Thoughts on decision to put López in bullpen

The Orioles don't know who's starting Wednesday night against the Angels. Their game notes this morning are likely to list the spot as TBD or TBA.

Has to be determined before it can be announced.

No matter who's inserted into the rotation, they did the right thing by shifting Jorge López to the bullpen.

Anyone watching his last start could see that he isn't right. His velocity was down and he just appeared to be flinging the ball to the plate. López insisted that he wasn't hurt, which automatically led to speculation that he's understandably distracted by his situation at home - his young son undergoing chemotherapy treatments and a bone marrow transplant this summer.

Who knows whether sitting in the bullpen and waiting for the phone to ring is going to ease some of the burden, since there's plenty of pressure in relief, but the Orioles couldn't run him back out there as a starter after what they witnessed at Tropicana Field.

López is far from the only concern among the starters, but he leads the majors with 14 losses - obviously not entirely his fault with so many factors determining a pitcher's record - and he has a 6.35 ERA and 1.676 WHIP in 25 games. That leash has been stretched about as far as it can go.

After completing six innings in back-to-back starts to begin the month, López has allowed 11 runs and 13 hits in 5 1/3 innings in his last two outings. The debate rages whether he would be more valuable as a reliever. No longer needing to go through an order more than once, or if closing, able to just attack with that upper-90s fastball when his velo is true.

The argument against removing López from the rotation has been the need for starters. If not him, whom? Robbing Peter to pay Paul. That sort of thing. But this team also needs help in middle relief - forget closer if they can't take a lead into the ninth and they have Tyler Wells - and opponents constantly bring in guys in that role with blistering heat and the capability to cover innings.

It should be a priority for executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias in the offseason. Grab a couple middle guys on the market. They don't cost much. But López has the stuff to perhaps be used as one.

Manager Brandon Hyde could reinsert López in the rotation before the season ends. But this move could be doing López a favor in more ways than one.

"I just think he needs to try something different a little bit," Hyde said yesterday during the media's dugout scrum. "We're not closing the door on him from being in the rotation, but I'd like to see what it looks like coming out of the bullpen. He's going through a lot and I think this might take a little bit of pressure off of him, putting him in the bullpen here for a little while.

"I have no idea how I'm going to use him, honestly, at this point. I'm trying to do the best thing for the guy."

The unfortunate flip side for the Orioles is how no one is an obvious candidate to replace López. They don't have a proven starter or long man waiting in the wings. They don't have anyone at Triple-A who's truly earned the opportunity.

Alexander Wells tossed five scoreless innings yesterday with only one hit allowed and no walks with Triple-A Norfolk. He won't be called up to work on short rest.

Dean Kremer logged three scoreless relief innings on Wednesday. Maybe the Orioles feel like he's ready to take another shot at it.

Bruce Zimmermann is supposed to be in the rotation, but a sprained ankle ruined his return. Hyde mentioned new reliever Chris Ellis, whose one appearance this season and second in the majors consisted of four scoreless relief innings against the Orioles before he was designated for assignment by the Rays.

Get the win and get out.

Ellis made 119 starts in the minors and 21 in college. He could go first Wednesday night, with his performance dictating whether it turns into a bullpen game. And if he's stretched out enough.

Hyde's choice isn't as important as doing something else with López.

Meanwhile, in a totally unrelated subject, Marcos Diplán is the sixth pitcher in Orioles history to not allow an earned run in his first seven career appearances, and the first since Donnie Hart in 2016. And if you predicted this back in March, there's a front office or scouting job waiting for you.