Updates on Bradish, Wells and Means, plus lineups and notes

KANSAS CITY – Kyle Bradish is moving his injury rehab assignment from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk with a start this weekend in Jacksonville.

Bradish will pitch on normal rest Sunday after tossing three scoreless innings Tuesday with Bowie.

Tyler Wells made the trip west with the big club, though he’s on the injured list with inflammation in his right elbow. The Orioles seem confident that he won’t be out for long.

“It’s kind of what we thought,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “It’s some inflammation there in the soft tissue part of the elbow. He’s on the IL, obviously, but it’s pretty much along the lines of what we thought. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon.”

John Means allowed five runs and five hits in only one-third of an inning Wednesday in his fourth start with Norfolk.

“It sounds like the stuff was pretty good,” Hyde said. “There were some small misses. Just didn’t go very well there in the first inning. Hopefully, he can have a better rehab start the next time out. We’re monitoring him closely. It sounds like the stuff was there. The command just wasn’t quite there, and hopefully it’s there next time.”

Means hasn’t gone more than three innings or topped 61 pitches.

“If you’re going to put him back in the rotation, we need him to be stretched out more than that,” Hyde said. “Hopefully, he can go a little longer his next time out.”

Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter tonight and Colton Cowser is in left field for the start of a three-game series in Kansas City. Jackson Holliday is batting ninth.

Cowser has 10 RBIs and a 1.000 slugging percentage in five road games. Per STATS, he joins Mark Trumbo in 2016 and Chris Davis in 2013 as the only Orioles to reach those totals through five.

Gunnar Henderson and Houston’s Jose Altuve are the only players in the majors leading their teams in hits, home runs and stolen bases. Also per STATS, Henderson would be the first Orioles player to rank first in all three categories in a season.

Henderson has homered in three straight games. DJ Stewart is the last Oriole to do it four in a row, from Sept. 5-9, 2020.

Cedric Mullins is batting .367 (11-for-30) during a nine-game hitting streak.

Jordan Westburg has multiple RBIs and a run scored in six games this season, tied with Adolis Garcia, Marcell Ozuna and Taylor Ward for most in the majors.

Dean Kremer has made three starts and allowed nine earned runs and 12 total, with 18 hits in 16 1/3 innings. He’s walked two batters and struck out 14.

Kremer faced the Royals on April 1 and allowed three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit home runs.

Kremer’s 80-plus pitches thrown in each of his last 34 starts rank sixth on the team’s all-time list. Jeremy Guthrie is first with 55, followed by Chris Tillman with 46, Mike Mussina with 44, Dylan Bundy with 40 and Erik Bedard with 36.

Closer Craig Kimbrel has three wins and four saves in 18 games, tied for the fourth-fastest by any pitcher. Bill Castro did it in 15 games with the Brewers in 1977.

The Orioles are 12-6 and a half-game behind the Yankees in the East Division. They’ve won four in a row.

The Orioles have won or tied seven consecutive series against the Royals dating back to July 2021.

The streak of hitting three home runs or more has reached five games in a row, one short of the major league record held by the 1987 Orioles.

This year’s club has hit 30 homers in 18 games, the most in franchise history.

Right-hander Alec Marsh is 2-0 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.080 WHIP in three starts, with eight runs allowed in 16 2/3 innings. He faced the Orioles on April 2 and held them to one run and two hits in seven innings.

The Royals lost two of three games in Baltimore. Marsh picked up the lone win.

Kansas City is 12-7 and in second place in the Central Division, one game behind the Guardians. They’re 8-2 at home, winning their last eight.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Cedric Mullins CF
Colton Cowser LF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Jackson Holliday 2B

Dean Kremer RHP

Catcher David Bañuelos cleared waivers today and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.  The Orioles designated him for assignment Wednesday to make room for Albert Suárez on 40-man roster.

Also, the Reds claimed infielder Liván Soto off waivers.

For the Royals

Maikel Garcia 3B
Bobby Witt Jr. SS
Vinnie Pasquantino 1B
Salvador Perez C
MJ Melendez LF
Nelson Velázquez DH
Michael Massey 2B
Hunter Renfroe RF
Kyle Isbel CF

Alec Marsh RHP