BRADENTON, Fla. – Riley Cooper had no idea.
A combined no-hitter was brewing today and it rested in Cooper’s left hand as the Orioles reliever selected for the bottom of the ninth inning.
A 13th-round draft pick out of LSU in 2023. A low A-ball pitcher with 24 games of professional experience.
The pressure he felt also was surprisingly low.
“Pitching’s pitching,” he said, “so I just went in there and did my thing.”
SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad knows that he’s getting a legitimate chance to make the club and to play on a much more regular basis. The rest is up to him.
End the shuttling between the majors and Triple-A Norfolk. Be used as the front office envisioned when it made him the second overall draft pick in 2020. Lots of right field and designated hitter. Anything to keep his bat in the lineup.
His statistics in the Grapefruit League aren’t supposed to really matter, but it doesn’t hurt to pad them anyway.
Kjerstad came to the plate this afternoon in the bottom of the second inning after Tyler O’Neill walked against Tigers starter and top prospect Jackson Jobe. The Orioles trailed 2-0, but Kjerstad knotted the score with an opposite-field home run.
Maybe he’s practicing for when he’s at Camden Yards, with the left field fence moved closer to home plate.
Reliever Burch Smith doesn’t rate as one of the bigger decisions awaiting the Orioles. However, he’s on their agenda.
Smith is eligible for arbitration despite his name being missing from some lists. He made $1 million this year, with the Orioles paying the prorated minimum salary after selecting his contract on July 11.
The Rays signed Smith as a free agent on Jan. 2. The Marlins acquired him on March 27 in a cash transaction and released him on June 20. The Orioles signed him a week later.
The Orioles optioned Dillon Tate on the day that they brought Smith to the majors. As if you’d forget.
Smith appeared in 25 games and posted a 5.74 ERA and 1.050 WHIP in 26 2/3 innings. He started out with four scoreless appearances, allowing one hit, walking none and striking out six, but he endured some rough patches, including five home runs over seven outings.
The music didn't play. The reflections from the disco lights didn't bounce off the walls and ceiling. The Orioles sat in silence at their lockers or circled the room and hugged, failing to repeat as division champions and now mimicking last year’s morose elimination setting.
The losing streak in the playoffs has reached 10 games. Any chance to snap it must wait until 2025.
The Royals broke a tie in the sixth inning on Bobby Witt Jr.’s infield single with two outs that scored Kyle Isbel, and the Orioles lost 2-1 in a do-or-die Game 2 of the Wild Card series before an announced crowd of 38,698 at Camden Yards.
That’s it. Being all-in with the winter trade for Corbin Burnes and talking about avenging last year’s ouster in the Division Series in Texas led to another sweep. Too many injuries and too little offense.
And now, a lot of time to think about it.
The baseball math can’t be manipulated tonight to give the Orioles a playoff-clinching scenario. It only worked if they won.
Cade Povich held the Tigers to two runs for the second time in less than a week and the Orioles rallied for two in the ninth to send the game into extras, but the Tigers scored twice against Yennier Cano in the 10th and won 6-4 before an announced crowd of 39,647 at Camden Yards.
An Orioles win coupled with a Mariners loss tonight would have delivered back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since 1996-97. Now, we wait a little longer.
A possible alternative is clinching in their final home game of the regular season. Otherwise, they must do it on a trip that takes them to New York and Minnesota.
The Orioles are 86-69 and in danger of losing their fifth series in a row.
Craig Kimbel’s old locker is empty except for a row of hangers. His belongings are gone.
The former closer has left the building.
The Orioles designated Kimbrel for assignment earlier today and recalled reliever Bryan Baker. They made the move after he was charged last night with a career-high six runs in two-thirds of an inning, the last straw with his chances for inclusion on the playoff roster dissolved a while ago.
“Tough day,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We have so much respect for Craig and his career and what he’s done for the game, how long he’s pitched, how long he’s pitched well. So it’s never easy to say goodbye to somebody who’s done a lot.”
Kimbrel, 36, was an All-Star snub after posting a 2.80 ERA and 0.962 WHIP in 39 appearances, but he had a 10.59 ERA and 2.177 WHIP in 18 games since the break and never responded to a second reset.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias took his turn today providing injury updates to the media, asking in a joking manner for questions to be broken up individually rather than in one lump inquiry. Just trying to simplify the process.
Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) is in a hitting progression down in Sarasota, the most positive news about the first baseman since he was shut down.
“I was there during instructional league yesterday and had a chance to see him work out,” Elias said. “He has a sore wrist and he’s making his way back from that, and that takes a few steps, but I do think we have a really good chance of seeing him playing for Norfolk here pretty soon, and I do think we’re going to get him back, and he’s making a push. And we definitely will take what we can get from him, and we’re hopeful to get him back before the season’s over.”
Jordan Westburg took batting practice for the first time since fracturing his right hand. “Like a normal citizen,” Elias said.
“Jordan’s doing great, too,” Elias added. “We can’t wait to have him back, and we are expecting him back before the end of the regular season. We’re not totally there yet, but it’s going really well.”
Dean Kremer’s arm was fine tonight. And it had nothing to do with the disappearance of his welt.
The effectiveness returned along with the appearance, and in it was no-hit stuff that threatened to grew to historical proportions.
Kremer carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before Rays top prospect Junior Caminero lined the first pitch into left field for a single. What remained was winning the first game of the series. Back to the basics.
Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Caminero and Dylan Carlson and Ryan O’Hearn’s fielding error. Kremer left to a standing ovation after 88 pitches and Yennier Cano brought the crowd to its feet again with two strikeouts and a popup in the Orioles’ 2-0 victory before an announced crowd of 25,439 at Camden Yards.
The Yankees also won today to stay a half-game behind the Orioles (82-60), who clinched their third plus-.500 season in a row - the first streak of this length since 2012-14. Tonight’s game marked their ninth shutout.
LOS ANGELES – In front of a sellout crowd on the road, with a chance to gain a game on the Yankees, against a hot team with the best record in baseball, the Orioles pitching made three runs stand up.
The Orioles bullpen – the much-maligned O’s bullpen – stood tall.
They had repeated chances to give up the big hit, the soul-crushing hit, the hit to blow the game. But they did not.
The same bullpen that had struggled so badly in recent weeks? Yes, that bullpen.
In what had to qualify as one of the O’s best and most impressive wins of the year, they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 Tuesday to open a big three-game series.
For the second game in a row, the contest was moving to the later innings. The O’s offense had been very quiet but the Orioles loaded the bases in the sixth down 2-0 looking for that one big swing.
They got it again today.
Jackson Holliday’s pinch-hit, bases-clearing double turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead today in the last of the sixth. Another big Camden Yards crowd was roaring as the kid ended an 0-for-20 slump in a huge way.
Holliday attacked the first pitch from reliever Tayler Scott, who entered the game with a 1.92 ERA, an OPS against of .543 and a batting average against of .196 when pitching with runners in scoring position.
But Holliday lined Scott's splitter into the gap in right-center at 105.9 mph off the bat to score three for the lead.
NEW YORK – Players changed into their home white uniforms last week at Camden Yards and filed out of the clubhouse and onto the outfield grass for the annual team photo. Closer Félix Bautista was there despite the elbow surgery that cost him the entire season. Danny Coulombe joked with Jordan Westburg, wondering if they’d be asked to leave.
An agreement was reached.
“If you’re going, then I’m going.”
You’ve gotta laugh to keep your pennant hopes from dying.
The roster has undergone so many dramatic changes that some players might be hard to identify without a scorecard or elite facial recognition skills.
CLEVELAND – The standings and lineup didn’t look right.
A Yankees victory earlier in the day dropped the Orioles into second place in the division. Manager Brandon Hyde attacked Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo by giving Austin Slater and Eloy Jiménez their first starts since the trade deadline. Slater led off, bumping Colton Cowser down to seventh.
Hyde was hoping that Slater could give his club “a little spark” and might “get us going.”
Slater doubled into the left field corner in the first inning and reached on a bunt single in the fifth. Jiménez lined a run-scoring single into left field in the fourth and singled to begin the sixth.
The newcomers left their mark, including starter Zach Eflin, who posted another quality start. But Hyde also knew when to turn to the holdovers. Pick specific players for matchups and push the right buttons.
The crowd erupted today in the top of the first inning when Padres leadoff hitter Luis Arraez lifted a popup that Gunnar Henderson ran down in foul territory. No collision or dropped ball. Fans hadn’t forgotten yesterday’s blunder.
Henderson ranged past second base in the second inning and made a sprawling stop and throw to retire David Peralta. The ovation this time was louder. Henderson and Jordan Westburg caught line drives, the former from Kyle Higashioka at 107.1 mph, and James McCann threw out Ha-Seong Kim trying to steal third base in the third.
The best was saved for last, with Cedric Mullins sprinting to the center field track and making a leaping grab of Manny Machado’s fly ball at full speed before crashing into the fence at the 410 foot sign. The palm of his glove faced upward, much like the mood of a team that has been battling frustration as well as opponents.
The Orioles didn’t completely fix their defense. Henderson sailed and bounced throws past Ryan Mountcastle, giving the shortstop five errors in four games. They didn’t completely solve their offensive issues, doing all of their scoring in two innings. And the pitching turned a comfortable lead into the slimmest of margins.
There’s more work to be done, but they accepted the result with smiles, formed the congratulatory handshake line and chose which music to blast.
Orioles right-handed reliever Yennier Cano is a pretty important pitcher in the Baltimore bullpen. He has three saves this season but has made most of his appearances as a setup man in the eighth inning.
While some numbers for him are not as good as last season when he was an American League All-Star, he recently made a few tweaks that helped him find his sinker again. He’s now put together six straight scoreless outings through last night’s game. (Although he did allow two inherited runners to score and gave up a double when he entered with two on in the eighth last night.)
His ERA (2.11 to 2.75), WHIP (1.00 to 1.32) and his opponent's OPS (.600 to .703) are higher this year. But Cano does lead the AL with 24 holds. And his 116 appearances since the start of 2023 are tied for fourth-most in the major leauges.
But from June 14 to 28, he allowed five runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings. However, in his last six games over 5 2/3 combined innings, he has allowed just three hits with a .158 batting average and .449 OPS against.
“I’ve been able to recover my sinker,” he told me during the last homestand through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I think a few weeks ago I lost it a little bit. And then these last few outings I have back that feeling with it and it’s a huge factor in my recent success.
OAKLAND – The Orioles’ two All-Star starters made the first two outs today, with Gunnar Henderson grounding out and Adley Rutschman flying out. Anthony Santander followed with a home run. Ryan O’Hearn and Jordan Westburg singled, and they scored on Heston Kjerstad’s three-run shot.
A day after surrendering 19 runs in a blowout loss, the Orioles pounced and vented early, leading from the beginning in a 6-3 win over the Athletics in their final game at Oakland Coliseum. And a few All-Star omissions – some might say snubs - couldn’t be silenced.
Santander’s homer off Mitch Spence raised his total to 23, tied for fourth in the majors as the ball landed in the right field seats. He was a finalist in voting for American League outfielders, missed by one spot and didn’t get selected as a reserve.
O’Hearn was a finalist at designated hitter, missing election by four percent of the votes. Jordan Westburg was a finalist at third base. They’re also staying home barring a late substitution.
Corbin Burnes brought the total number of Orioles to three with his fourth selection in a row. That was the cutoff.
OAKLAND – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde grew up in Santa Rosa, about an hour away from the Oakland Coliseum. He attended games with his father and friends, recounting those days as some of his fondest memories. Rickey Henderson stole bases at a record pace. Dennis Eckersley closed out games. The Bash Brothers hit tape-measure home runs and slammed their suspiciously massive forearms in celebration.
“There was some really good baseball being played here for a long time,” Hyde said, “and some great, great teams that played here.”
Not anymore.
The last-place Athletics are moving to Las Vegas but will relocate to Sacramento for the next three seasons until their new home is ready. The Orioles are making their final stop here. They might get a little sentimental during batting practice, but that’s it.
They’d like to put a bow on a sweep and offer it as a going-away present.
Jordan Westburg’s line drive at 110.5 mph reached the left field corner in the third inning. Gunnar Henderson, who walked with one out, raced around the bases and dived across the plate to break the tie.
The Orioles had their fourth run to match their total over the previous three games. The bats were back. They just needed the pitching to hold up.
It didn’t.
Cole Irvin lasted only four innings, Yennier Cano allowed two runs in the eighth, and the losing streak reached five games with Cleveland’s 10-8 victory before an announced crowd of 18,574 at Camden Yards.
Irvin was charged with four earned runs and eight total, along with a season-high 10 hits, and he came out after 71 pitches. The rotation has gone eight games in a row without a quality start.
Rarely do a reliever’s first warmup tosses in the bullpen create such a stir.
Craig Kimbrel wasn’t getting ready last night for the ninth inning. He was prepping for the seventh in a one-run game. Cue the gasps.
The Orioles went with the reset over their other options, and Kimbrel retired the Diamondbacks in order to preserve a 3-2 lead. One ball was scalded to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Another ball drove right fielder Anthony Santander to the edge of the warning track. But they were outs. Do not quibble.
Kimbrel is working on his mechanics. He isn’t dealing with upper-back tightness or anything else physical. And he’s still the guy who expects the ball in a save situation if he’s available. He said so earlier in the day at his locker.
The Orioles seemed to be on the same wavelength judging by manager Brandon Hyde’s comments after Wednesday night’s thriller in D.C. They didn’t appear ready to demote Kimbrel or do anything drastic.
Craig Kimbrel stood up tonight, removed his jacket and began to throw in the Orioles’ bullpen.
It was the bottom of the sixth inning.
Kimbrel said earlier in the day that he expected to get the ball again in a save situation, but he jogged onto the field for the top of the seventh with the Orioles ahead 3-2. The lights flickered as if he were closing. The entrance didn’t change.
Just the timing of it.
Kimbrel retired the Diamondbacks in order on a 101.4 mph line drive to Ryan Mountcastle, a strikeout at 94.4 mph and a fly ball near the warning track in right field. Twelve pitches, eight for strikes, and Kimbrel was done.
CINCINNATI – As the Orioles watched left-hander John Means roll through seven scoreless last night, getting more swings and misses than he had since his 2021 no-hitter, they had to be excited and elated.
Here it was just May 4 and now both Kyle Bradish and Means are back. The team is 22-11 and in first place. A staff that was already pitching well added an All-Star and a pitcher that finished fourth in the American League Cy Young Award vote in 2023.
In a span of three days, Bradish and Means looked as good as ever, proved they are healthy and combined to allow one run over 11 2/3 innings.
At one time, John Means Day meant a losing O’s team had something to look forward to. Now Means just wants to fit in with a first-place club and do his part.
“You know, this team is playing so well, you just want to join them, you want to feel that energy they are feeling," he said. "So to be back and be able to feel that, pretty incredible.”
