Orioles enter full-squad reset before second half

Every Oriole finally is able to take a break.

Trey Mancini finished as runner-up Monday night in the Home Run Derby. Cedric Mullins started for the American League and scored a run in last night's All-Star Game.

Two days for the team to clear its collective heads and get back to business, which hasn't exactly been a pleasant experience in the first half.

The Orioles are 28-61, the worst record in the American League and second behind the Diamondbacks (26-66).

"We've been going through a lot of growing pains," Mancini said after Sunday's 7-5, 10-inning loss to the White Sox. "I feel like it's a lot like 2019. There's a lot of games that we should have won and could have won that we didn't, and that's something that we need to improve on. And I think we need to improve on it now."

He'll have to wait until Friday night in Kansas City.

"This group's been in the majors for a while, all of us, we're all very capable, we have so much talent, but at this point it's about putting it together," he said.

"I think whenever you're going through a rebuild, things like this, having a strong second half of a season is really, really important going into the next year, so this is a huge half for us and there's a lot of opportunities for guys still to prove that they can be a part of this team in the long term. And I think the second half is huge for that."

Manager Brandon Hyde and his staff and players headed home at various times after the most recent loss, the seventh in the last eight games and 23rd in 29. Hyde keeps talking about resets in the minors. The active roster seems in dire need, especially the rotation and a group of relievers who are running on fumes because of it.

The pitching staff has a 5.60 ERA that's the highest in the majors, including 6.11 by the starters that's also worst. The rotation's ERA was 5.09 in the truncated 2020 season and 5.57 in 2019.

"I just think pitching-wise," Hyde said, "our starters need extra days. It's nice for our bullpen, even though the main guys, the guys I've been pitching in leverage spots, have been fairly rested here the last few days.

"It's nice to have (the break) right now."

The starters have logged 400 1/3 innings, fewest in the majors. The relievers have been forced to cover 368 1/3. It's been a grind.

Also keep in mind that the pitching staff is back down to 13 with the Orioles carrying a four-man bench. One fewer option for Hyde, though he appreciates the expanded pinch-hitting and defensive choices late in games.

The extra reserve couldn't prevent Hyde from needing Ryan McKenna at third base in Sunday's 10th inning, a first for the outfielder in his professional career. Ryan Mountcastle's early exit with a bruised forearm left the Orioles short again after Mancini pinch-hit for Domingo Leyba in the ninth and delivered a game-tying homer.

All the talk about the excess of outfielders in camp rang hollow with the injuries. Now the roster holds Mullins, Mountcastle, McKenna, Austin Hays, Anthony Santander and DJ Stewart.

I'm old enough to remember when Mancini was an outfielder.

"This week was the first time all five guys have been healthy and it's nice to have a bench, honestly, where I can pick my spots and pinch-hit for some guys," Hyde said. "Adding (Kelvin) Gutierrez, too, put an infielder on the bench for us. That road trip, I couldn't hit for anybody just because we had no, with (Maikel) Franco not on the IL and not available, I didn't have any extra infielders. So to have a full bench has been rare these last few years."

Gutierrez, acquired from the Royals for cash considerations, is 3-for-10 in four games but gets noticed for his throws from deep third base. This guy has got a cannon.

"I'm impressed with the athleticism," Hyde said. "He's got a really good arm, we knew that going on. Took a few good at-bats (Friday) night, hit the ball hard a few times, so that was a nice first impression."

Stewart is batting .204/.311/.354 in 63 games and has been in the lineup only twice this month. He's 1-for-9 with a double, two RBIs and 6 strikeouts.

The outfield crunch was bound to squeeze someone.

"I talked to him a few days ago about just keeping his head up," Hyde said. "Right now, we've got five guys who are pretty healthy and that's not always going to be the case in the last 70-plus games or whatever it is. Just stay ready for your opportunity and it's a long season left and he's going to get plenty of at-bats here in the second half."