Hyde "excited about some of the young talent" on team

As the Orioles wait for Game 162 to begin in Toronto, manager Brandon Hyde reflected on the season today and marveled at how briskly it passed.

"We're talking about it in the clubhouse, it seems like a lifetime ago we were in Boston and got rained out of opening day and the next day in Fenway we're still being tested, still having masks, no fans," he said. "It seems like we've come a long way since then and we got back to somewhat as normal a season as could possibly happen.

"There's 30,000 people here yesterday, It was a cool environment. Watching some of these games on TV last night. It feels good that everything is somewhat back to normal, close to being back to normal, and hopefully next year we're fully back to normal."

And, he hopes, more competitive.

"We have a lot of work to do in a lot of areas and we just want to continue to get better," he said. "I'm excited about some of our young guys I think could be core pieces going forward on a good team, and we'll have players making debuts next year, also. We'll have some exciting players. We'll be young, but I think we're starting to get more talented, and for me that's the key.

"You look at this Blue Jays team and you look at their lineup. I mean, there's talented, toolsy, strong players up and down the lineup, coupled with a rotation that is guys that are good and have done it for a while and have really good stuff. I think we're inching closer and getting closer to that. I'm excited about some of the young talent that we have on this team and just want to continue to get better."

The Orioles have gone 3-2 in their last five regular season finales and 7-3 in the last 10; so Hyde has that going for him.

"It's been a tough year," he said. "I liked to see our young players continue to get better, that's the bottom line. The Cedric Mullins, (Ryan) Mountcastle, Tyler Wells. I think watching these guys that can be core pieces, Austin Hays' second half ... I think that's the real bright spot on a year that has not been easy in a lot of ways. But to see talented guys produce, that's been the most enjoyable."

The Blue Jays need a win to make the playoffs as a wild card. The Orioles wield a strong influence.

This isn't just a final regular season game and trip to the airport.

"We didn't show our best the last two games, but hopefully we can come out today and make things interesting and face the Blue Jays in a must-win game for them. That should fire our guys up and we should come out with energy," Hyde said.

"I know Bruce Zimmermann is excited to start. We'll have the entire bullpen ready to go."

Mullins is 2-for-27 in his last nine games and 2-for-29 going back to Sept. 22. Hyde said the sore hamstring isn't impacting Mullins' production down the stretch.

"He's played a six-month season and I think (Myles) Straw is the only guy who's played more games in center field, in a premium position, and he's been incredible for six months," Hyde said.

"I just think he's not getting, maybe, the results haven't been there the last couple weeks. I'm sure there's some fatigue. The hammy was sore for a few days. I think it's fine now. But he just played since the beginning of February almost every single day coming off a shortened season last year, and he's allowed to be a little fatigued, if that's what it is. But really proud of Cedric's year and real excited about him going into next season."

Mullins and Trey Mancini wanted to play today and Hyde wanted them facing Hyun Jin Ryu. Mancini had the only hit yesterday off Alek Manoah, but he's gone without a home run since Sept. 3 and has two since Aug. 14.

"Trying to put our best lineup out there in games that matter," Hyde said. "Cedric didn't want to come out of the game yesterday. I was pulling him out and he wanted to take that at-bat there in the eighth inning. Yeah, they want to play."

Mancini is set for his 147th game this afternoon and already has accumulated 611 plate appearances after missing 2020 while undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Can't reflect on 2021 without going back to that dark time, and a comeback that should earn Mancini an award after the season.

"What I'll remember most is the spring training reaction, the fan reaction first home game," Hyde said. "But along the way, too, just watching opposing players, when he was playing first base, you'd see a guy get to first base and the interaction there, with how much respect Trey has around the league. That's what I'll remember the most."