Jorge Mateo ran full-speed into Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson yesterday on a bunt up the line, and the result was predictable. Mateo hit the ground hard and stayed down as manager Brandon Hyde and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel bolted from the dugout.

Mateo eventually got up and finished his at-bat, falling to one knee on a swing and striking out on the next pitch. But not until Hyde had patted him on the back and gave him a quick shoulder rub, relieved that his starting shortstop didn’t join the list of injured Orioles.

Two innings later, Chris Owings was pinch-hitting for Mateo, who left the game with rib cage soreness.

Of course he did. This team is a bundle of bad breaks.

Hyde told the media afterward that Mateo has a left shoulder and chest contusion. X-rays were negative and he’s day-to-day.

Offense, offense, wherefore art thou, offense? Baltimore’s bats once again faltered in Detroit, this time in a 5-1 loss to the Tigers. The Orioles scored just three runs in this three-game sweep, striking out 16 times today alone. 

On Friday, the O’s couldn’t cash in on offensive opportunities, stranding 14 runners on base. Yesterday, Baltimore hit the ball hard, but just right at defenders. Eight balls were hit over 100 mph, with four of them having an expected batting average over .500, but no runs came of it. 

Today? The Orioles didn’t fail to cash in, nor did they simply get unlucky. The lineup just didn’t hit. 

Tarik Skubal was dominant, striking out five O’s hitters the first time through the lineup. It was the third-career double-digit strikeout game for Skubal, who struck out 11 Orioles in the game, matching a career high. The lefty was able to go deep into this one, allowing just three hits and not surrendering a run over six innings of work. 

“I thought Skubal was really good,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We had a tough time making contact against him, and give him credit, he threw a really good game.”

In November, the Orioles hired co-hitting coaches, a pair of 31-year-olds in Matt Borgschulte and Ryan Fuller. 

Borgschulte had spent the previous four seasons in the Twins organization, making his way to their Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul before landing in Baltimore. Fuller, on the other hand, was an internal promotion. 

Fuller joined the O’s in 2019, brought on as the hitting coach for the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds. From there, he was promoted to Bowie in 2021 before earning a trip to Baltimore this year. 

Coming up through Baltimore’s farm system, Fuller understands the importance of keeping hitting philosophies consistent, no matter what level of the organization you may be at. 

Ryan McKenna, recently promoted from Triple-A Norfolk, says that its been helping his development this season. 

Austin Hays remains out of the Orioles lineup today as they conclude their road trip in Detroit.

Hays hasn’t played since Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera stepped on the back of his left hand in the seventh inning of Thursday’s game. He told the media this morning that he threw yesterday and is hoping to increase his baseball activity on Monday.

Ramón Urías moves up from fourth to second in the order today, and Jorge Mateo is batting fifth for the third time in his career and the first in 2022.

Tyler Nevin is the third baseman, Ryan McKenna the left fielder and Rylan Bannon the designated hitter.

Since May 3, the Orioles have two of the top four batting averages in the American League with Trey Mancini, first at .405, and Cedric Mullins, fourth at .354.

The good vibes that gained strength for the Orioles in St. Louis are weakened for the predictable reasons.

The club isn’t built to withstand injuries to key players, and the cluster is a killer.

Beating the Cardinals in the final game of the series with virtually no bench and with the bullpen almost empty in the late innings is more astounding now that the Orioles are a loss away from being swept by a bad Tigers team.

I ran down the litany of health concerns while prepping MASNsports.com’s Brendan Mortensen for his first road trip and first taste of beat work. Ryan Mountcastle had a sore left wrist. Ramón Urías had discomfort in his abdomen. Austin Hays had lacerations on the back of his left hand from Genesis Cabrera’s spikes. Rougned Odor had a sinus issue.

The taxi squad was full because the Orioles needed to prepare for multiple roster moves.

DETROIT — Like hitting and offense? Boy, do I not have a game for you.

The Orioles, without the prominent bats of Austin Hays and Ryan Mountcastle, fell to the Tigers 3-0 this afternoon. The two teams combined to ground into six double plays. 

"Obviously they're two huge losses, incredible hitters and guys that you want in your lineup, but at the same time, guys go down on every team," said Trey Mancini. "You have to fill the void and try to keep the line moving."

Baltimore hit the ball hard, but right at defenders. Baseball, am I right? 

According to Statcast, eight balls off the bat of Orioles had an exit velocity of at least 100 mph. Despite gathering just four hits in the ballgame, the O’s had four outs on balls in play that had an expected batting average over .500. That includes two Trey Mancini flyouts to right field, which had an xBA of .840 and .770 respectively. Don’t let Trey buy your lottery ticket this year. 

Left-hander Paul Fry might not make it back to Baltimore.

The Orioles designated Fry for assignment this afternoon and claimed right-hander Beau Sulser off waivers from the Pirates.

Sulser has three minor league options, and he’s reporting to Triple-A Norfolk.

Fry, 29, allowed eight earned runs and nine total with seven walks in 12 innings with the Orioles, and they optioned him Thursday morning while recalling infielder Rylan Bannon and closing out their series in St. Louis. He was much more effective in May with no runs allowed and only two hits in five innings, but it didn't save his job.

Manager Brandon Hyde was using Fry in lower leverage situations and getting better results.

Jorge Mateo bounced around for his entire career. 

In 2016, Mateo was ranked the 30th best prospect in baseball as a member of the New York Yankees organization. The speedster was traded to Oakland in 2017, and was traded once again to San Diego in 2020. 

That year, the shortstop finally made his debut for the Padres. Except, that season, he didn’t play a single game at the position he came up playing through the minor leagues. Mateo played seven games in the outfield, five games at second base, and spent four games as a designated hitter. 

The 2021 season was no different. Mateo spent most of his time in center field for the Padres, and upon being claimed by the Orioles, played mostly second base.

This year, however, Mateo finally got his chance. The pieces fell into place for Mateo to be an every day starter at just one position; shorstop. And so far, the 26-year-old has taken full advantage of that opportunity. 

The Orioles strengthened their bench this afternoon in Detroit by recalling outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning reliever Denyi Reyes to the Tides.

Reyes made his major league debut last night and tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

McKenna was 5-for-19 with two doubles with the Orioles. He had a three-homer game with Norfolk and was 9-for-33.

The move gives the Orioles a four-man bench again, though Austin Hays isn’t available due to the lacerations on his left hand sustained Thursday in St. Louis.

McKenna is playing left field today and batting seventh.

While the Orioles opened a three-game series last night in Detroit on the backend of their two-city road trip, I returned home from St. Louis, checked the top of my head, ignored the gel and jotted down a few observations.

Jorge López is the closer, but Félix Bautista is the trusted backup

López rejoined the team yesterday in Detroit after three days on the bereavement list. In his absence, Bautista recorded two saves in the St. Louis series and fired nine fastballs Thursday afternoon in triple digits. A few others were clocked at 99 mph.

Bautista is a rookie who turns 27 next month and came to the organization as a free-agent signing in August 2016, one year after the Marlins released him. He made 11 appearances at Single-A Aberdeen last summer, reached two other levels in the system and landed on the 40-man roster to protect him in a Rule 5 draft that never materialized due to the lockout.

A high walk rate raised some red flags. Bautista figured to go back to Triple-A Norfolk and sharpen his command, but the Orioles broke camp with him and now he’s pitching in high leverage situations.

After a canceled 2020 minor league season, surely 2021 would be the year that Rylan Bannon made his major league debut. 

In 2019, Bannon flashed every tool the Orioles had hoped to see when they acquired the infielder from the Dodgers in 2018. At just 23, Bannon thrived in 20 games at Triple-A Norfolk. The Xavier product flaunted a .317/.344/.549 slash line, good for an .893 OPS. Defensively, Bannon was versatile, getting reps at both second and third base throughout the year. 

When the 2021 season rolled around, it didn’t appear that Bannon would have to wait long to get a call to the bigs. Demonstrate the same promise at Triple-A that the 2019 season showed, and the promotion would come sooner rather than later. 

Things didn’t work out that way. 

“It was definitely not exactly how I would’ve drawn it up,” Bannon joked.

The Orioles are down another position player with Ryan Mountcastle going on the 10-day injured list this afternoon with a left wrist/forearm strain. The move is retroactive to Wednesday.

Reliever Jorge López has been reinstated from the bereavement list after missing the three-game series in St. Louis, giving the club a much-needed fresh arm.

Mountcastle was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup and unavailable to play yesterday. He’s batting .268/.299/.402 with three doubles, four home runs and 16 RBIs in 117 plate appearances.

Tonight’s lineup in Detroit doesn’t include outfielder Austin Hays, who sustained lacerations on the back of his left hand yesterday after Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera cleated him. Chris Owings is playing left field.

Ramón Urías also is on the bench again. He was scratched from Tuesday’s lineup with abdominal discomfort, but so far has avoided the injured list.

ST. LOUIS - Richie Martin is used to waiting.

Through the injury rehab process. While on the Triple-A roster. And now, as a member of the Orioles taxi squad on the current road trip.

The Orioles decided against selecting Martin’s contract yesterday, choosing to recall Rylan Bannon and giving him the start at third base. Martin boarded the charter to Detroit following a 3-2 win over the Cardinals, unsure if he’d appear in his first major league game since Oct. 3, 2021 or eventually return to the Norfolk Tides.

The only information coming to Martin was the 12:30 a.m. phone call Wednesday morning instructing him to join the Orioles in St. Louis, where he’d be placed on the taxi squad. Something about a few injury concerns, but nothing else.

Infielder Ramón Urías and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle were day-to-day and a three-man bench was down to one healthy player. They expanded it to four yesterday and still only had catcher Robinson Chirinos available.

ST. LOUIS – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said the club needs to find out about its players on the 40-man roster, part of a 2022 itinerary that also includes development in the farm system, prospect promotions and trying to win games and move closer to competitive status.

There’s some serious multi-tasking happening from top to bottom in the organization, with plenty of hands trying to keep it balanced.

Rylan Bannon earned his first major league promotion and start this afternoon, one of those guys the club wants to get its eyes on, and the moment wasn’t too big for him.

Bannon made a diving backhand stop along the third base line and threw out Nolan Arenado to end the first inning. He lined a single into left field on the first pitch thrown to him in the second following Jorge Mateo’s home run.

A bullpen game for the Orioles to close out the series produced an unlikely result, Bannon’s favorable first impression one highlight in a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals.

ST. LOUIS - The Orioles made multiple adjustments to their health-challenged roster this morning, with Rylan Bannon recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and given his first start in the series finale against the Cardinals.

Bannon is playing third base in his major league debut. He joined the taxi squad yesterday.

Left-hander Paul Fry was optioned to Norfolk.

Ryan Mountcastle and Ramón Urías are day-to-day with a sore wrist and abdomen, respectively. Urías said this morning that he felt better, but “not great, great.”

“Urías and Mountcastle both trending better, still not available today,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Hopefully, they’ll be available off the bench, but not sure. They’re still getting treatment right now. We felt like we needed an extra body.”

ST. LOUIS – Bryan Baker makes his first career start in the majors as the Orioles commit to a bullpen game to close out their series against the Cardinals.

Baker has made 12 relief appearances, including 11 this season with the Orioles. He’s allowed six runs and 11 hits with 11 strikeouts in 10 innings in 2022.

Baker started 13 times in 174 minor league games.

Manager Brandon Hyde hasn’t used Baker for more than 1 2/3 innings or 24 pitches. Left-hander Keegan Akin could provide bulk innings behind him.

Baker’s last appearance was May 5.

ST. LOUIS – The moment has arrived when the Orioles must announce their starting pitcher for today’s game and determine whether Ryan Mountcastle or Ramón Urías is available to play. And if not, whether they want to close out their series with a one-man bench, this time catcher Robinson Chirinos, who started last night.

By “moment,” of course, I’m referring to later today. They won’t do anything at this ungodly hour.

Keegan Akin could be pried from the relief role he’s thriving in or work in bulk behind a short-inning guy. Akin hasn’t pitched since the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Marcos Diplán and Denyi Reyes are on the taxi squad.

The Orioles reached their maximum of five players for the taxi squad with infielders Rylan Bannon and Richie Martin arriving yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk.

ST. LOUIS – The Orioles know how easily momentum in baseball can be lost. How it’s defined as the next day’s starting pitcher.

Injuries also can wreck it. They're like black ice for a team attempting to speed toward respectability.

A recent surge left the Orioles only four games below .500 heading into tonight, where they ran into Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas after scratching another player from their lineup.

It proved to be too much for them.

The Cardinals packed a home run and three doubles into the second inning against Spenser Watkins, piled on in the fourth and led throughout in a 10-1 win over the Orioles at Busch Stadium.

ST. LOUIS - The Orioles apparently will avoid making a roster move prior to tonight’s game, but they might not have a choice by the 12:15 p.m. CST series finale.

Ryan Mountcastle was scratched from the lineup due to soreness in his left wrist. Ramón Urías remains day-to-day with some discomfort in his abdomen, leaving catcher Anthony Bemboom as the only healthy reserve on the Orioles’ three-man bench.

The original lineup included Mountcastle as the designated hitter. He made a brief appearance in one of the doorways in the visiting clubhouse during media access and had his wrist taped.

“Ramón’s feeling better,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “They’re still doing some rehab, some tests on it right now, but he is feeling better today, so that’s a good sign.

“Mounty’s been dealing with a sore wrist the last few days, just kind of battling through it. Woke up with it a little bit more sore today, so out of precaution took him out of the lineup. Trying to get that to feel better, and hopefully he’s ready in the next day or two.”

ST. LOUIS – Ramón Urías is out of the Orioles lineup for tonight’s game against the Cardinals.

Urías was a late scratch last night due to discomfort in his abdomen, which he noticed in batting practice.

Chris Owings is the shortstop, with Rougned Odor at second base and Tyler Nevin at third.

Jorge Mateo also is on the bench.

Cedric Mullins recorded his 100^th career RBI last night and had a season-high four hits. He has three home runs in his last six games and six extra-base hits in his last seven.