Armstrong on getting a fresh start with Orioles (O's lead 5-4)

CHICAGO - The revolving door attached to the Orioles bullpen pushed Tanner Scott back to Triple-A Norfolk and brought in right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who's been added to the 25-man roster for today's doubleheader.

The Orioles claimed Armstrong off waivers from the Mariners Sunday afternoon and he joined the club yesterday.

"It's been a lot, but the Orioles made it super easy for me," he said. "I can't complain. They've done anything and everything for myself and my family. Went to Baltimore from Seattle and flew here yesterday. Now we're here.

"I'm very excited to get things going with this team, and it seems like a lot of fun so far."

Armstrong recovered from an oblique injury and appeared in four games with the Mariners, allowing six runs and eight hits with three walks in 3 2/3 innings. Joining the Orioles can provide a reset of sorts.

"Absolutely," he said. "Anytime you go to a new place - new teammates, new ways of coaching, new ways of playing the game, all that stuff - it's definitely a fresh start.

"Coming off an injury over in Seattle, didn't have the best start that I wanted to this year, obviously, but this is an opportunity here, and ready to put the past in the past and get things rolling here."

It's been an interesting swap for the Orioles and the relievers involved in it.

The Mariners claimed Mike Wright off waivers from the Orioles. They designated Armstrong for assignment while promoting top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield, then optioned Sheffield to create a spot for Wright.

In baseball's small world, it figures that Wright and Armstrong would be connected again.

They were teammates at East Carolina University, with the Orioles selecting Wright in the third round of the 2011 draft and the Indians taking Armstrong in the 18th. They became best friends and were in each other's weddings.

Armstrong is wearing No. 43, which belonged to Wright. He's staying in Wright's apartment in Baltimore. And he's taking the same nutrition advice from Wright's wife, Madison.

"We actually talked about that last night," said Armstrong, who's known Wright since 2008. "It is kind of ironic, considering that I'm moving right into his apartment and everything else, too. We basically did just switch places. I hope all the best for him and I know we're both excited for a new opportunity."

Wright provided an organizational scouting report for Armstrong upon his departure.

"Nothing but good things," said Armstrong, who allowed two runs with 15 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings with the Mariners in 2018.

"I heard nothing but good things about the coaching staff, nothing but good things about the team and everything. Everything he's told me, everything I've seen, every person I've talked to, I'm just very excited to get things going."

Update: Hanser Alberto's two-base throwing error and José Abreu's double gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Update II: The Orioles committed two more errors in the third inning and the White Sox scored three runs, two of them unearned, to take a 4-0 lead. Abreu and Nicky Delmonico had RBI singles off David Hess.

Update III: The Orioles scored three runs in the fourth to reduce the lead to 4-3. Dwight Smith Jr. walked, stole third base and scored on catcher James McCann's throwing error. Stevie Wilkerson was credited with an RBI on a fielder's choice and Richie Martin produced an RBI double.

Update IV: The Orioles tied the game 4-4 in the seventh inning on Smith's RBI double after Trey Mancini walked and Renato Núñez singled. But they failed to score again after loading the bases with one out.

Update V: Martin led off the eighth with a triple and scored the go-ahead run on Jonathan Villar's fly ball.