, 21 RBIs, 16 walks and 41 strikeouts in 149 plate appearances with his new team.

Asked what the reception for Mancini will be like, Hyde said, “I was just thinking about today. I hope the fans give him a great ovation. I’m sure they will. It’s going to be a lot of hugs from our side to him.

“We saw they clinched, so definitely going to be in the playoffs, and that will be fun to watch him. It’s going to be fun to see a friend back in the building. I know everybody’s going to be excited here to say ‘hello’ to him.”

The Orioles kept the “F16ht” sign hanging outside the dugout entrance as a reminder of Mancini’s courageous battle with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2020. Of how much he meant to the team and the city.

“I think Trey had an enormous impact on a ton of people here,” Hyde said. “Just everything that he went through, from being cancer survivor, how he came back from it, his everyday attitude, the smile on his face, the mature manner that he has, how great he is to people. If you watch him or just be around him or watch him on TV, you understand how special a person he is.

“Obviously the fan base here loved him and still continues to love him. His teammates think so highly of him, as well. We’re proud to have that sign still up. It means a lot from that year.”

For the Tigers
Riley Greene CF
Javier Báez SS
Kerry Carpenter RF
Miguel Cabrera DH
Spencer Torkelson 1B
Harold Castro 2B
Jeimer Candelario 3B
Tucker Barnhart C
Akil Baddoo LF

Matt Manning RHP