Orioles complete Castro trade with Mets, release Shepherd (plus lineups)

The Orioles announced the completion of another trade, receiving shortstop Victor González from the Mets as the player to be named later in the Miguel Castro deal.

González has been added to the 60-man pool and the Orioles released pitcher Chandler Shepherd from the alternate camp site in Bowie. The pool is holding 60 players.

González, 17, was originally signed by the Mets on July 2, 2019, as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He hasn't played professionally.

The identities of three more players to be named later in Orioles trades haven't been revealed.

Shepherd didn't pitch for the Orioles this season. He was working out in Bowie.

The Orioles will take the field for their last home game of the 2020 season with Pat Valaika at shortstop after José Iglesias exited last night's game with a left wrist contusion. Iglesias underwent X-rays that came back negative.

Austin Hays is in center field and batting second. Bryan Holaday is playing first base.

Ryan Mountcastle is in left field. He had two more hits last night and is slashing .344/.404/.552 in 109 plate appearances.

The hits keep coming when behind in the count and with two strikes, but he's also 9-for-17 on the first pitch.

"I feel like I've been working on my plate discipline a little bit and I'm getting some good pitches to swing at and laying off some bad ones, so I feel pretty good," he said today in a Zoom conference call.

Mountcastle's speed and athleticism are underrated tools that he brought to the majors. He's getting as much attention for an infield hit as a home run.

"I feel like I've always been sort of, as they say, sneaky fast," Mountcastle said. "I just like to play hard. I guess I am a little bit faster than what they think. I don't know. I always try to work to improve on it during the offseason, too."

Mountcastle also has been able to handle the responsibilities at first base and in left field.

"I've been feeling pretty good," he said. "I've been putting extra work in at both positions before BP and during BP and I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable at both for sure."

Left-hander John Means is making his penultimate start of the summer. He's allowed one run in six innings in each of his last two starts, with a combined two walks and nine strikeouts.

Means is 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA and 0.909 WHIP in four career games (three starts) against the Rays.

Left-handed hitters are slashing .304/.373/.413 this season against Rays left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. Right-handers are batting .252/.312/.402.

Yarbrough has made seven career appearances (two starts) against the Orioles and gone 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.240 WHIP in 34 2/3 innings.

Renato Núñez is 4-for-10 with a home run against Yarbrough, but he's in a 9-for-51 (.176) slump this month.

For the Orioles
Hanser Alberto 2B
Austin Hays CF
Ryan Mountcastle LF
Renato Núñez DH
Pedro Severino C
DJ Stewart RF
Pat Valaika SS
Rio Ruiz 3B
Bryan Holaday 1B

John Means LHP

For the Rays
Manuel Margot CF
Randy Arozarena LF
Yoshi Tsutsugo 3B
Kevan Smith DH
Willy Adames SS
Nate Lowe 1B
Hunter Renfroe RF
Mike Zunino C
Joey Wendle 2B

Ryan Yarbrough LHP

The Orioles are starting Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer and Alex Cobb in the three-game series against the Red Sox that begins Tuesday night at Fenway Park.