CHICAGO – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had two free nights in the city that he used to call home, including yesterday’s open date in the schedule that allowed him to visit with friends. Hyde left the Cubs organization after the 2018 season, packing his World Series ring from 2016 and jumping into another rebuild.

Hyde didn’t bring the bling Wrigley Field today. He won’t flash it at his players to provide more incentive and remind them what can be done on the other side of that rebuild.

“That is in a special place,” he said.

“I do think about that. I saw the (championship) flag when I walked in. I do think about that year, and really those three years – ’15, ’16 and ’17 were unbelievable. Even ’18 we were really good. Just, things happened at the end. We had an amazing run, and talked about it a little bit with Jed (Hoyer).

“That was a lot of fun. I’m really happy to be back.”  

CHICAGO – The Orioles designated left-hander Kirk McCarty for assignment today to make room for pitcher Louis Head on the 40-man roster.

Head was claimed off waivers this morning from the Marlins. The Orioles optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

Head has been on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. He made a rehab appearance in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

McCarty made one start with Norfolk and allowed three runs in four innings after the Orioles selected him off waivers from the Guardians on July 6.

Austin Hays returns to the lineup and is playing right field tonight after sitting out Sunday’s game with a sore right wrist. Anthony Santander is in left.

CHICAGO – The Orioles have claimed reliever Louis Head off waivers from the Marlins, which is going to require a corresponding move on a full 40-man roster.

Head was on an injury rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League and the Marlins appeared ready to send him to Triple-A Jacksonville. He’s been sidelined since late June with a right shoulder impingement.

Head, 32, was traded from the Rays to the Marlins in November for a player to be named later who became reliever Josh Roberson. The Indians drafted him in the 18^th round in 2012 out of Texas State University.

The major league debut didn’t arrive until last summer. Head appeared in 27 games with the Rays, including two starts, and posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in 35 innings. He allowed only two home runs.

Head has appeared in 23 games with Miami and allowed 19 runs and 26 hits in 23 2/3 innings. He’s walked 11 batters and stuck out 23.

The stubborn streak in me isn’t as long as the Orioles’ winning streak, which has reached eight games. However, I can't always admit when I’m wrong.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but that’s another subject. Let’s stick to baseball.

I didn’t think the 2022 Orioles would be one game under .500 on July 12, that I’d wake up yesterday morning and they’d be only two out of the final wild card spot.

I predicted an improved record over last season. I said they’d be more entertaining, more enjoyable for fans based on the promotions of some top prospects.

Catcher Adley Rutschman finally made it. Outfielder Kyle Stowers had a cup of Tim Hortons coffee in Toronto as a replacement player for Anthony Santander. Grayson Rodriguez would be entrenched in the rotation and attracting larger non-giveaway crowds at Camden Yards except for a strained lat.

Twenty-two games at the lowest-level full-season affiliate were a sufficient sample size.

The Orioles didn’t need to see any more from outfielder Heston Kjerstad. There was no reason to keep him down any longer.

Kjerstad has been promoted from Single-A Delmarva to high Single-A Aberdeen, with his latest debut set for Tuesday night against Jersey Shore at Ripken Stadium.

The latest reward for a player chosen second overall in the 2020 draft out of the University of Arkansas and unable to play his first professional game until June 10 due to the pandemic, a diagnosis of myocarditis, a setback later and a hamstring injury in March shortly before spring training.

Through it all, Kjerstad somehow maintained a positive attitude and earned a bump to Aberdeen after batting .463/.551/.650 with nine doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs and 13 walks in 98 plate appearances with the Shorebirds.

Orioles outfielder Austin Hays couldn’t reach his full potential as a baseball player until he stopped training like a football player.

To put it in simple terms.

Hays appeared in 131 games last season, easily the most of his career, but he dealt with hamstring strains and pushed through the pain of a sports hernia that required surgery on Oct. 5 in Philadelphia. He’s gotten into 80 games this year without any stops on the injured list, though a sore right wrist kept him out of the lineup yesterday, and credits the changes made in his training methods that began in 2021.

Less is more in the weight room. Also pretty simple.

Hays’ representative, Francis Marquez of The MAS+ Agency, introduced the outfielder to strength and conditioning coach Theo Aasen, who owns Optimal Athlete Kollective in Tampa. Two of Marquez’s clients, Twins catcher Gary Sánchez and Orioles minor league pitcher Ryan Watson, also have worked out with Aasen.

If Jorge López was moved to tears in May by the chance to celebrate his son Mikael’s ninth birthday during the Orioles’ road trip in Boston, sharing the joy and two cakes with teammates, imagine the powerful emotions just waiting to bubble to the surface in Los Angeles.

López was chosen today as the Orioles’ representative at the All-Star Game on July 19 at Dodger Stadium, and it’s going to be another family affair.

The closer earned his first honor at age 29 by posting a 1.74 ERA and 0.968 WHIP in 41 1/3 innings and notching 16 saves in his first season in the role. A starter turned reliever turned ninth inning specialist whose career is soaring in the other direction since the Royals designated him for assignment and the Orioles made the waiver claim in August 2020.

“It’s so special,” López said. “As a ballplayer, there’s expectations every day. Just win. And to add this to my career and my family is huge.”

López is the first Orioles reliever chosen since Zack Britton and Brad Brach in 2016, also the last time that the team had multiple selections.

The Orioles aren’t going to run the table in 2022. They have 75 games left in the season. A streaking club inevitably hits a rough patch. But it’s going to take tremendous force to slow it down.

An early deficit is treated like a pesky fly. Just swat it away.

The first 10 batters fail to reach base today, and the Orioles respond by sending nine to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring four runs and luring the Angels into a pitching change. And the good times keep rolling at Camden Yards.

Austin Voth worked five effective innings, Ramón Urías drove in three runs, and the Orioles capitalized on sloppy play by the Angels to extend their winning streak to eight games with a 9-5 victory before an announced crowd of 19,521.

The Orioles are 43-44, one game below .500 for the first time since losing on opening day. They swept a homestand of seven games for the first time since 2004.

Austin Hays is out of the Orioles’ lineup today while dealing with some lingering soreness in his right wrist.

Hays landed on the wrist while making a diving catch on the right field line in Chicago and was hit by a pitch in the same area. He’s kept playing, but has three hits in his last 38 at-bats over 10 games.

The lineup for Tuesday’s series-opening game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field is expected to include Hays.

“Off-day before an off-day, so we’re giving him a couple days off,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“I give him a lot of credit. He’s been playing hurt and playing banged up, and this is just to give him a little bit of a breather.”

The Orioles selected the contract of reliever Rico Garcia this morning and optioned left-hander Bruce Zimmermann to Triple-A Norfolk.

Zimmermann threw a scoreless relief inning yesterday.

Reliever Travis Lakins Sr. was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room for Garcia on the 40-man roster.

Also, reliever Marcos Diplán cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Norfolk.

Garcia, who’s wearing No. 63, has made two appearances with the Orioles as a replacement player in Toronto and allowed one run in three innings.

The trade deadline seems to be bringing a higher level of angst than usual in Baltimore. The growing possibility, or maybe likelihood, that the very popular, productive and inspirational Trey Mancini is dealt. That other veterans are moved, just as the Orioles are playing winning baseball again, and in wildly entertaining style. Just as the dugout energy has returned, for the first time under Brandon Hyde’s tenure as manager.

But the deadline is Aug. 2. Today is another important date, because the rest of the All-Stars are announced beyond the starters in both leagues.

The Orioles haven’t had multiple representatives since 2016 with Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo, Matt Wieters, Zack Britton and Brad Brach, and it would be surprising if the solo streak ended today.

There are more deserving candidates this summer, but the Orioles remain a last-place club trying to shed its losing reputation, and an industry perception, at least in some corners, of irrelevance.

Pay close attention and you’ll find reasons why the industry needs to reset.

The way he was pitching and putting up zeroes made it a fair question to ask: Would Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer leave the game today because the Angels scored off him, or would a high pitch count send him from the mound?

He was putting up zeroes and piling up strikeouts, but his pitch counts were getting elevated, too. Meanwhile, the Orioles were not backing him with much offense as they tried to win their seventh straight game for the first time in nearly five years.

Pitch count won out over runs allowed as Kremer threw scoreless ball for the fourth time in his last five starts as the Orioles pulled out another close game, beating the Los Angeles Angels 1-0 at Camden Yards.

The winning streak continued in front of 32,286 that came to downtown Baltimore to see a hot baseball team and get a Hawaiian shirt.

The Orioles (42-44) have won seven in a row for the first time since Aug. 23-30, 2017. They continue their perfect homestand at 6-0 with one game remaining tomorrow with the Angels. They began today four games out of the final American League playoff spot and then went out and won for the 12^th time in 17 games and 18^th in the last 27. They are 21-14 since June 1.

The amateur draft begins in eight days. The trade deadline doesn’t arrive until next month. However, there’s no way to avoid having them intersect with the Orioles.

The upcoming selections won’t influence deals made, but media available with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias earlier today guaranteed that both subjects would collide.

Elias isn’t going to show his hand, whether it’s about the first overall selection or how moves could short circuit the positive energy flowing inside the clubhouse.

On the latter topic, the Orioles have multiple trade chips and don’t intend to stray from the intended rebuild plan. They won’t mortgage the future in 2022. It’s obvious, however Elias responds.

“First of all, with this late draft, it slows down the industry’s attention on the trade deadline,” he said. “But I think that in this job, everything that I do or that we do has tradeoffs, and all I can say is, we do everything from a very global, a very thoughtful perspective about what is the right thing to do for the health of the Orioles’ franchise. And all that’s being taken into consideration for the draft, but also the trade deadline coming up.

The Orioles are putting left-hander Bruce Zimmermann in the bullpen to provide a long relief option rather than an immediate return to the rotation.

Zimmermann was recalled this morning from Triple-A Norfolk. He can back up Dean Kremer this afternoon, or whenever the weather allows first pitch, or Austin Voth on Sunday.

“Our bullpen’s pretty taxed,” said manager Brandon Hyde, “and to have somebody be able to give multiple innings out of the bullpen we felt was important right now.”

Zimmermann allowed three runs in seven innings in his last start with Triple-A Norfolk.

“He had a really nice start his last time out,” Hyde said. “He’s fully rested and ready to give us as many innings as needed.”

The Orioles recalled left-hander Bruce Zimmermann from Triple-A Norfolk this morning, returning the Baltimore native to the majors. Reliever Beau Sulser was optioned after last night’s thrilling 5-4, walk-off win over the Angels at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde will explain later whether Zimmermann goes back into the rotation or provides length out of the bullpen.

The timing of today’s move suggests at least a temporary relief assignment. Another long man after Keegan Akin pitched last night.

Zimmermann was optioned while the Orioles were in Toronto. He allowed 17 home runs in his last seven starts, and 18 overall, while compiling a 5.94 ERA and 1.470 WHIP in 13 games over 66 2/3 innings.

During his reset, Zimmermann made three appearances and two starts with Norfolk and allowed nine runs and 18 hits with six walks and 20 strikeouts in 18 innings. He held Gwinnett to one run and three hits in six innings on June 28, faced them again in his last start and allowed three runs with no walks in seven innings.

Reaching for the bullpen phone used to burn the fingers of Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. He should have blisters from doing it.

He’d try to remain stoic as the television cameras zoomed in, the internal meltdowns allowing for some privacy, some cover from what tortured him.

Hyde needed to remove a starter, often in the early innings, but he couldn’t find anyone to slow the opponent’s roll, to keep a game close or hold a late lead.

You play the hand that’s dealt, with the understanding that folding isn’t an option. And you take your lumps.

The choices in 2022 weren’t supposed to be this desirable after the Orioles traded Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott near the end of camp, but Hyde finds it much easier to push the right buttons when there’s some cooperation.

Mike Trout stood at home plate tonight and twisted his body as if trying to make his fly ball stay fair down the left field line. Willing it with his torso.

Tyler Wells turned his head, hoping for a different result.

Trout circled the bases with a three-run homer, receiving confirmation in the dugout after a crew chief review, and Wells had allowed his largest offensive output in five starts with just one pitch.

Then the Orioles did what they always seem to, get up off the floor while picking up their starter if he has an off night.

Four consecutive two-strike hits with two outs in the ninth. A clubhouse trying to explain how this happens. A manager just so proud that it does.

Kyle Bradish is expected to make two or three starts in the minors before the Orioles activate him from the injured list and return him to the rotation.

Bradish starts Saturday for Double-A Bowie in Somerset.

“We’re going to build him back up,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “The first outing’s going to be three to four innings and we’ll build him back up to be full-go before he comes back up here.”

The Orioles arranged a simulated game for Bradish yesterday before deciding to send him on a rehab assignment.

“We’re not going to bring him back up here if he can’t throw five or six innings,” Hyde said, “so we’re going to build him back up that way.”

The Orioles will try tonight to win their sixth game in a row and move three below .500 for the first time since April 23.

They’re 22-17 at home, winning nine of their last 12.

Tyler Wells has lowered his ERA to 3.09 and his WHIP to 1.004 in 16 starts. He’s given the Orioles five quality starts despite the restrictions on his pitch counts, and he’s held opponents to three runs in his last four outings over 22 innings.

Wells hasn’t started against the Angels. He made three relief appearances last summer, retired all 12 batters and struck out four.

Tyler Nevin is starting at third base, giving his father, Phil, a chance to watch from one of the suites. Phil is the Angels’ interim manager who’s serving the final game of his suspension from the brawl with the Mariners.

John Means has always wanted to visit Wrigley Field, and his chance finally arrives next week for the Orioles’ short series against the Cubs.

Means never imagined that he’d be injured and done pitching for the entire summer, but he’ll make the most of it.

“Those were games I circled on the list to try to make it to,” he said.

The left-hander came back to Camden Yards for the current homestand and will join them on the charter to Chicago. He can hop on a flight back to his Texas home while the Orioles continue their road trip in St. Petersburg.

The activity at home beyond chasing his son McCoy is limited to workouts in the weight room that don’t put a strain on his surgically repaired left elbow.