Hearing from Rom, Vavra, O'Hearn, Elias and Hyde before tonight's game

Left-hander Drew Rom was sitting on the balcony of his hotel room last night in Jacksonville at around 10:45 p.m., gazing at the river and relaxing, when Triple-A Norfolk manager Buck Britton called with news that he’d need to pack his bags and board a flight to Baltimore in the morning.

The Orioles decided to option Keegan Akin and recall Rom, whose first appearance out of the bullpen will be his major league debut.

“For me, it’s just been a whirlwind of a day and a half, I guess, but I’m trying to take it all in stride at this point and try to keep doing what I’ve been doing down in Norfolk and just try to bring it up here,” Rom said this afternoon at his locker inside the clubhouse at Camden Yards.

“It’s kind of surreal. My favorite movie was ‘The Rookie’ growing up, with Dennis Quaid, so that’s kind of what I felt like coming in, honestly, was taking everything in. A little bit of shell shock. Everything today’s just been eyes wide-open, trying to bask in everything and just take everything one step at a time, one minute at a time.”

Rom posted a 2.87 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in six games. He was supposed to start tonight for the Tides.

“I think just throwing everything through the zone and just attacking hitters rather than trying to be too fine with everything,” he said, explaining why he’s had so much success. “At this point I just have to trust my stuff because that’s what’s gotten me here today. I think that just kind of speaks to the pitching staff and everything that they’ve done for me throughout everything here. And also bringing the same energy that I was bringing there and going out and competing every day.”

Rom’s role wasn’t defined in full, but he knows where he’ll be watching tonight’s game based on his early conversations.

“That I’m going to be in the bullpen, kind of just ready for my opportunity,” he said. “I’ve done it before and it’s really nothing new from the early years in Delmarva and everything. I just think I have to take a little bit more preparation before the game in order to take that into the bullpen, and basically get myself ready and know that I have time to get ready.”

Rom is the replacement for Akin, who was optioned after last night’s game.

“Added somebody who’s built up as a starter,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Left-handed is a plus. It’s nice to have a guy down there who can give us some innings.”

Rom started the first exhibition game before the Orioles sent him to minor league camp.

“He was only up for a short amount of time, but he’s been throwing strikes down there in Norfolk and guys really believe in his stuff quite a bit,” Hyde said. “Added to the 40-man this last offseason and he’s off to a good start in Norfolk, and it’ll be exciting to watch his debut.”

"He's been doing his thing in Triple-A," said executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. "He's been throwing strikes. I think he really only had like one rocky outing. He's been part of a very quality rotation down there. I think we're in a spot where all of those guys can come up and help us on a day-to-day basis when we need a pitcher. This was his day to pitch in Triple-A. We thought he would come up and provide us a nice length option and a left-hander out of the bullpen after we optioned Akin last night. So, I know he's probably pretty excited to be here."

The advice already has come to Rom. He sought it out by going to DL Hall’s room, where he also found Nick Vespi. Two left-handers who already made their debuts in 2022.

“Everything they said has helped me a lot and it’s just been really calming for everything,” Rom said. “And my nerves haven’t been too bad yet, so we’re going to take that one as it goes. Overall, everyone here has been perfect in how they’ve been treating me, and just kind of taking everything in.”

Rom immediately placed a phone call to his parents, who are attending tonight’s game.

“That’s the biggest one that I needed to have,” Rom said, “just because they’ve been sacrificing their whole lives for this moment.”

Rom’s father was the only one still awake when the call came.

“I think my mom kind of woke up to it,” Rom said. “I think she was happy waking up to that.”

Infielder Terrin Vavra was on the same flight as Rom after earning his latest promotion. He isn’t in tonight’s lineup but can get starts in the infield and outfield.

Vavra brought a catcher’s mitt and gear. He’s the emergency backstop with Luis Torrens designated for assignment today.

“Brought all of it,” Vavra said, smiling.

Vavra’s only experience behind the plate outside of high school consists of two games, totaling four innings, this season with Norfolk. He caught in a few simulated games on the back fields in spring training.

“It was good,” he said. “Definitely wasn’t ultra comfortable but I think I did all right, I think I opened some eyes and made people realize it’s something I can actually do, and it’s something I’m excited about. I’ll be ready whenever that opportunity comes again.”

Hyde hopes it doesn’t happen.

“It’s an emergency-only right now,” he said. “If we have an unfortunate circumstance that happens in the game and we need him back there.”

The Orioles optioned Vavra on April 27 to make roster space for Joey Ortiz, his left-handed bat losing value against three consecutive southpaw starters in Detroit.

“It’s just part of this game, especially when you’re on a really competitive team like this,” Vavra said. “There’s going to be a lot of moves throughout the season and it’s just part of the business. I didn’t take it personally. I just took the time to get some at-bats and try to make myself better for it.”

Outfielder Ryan O’Hearn flew into D.C. this morning and got a ride to Baltimore. He was able to return in fewer than 10 days because he’s replacing injured infielder Ramón Urías.

Always stay ready.

“Just got to ride the wave, man. You never know. Be a tool in that toolbox,” he said.

“Happy to be back, help the boys, whatever they need. Same deal.”

O’Hearn was optioned when the Orioles traded for Torrens, and he understood why they did it. To make it less risky to put Adley Rutschman and James McCann in the same lineup.

“I had a feeling it might be me, so can’t stress about it,” he said. “Just roll with the punches, take it as it goes.”

The Orioles lose versatility and a clutch bat with Urías gone.

“Gold Glove defense,” Hyde said. “Played really well at second base this year. Played really well at first base in Atlanta a few days ago. Always gives us good at-bats. So, he’s going to be missed.”

Elias noted how Vavra and O'Hearn help from a matchup and depth standpoint for the team's upcoming opponents.

"Certainly keeping an eye on everything going on around the organization," Elias said.

"I'm very happy that we got a chance to call Drew Rom up today, and it provides us a fresh arm out of the bullpen. I think this is a season and a 40-man roster where every single person on that 40-man roster is going to come in to play for us throughout the year, and he's the next one to get a shot."

Vavra was chosen ahead of right-handed hitters Ortiz and Jordan Westburg, the latter a non-roster player.

Elias said the club was looking from "a short-term basis" who to bring up from Norfolk.

"We've got Terrin here and we'll just kind of see where this all goes," he said. "But we're fortunate right now where we have a lot of guys performing very well in Triple-A, both on and off the 40-man roster, and we're actively discussing all of those guys who are knocking on the door."

That includes Westburg, who impressed in spring training and is batting .333/.395/.593 with four doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 119 plate appearances with Norfolk.

"He's been a great performer in Triple-A, an active topic of conversation, dating back even into last year," Elias said. "This is a move that we had to make pretty quickly last night. Certainly, he's somebody we're still monitoring and discussing and paying very close attention to on a nightly basis. And I think right now, with the opponents we've got here coming up, we're going with this group and we're keeping an eye on all those guys, him included."

The roster churn isn't likely to slow, though the Orioles aren't actively seeking it.

"I think it's kind of a nice position where we've got flexibility with our roster and we have a lot of young players on the 40-man who are doing well in Triple-A, and so when we have an injury or we have some matchups changing or the bullpen needs a fresh arm, we tend to be able to make a move to do it," Elias said.

"It's a long season. I'm sure we'll have a lot of this for a number of reasons. But we're going to go with this group for a while."

The Orioles are trying to snap a season-long three-game losing streak tonight. Elias is happy with the 22-13 start and said the club can get better.

“Our rotation seems to be stabilizing and improving," he said. "We definitely don’t have all of our starting hitters firing on all cylinders. We’ve got guys who haven’t gotten to the level that they performed at in the past or last year, or that we know that they're capable of. I don’t think you’re ever going to get all nine guys hot at one time. I think there’s still room for this young team to keep getting sharper as the season goes along. Now, we’re moving into a challenging part of the schedule, a lot of AL East foes, so it won’t get easier from that standpoint. But I think the arrows are pointing up with a lot players on this team and a lot of the guys in Triple-A.

"We’re in the thick of the playoff race, but it’s only May and we’re going to have to keep taking every series one at a time.”

Reliever Mychal Givens is pitching Wednesday and Thursday with Double-A Bowie, his first back-to-back appearances on his injury rehab assignment. The Baysox are in Harrisburg.

"That's usually something that you want to see from a relief pitcher before they get activated," Elias said.

Elias said he doesn’t have an exact date for Givens and Dillon Tate to return, "but May is a live ball for both of those guys."

Tate has joined Triple-A Norfolk in Jacksonville and will pitch Wednesday.