Pregame notes on lineup, Stowers, Cano and more

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde made out tonight’s lineup assuming that right-hander Yonny Chirinos will get the bulk of the innings after left-hander Jalen Beeks, who’s serving as the opener.

Beeks has appeared in 13 games, 11 in relief, and totaled 16 innings.

Ryan O’Hearn is in the lineup as the left-handed designated hitter.

“With Beeks, not sure how long he’s going to go,” Hyde said, “but I expect him to go an inning or two, maybe three.”

Beeks hasn’t gone more than 1 1/3 innings in his last eight appearances.

“That’s kind of why we’re so balanced, too,” Hyde said. “We’ll see how it goes. But we’re used to this a little bit playing these guys so much over the last handful of years. This isn’t new against them.

“It presents something to talk about, something to think about going in when you’re making your lineup out. You just try to put as balanced a lineup out as possible and try to match up later as well as I possibly can.”

Kyle Stowers is on the bench after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout last night.

Stowers is only 2-for-24 with three walks and eight strikeouts in 12 games. He’s 2-for-20 since the Orioles recalled him.

“Just not on time with the fastball right now,” Hyde said. “Not a ton of at-bats up here, so it’s hard to really evaluate. A little bit underneath in Atlanta for me, and just trying to go get the baseball, which is making him a hair at times and a little bit lungy, trying to get his bat over a little too quickly. Typical trying too hard to produce issues, and I think that once he can relax a little bit and drop one or two in, I think it will be really helpful.”

Hyde says he just tries to stay as positive as possible with young hitters mired in deep slumps.

Let them know “that there’s a lot of guys who are struggling around the league offensively,” Hyde said. “Hitting is really, really hard and we’re facing probably the two best pitching staffs or two of the top pitching staffs in the game. There’s never an easy at-bat. There isn’t an easy at-bat in the big leagues anyway, but these two teams are different level when it comes to pitching. This is postseason pitching. You just try to stay positive.”

Reliever Yennier Cano should be available tonight after working 1 2/3 scoreless innings last night. He threw only 18 pitches and could close if the Orioles hold a slim lead in the ninth.

Félix Bautista threw 29 pitches and walked three batters in 1 1/3 while recording his eighth save. He would seem to be down tonight.

“That was one of the reasons for me, hoping that he’d be available today,” Hyde said of his decision to remove Cano with two outs in the eighth. “He’s pitched a lot and he’s pitched in a lot of big spots. Couldn’t ask for anything more than what he’s done. He’s been unbelievable.

“I honestly didn’t want to pitch him there in the seventh inning. I was hoping that we could get through that without using him. Leadoff walk with the top of the order changed plans quickly. But I didn’t want him to go too long, either.”

Bench coach Fredi González will manage the Orioles on Saturday while Hyde attends oldest daughter Aria’s graduation from Syracuse University. Hyde is flying back into Baltimore early Sunday.

The Orioles will face three right-handers in the Pirates series at Camden Yards:

Friday: Kyle Bradish vs. Johan Oviedo
Saturday: Tyler Wells vs. Roansy Contreras
Sunday: Kyle Gibson vs. Mitch Keller

For the Rays
Yandy Díaz 1B
Wander Franco SS
Brandon Lowe 2B
Harold Ramírez DH
Luke Raley LF
Isaac Paredes 3B
Josh Lowe RF
Christian Bethancourt C
Jose Siri CF

Jalen Beeks LHP