Baker gets another start tonight for Orioles (updated)

The Orioles have chosen a bullpen game tonight to begin their series against the Mariners at Camden Yards.

Right-hander Bryan Baker is making his second start. He did the same in St. Louis on May 12 and tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one hit, no walks and three strikeouts.

Baker’s last appearance came in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader in Boston. He threw 31 pitches and didn’t allow a run in 1 1/3 innings.

Mariners rookie George Kirby, the 20^th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Elon University, is making his fifth major league start tonight. He’s allowed 10 earned runs (12 total) and 23 hits in 20 innings, with two walks and 20 strikeouts.

A May 8 debut against the Rays produced six scoreless innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. He’s allowed nine runs and 16 hits in his last two starts over 10 innings.

Kirby has a 2.34 ERA and 1.032 WHIP in 115 1/3 minor league innings. He averages 1.6 walks, 10.7 strikeouts and 0.4 home runs allowed per nine innings.

The Mariners have lost seven of their last 10 games and nine of 13, and they’re 20-28 overall, including 8-18 on the road.

The Orioles lost three of four games to the Mariners last year at Camden Yards and won two of three in Seattle.

Meanwhile, Triple-A Norfolk’s Grayson Rodriguez was named the International League’s Pitcher of the Week after his seven shutout innings Friday night. Rodriguez allowed two hits, walked none and struck out 10, and he threw a season-high 88 pitches and 68 strikes.

In his last five starts, Rodriguez is 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 14 hits allowed, nine walks and 43 strikeouts. He’s fanned eight or more batters in four consecutive outings.

Rodriguez is listed as Wednesday night’s starter for the Tides, again working on normal rest. DL Hall is starting tonight.

The Orioles signed right-hander Nick Richmond to a minor league deal last week. Richmond, 24, has a 7.39 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in 21 career games in the minors since the Tigers signed him in 2019. He’s never pitched above the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

Update: The Orioles recalled left-hander Zac Lowther from Triple-A Norfolk today and optioned right-hander Cody Sedlock following last night's game. Lowther can provide length in the bullpen behind Baker.

Lowther hasn't pitched for the Orioles since Sept. 29, 2021. He's 1-4 with an 8.26 ERA and 1.941 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) with Norfolk. He's struck out 31 batters in 28 1/3 innings.

His last appearance was Thursday, putting him on normal rest tonight. He faced Gwinnett and allowed two runs in five innings.