Does Memorial Day marker move Orioles toward changes?

Anyone expecting or praying for a complete overhaul of the Orioles roster or the entire organization shouldn't have set the alarm so early today.

Let's not confuse "marker" with "concrete deadline." I'm not anticipating massive changes before today's series opener against the Nationals that kicks off the latest homestand.

The Orioles have reached the point where, 19 games below .500 on Memorial Day, they need to more strongly consider which players can be moved for prospects and how to soften the impact to prevent stringing together 100-loss seasons like pearls.

Again, they can't force teams to trade with them. It takes two. And as I've reported, they've found rival executives playing a waiting game to determine whether it's worth parting with young talent for rentals.

The desperation grows closer to the non-waiver deadline. Caution and logic can be tossed aside. In the meantime, it's hard to strike while the iron's cold.

It makes sense to work the phones and not just pick up when it rings. But this is going to be a process. It won't be completed by the time your burgers come off the grill later today.

Manny Machado will be traded if the right offer comes along. For example, he'd probably be wearing Dodger blue if the Orioles could have pried away Walker Buehler over the winter as part of a prospect package, but the right-hander was untouchable.

The Cardinals were aggressive in their pursuit of Machado, but the Orioles wanted multiple pitchers from a group that included Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks and Luke Weaver. The Phillies weren't parting with Sixto Sanchez. But this is the time to check again because the Orioles are nine games behind a Rays team that is shedding its best players.

The weekend series didn't do much to inflate the Orioles' collective egos. The Rays started relievers in all three games, hoping to get one clean inning and turning it over to their bullpen. Sergio Romo didn't make it through the first Friday night or yesterday. And we've already covered how they're tearing down the team right before our eyes.

They took two of three games.

Austin Pruitt worked the last 5 2/3 innings yesterday for the save. He's the first pitch to record a save of five innings or more in the regular season since the Rangers' Joaquin Benoit on Sept. 3, 2002 at Camden Yards.

Starter Aaron Myette came out mid-batter in the bottom of the first inning - the leadoff hitter, Melvin Mora, who walked against replacement Todd Van Poppel. Benoit entered in the third and finished up a 7-1 win, allowing only one run and one hit on a Jerry Hairston triple. He drilled Marty Cordova and Tony Batista.

John Stephens worked the first five innings for the Orioles and Travis Driskill handled the last four. Glory days, they'll pass you by ...

The Orioles finished the season with 67 wins. Think they get there in 2018?

I've been told that names haven't been exchanged in regards to a Machado trade. It's been speculation that's fueled various media reports. But it's Memorial Day and it wouldn't hurt to get back in the same mindset as the one that formed at the Winter Meetings.

The only difference is executive vice president Dan Duquette had team reps lining up outside his door at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort. He can't operate without their same aggression. .

* The Orioles have moved some of their prospects to higher levels of the farm system and could be ready to do the same with left-hander Zac Lowther, who's 3-1 with a 1.16 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in six starts at low Single-A Delmarva.

Lowther, 22, shut out Hickory on one hit over six innings in his last start. He struck out 10 batters to give him 51 in 31 innings. Opponents are batting .115 against him.

Lowther, the 74th overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Xavier University, was sidelined with a strained oblique, but he's back on the mound and dealing again.

The Orioles already promoted right-hander Michael Baumann from Delmarva to high Single-A Frederick, where he's allowed two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.

* Double-A Bowie outfielder Austin Hays was out of the lineup again last night with an ankle injury, but he could return Monday.

Cedric Mullins collected four more hits to match his career high and is on fire, his average rising to .319. He has nine hits in the three-game series against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

(I point this out to illustrate Mullins' surge and also to write "Rumble Ponies.")

How much longer does Mullins, current owner of a 12-game hitting streak, stay in the Eastern League?

* Triple-A Norfolk outfielder DJ Stewart remains out with a sore hamstring. He was removed from Saturday's game, but not before hitting his sixth home run.