López expected to start Saturday night (and other notes)

The Orioles are going with a 25-man roster for tonight's game against the Royals in Kansas City.

They've decided to leave a spot open for starter Jorge López's anticipated return Saturday from the bereavement list. López would make the start later that night.

The three-man taxi squad consists of pitchers Alexander Wells and Conner Greene and catcher Nick Ciuffo, so the Orioles have coverage for López if he's unavailable.

"We're hoping that Lopie will be back tomorrow, and if he's back by tonight, then he'll start tomorrow's game. That's why this has been TBA," manager Brandon Hyde said in his Zoom call with the media.

"He had a family matter that he needed to take care of and was a little bit unsure when he'd be coming back, but probably would have been back today. It sounds like that's going to happen, and so he's our starter for tomorrow if everything works out smoothly this afternoon."

The Orioles don't want to make a one-day roster move and would rather play with 25.

"If he's available tomorrow, that will be our 26th, if he's not available, then we'll figure something out," Hyde said.

"A lot goes into optioning somebody down. You've got to wait 10 days, etc. So, if we can get by with 25 tonight, hopefully we add Lopie tomorrow.

"After having four days off you'd think we'd be OK in the 'pen."

Hyde indicated before the break that López would be pushed back.

Trey Mancini, serving as the designated hitter tonight, has returned from his stirring performance in Monday night's Home Run Derby at Coors Field. Mancini was runner-up to the Mets' Pete Alonso, advancing through the first two rounds.

Players in the past have declined to participate over worries that the event could ruin their swings. Mancini wasn't exactly on a roll before the break.

"I was kind of joking before that my swing wasn't really feeling too great in the three weeks to a month leading up to the derby, so I figured, what the hell. I don't know if it can be that much more messed up, I guess you would say," Mancini said on his Zoom call.

"It was just a cool opportunity to pass up, given the situation and my year and a half leading up to it. It was just such a fun night and one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had."

Mancini was able to get his Christmas card photo taken afterward on the field, a task he never enjoys, so that counted as a win. Now he can focus on the second half of the season and more questions about whether he might be traded at the deadline.

"Of course, I want to stay," he said again. "I've always said it then and I still do, but again, that's something that I can't control. It's a business and I know that, so whatever happens, it happens.

"I really hope to stay, but I understand there's a much bigger picture than just myself. So, I hope to stay, I think I will, but at the same time it's not anything that I'm going to put much thought to because I really have no say in it."

Hyde watched the derby at home.

"My house was going nuts. It was so cool," he said.

"I don't know how he did it. I was sitting there in awe. I texted him after. What an amazing performance. One, that's hard to do already. I mean, extremely hard to do already. Two, the pressure that he was under. National TV, everybody knows the story, wants to see him do well, and he does what he did. The whole country, I'm sure everybody watching was pulling for him, just because of, he's so classy, so likeable. Coming back from what he's come back from. And to perform like that, it was beyond ...

"The guy continues to amaze me every day."

Hyde already was asked about his closer for 2022, which made him laugh. He has more pressing issues on his mind.

"I think when you're in a situation like ours, I don't think from a player acquisition standpoint a closer is a the top of your priority list," he said. "For three years we have not had an established closer here."

Hyde ran down the closer roll call during his three seasons as manager, including Mychal Givens, Cole Sulser and Paul Fry.

"I've really been pitching whoever was hottest at the time," he said, adding that he's not ready to "push" left-hander Tanner Scott.

"Tyler Wells has been our most consistent reliever here the last two months, probably, and I feel like he has the makeup for it, and I also want to limit his innings, too, and so maybe giving him an inning or two at the end of the game ..."

Hyde noted how when a team becomes good, then closers emerge out of the bullpen or on a shopping list. And he countered the Hunter Harvey suggestion by pointing out the obvious injury history.

Second-rounder Connor Norby, an infielder from East Carolina University who led the nation in hits, receives a $1.7 million bonus. The slot value is $1,813,500.

The Royals are listing right-hander Brady Singer as Saturday night's starter, with Sunday afternoon TBA.

Double-A Bowie's Mike Baumann allowed two runs and four hits in six innings today in Erie, with two walks, eight strikeouts and a home run.