Orioles select Stowers' contract and DFA Phillips (plus other moves and notes)

The Orioles made a series of roster moves this afternoon, selecting outfielder Kyle Stowers’ contract from Triple-A Norfolk and recalling infielder Richie Martin and left-hander Nick Vespi.

Outfielder Brett Phillips was designated for assignment, infielder/outfielder Terrin Vavra went on the paternity list, and reliever Logan Gillaspie was optioned to Norfolk.

Stowers made his major league debut in June while the Orioles were in Toronto, serving as a substitute player due to Anthony Santander’s previous vaccination status, and he went 1-for-7 with a double, RBI and four strikeouts. He’s batting .264/.357/.527 with 29 doubles, three triples, 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, 45 walks and 104 strikeouts in 407 plate appearances with Norfolk.

MLBPipeline.com ranks Stowers as the No. 9 prospect in the system, and Baseball America has him 11th. He leads the organization in home runs and RBIs, and is tied with infielder Jordan Westburg for first in doubles.

Phillips, acquired from the Rays at the trade deadline for cash considerations, was 2-for-17 with two doubles and nine strikeouts.

Martin is 5-for-30 with two triples in 13 games with the Orioles, and he’s batting .255/.349/.375 with 16 doubles, four triples, a home run, 19 RBIs and 18 steals in 22 attempts over 60 games with Norfolk.

The 40-man roster still has 39 players.

The Orioles return to division competition this weekend with a three-game series against the Red Sox.

They’ve dropped 2 ½ games back for the last wild card spot. The Twins are one game ahead of the Orioles, and the White Sox are a half-game behind them.

Jordan Lyles started twice against the Red Sox in May and allowed four runs in 10 1/3 innings. He’s made six career starts against them and posted a 5.23 ERA and 1.807 WHIP in 31 innings.

Eric Hosmer is 5-for-13 with two home runs against Lyles. J.D. Martinez is 5-for-11, and Rafael Devers is 4-for-11 with two doubles.

Orioles starters have posted a 2.31 ERA in the last five games.

Cedric Mullins is batting .305/.344/.542 in August, with three doubles, a triple and three home runs.

Adley Rutschman became the 16^th major league player since 2000 with at least 40 walks in his first 70 career games, and the first since Houston's Yordan Álvarez had 41 in 2019. He’s the third player in Orioles history to draw 40 walks in his first 70 games, joining Curt Blefary (41 in 1965) and Glenn Gulliver (45 in 1982-1983).

Austin Hays’ double yesterday stopped an 0-for-17 skid.

Rookie Kutter Crawford, 26, is making his 19^th appearance and 10^th start. He’s registered a 4.18 ERA and 1.222 WHIP with 65 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings. The right-hander has surrendered only eight home runs.

This month, Crawford has held the Astros to one run in six innings and the Yankees to two runs and two hits in six. He entered a May 1 game against the Orioles in the sixth inning at Camden Yards and didn’t retire either batter he faced.

Rougned Odor hit his first Orioles home run off Crawford.

The Orioles are 5-4 against the Red Sox this season, including 2-1 at home.

Boston has won five of its last seven games.

For the Red Sox
Tommy Pham LF
Alex Verdugo RF
Xander Bogaerts SS
Rafael Devers 3B
Christian Arroyo 2B
Eric Hosmer 1B
Reese McGuire C
Rob Refsnyder DH
Enrique Hernández CF

Kutter Crawford RHP

The Orioles haven’t posted their lineup.

Tyler Wells played catch again today in the outfield.

Shortstop Jackson Holliday doubled and hit his first professional home run today in the Florida Complex League.

Left-hander Alexander Wells is reporting to Triple-A Norfolk to continue his injury rehab assignment. Infielder Jonathan Arauz is beginning his rehab assignment today with high Single-A Aberdeen. Pitcher Travis Lakins Sr. begins his assignment Saturday in the FCL.