Leftovers for breakfast

Ryan McKenna doesn’t step up to the plate with the intent to hit a home run. He has the power but isn’t going to flex.

When McKenna’s fly ball in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s game cleared the vaunted left field wall, he broke a tie – another temporary lead – and delivered the first go-ahead hit of his career.

The home run was his third in 288 plate appearances, and his first since last September.

The ball left McKenna’s bat at 103 mph. The 396 feet were sufficient.

Was he confident that it would land in the seats?

“It’s always tough to say with that wall,” he said yesterday. “I knew that I got a lot of it, and it was going to be an extra-base hit, but just watching it go over is kind of when I knew.”

McKenna has hit 42 home runs in seven minor league seasons, including 11 last summer with Triple-A Norfolk. But the Orioles want him on their roster for his defense, speed and level of comfort coming off the bench. He’s able to contribute in multiple ways.

Late-inning home runs to provide leads aren’t the usual expectation.

“In any aspect of the game, when you’re scoring runs and helping the offense and defense, it’s always good,” he said. “Yeah, of course, I enjoyed it and I was glad we came out on top.”

Manager Brandon Hyde devoted a portion of his postgame media session to praising McKenna again, especially the short notice that the outfielder would be in the lineup. How he “comes to play every day,” how he’s always “incredibly supportive” on the bench and ready to be used in any capacity.

“He's preparing like a pro,” Hyde said. “He's becoming a pro.”

McKenna, 25, takes pride in these qualities. They can keep him in the majors.

“I think it’s been just a lot of mentorship by this coaching staff,” he said. “Just being ready is all you can do, and learning. I’ve said this before, but there’s always something to learn, always something to watch – tendencies and how you can contribute, whether it’s a pinch-run or a pinch-hit, defensive play, how the guy’s swinging at the plate and where you’re playing in the field.

“I think we’ve all done a really good job of keeping each other accountable. We play as a team, but we’re also very dedicated to what we need to do to win the games. Each person has his own routine, and I think that collectively has helped us a lot.”

The trips to Triple-A have been reduced, which also must assist McKenna in growing more comfortable in the majors and with his role. He broke camp with the team, was optioned on May 1 and returned two weeks later after Austin Hays suffered lacerations on the back of his left hand.

“Just going forward with the routine, it’s a definite positive,” he said. “Just looking to continue and helping the team win some ballgames here.”

The homer was followed last night by a run-scoring infield hit in the second inning, with McKenna’s speed allowing him to reach and forcing shortstop Corey Seager into a throwing error that allowed another runner to cross the plate.

McKenna extended his hitting streak to a career-high four games. He’s 5-for-14 with a double and home run.

Though it doesn’t influence McKenna’s longevity on the roster, one of his other skills is being able to solve a Rubik’s Cube.

He did it in front of teammates at the annual spring training talent show, but not in the promised time.

“I got a little bit cocky with it,” he said. “I said I could do it in under two minutes, but it took me like six minutes under pressure. But yeah, I can get one done.

“There’s a bunch of sequences that you kind of memorize, and I just learned it traveling, playing AAU baseball. And there’s a lot of time to kill on the road, so it was one of the things that I picked up.”

McKenna almost lost it in the lights at spring training. He said they switched to multi-colored after he walked onto the stage, and it affected his vision.

Maybe a slight case of nerves, too, which doesn’t happen on the field.

* There was little doubt that the Orioles would bring up a fresh reliever yesterday, with the 40-man roster possibilities including Beau Sulser, Marcos Diplán, Logan Gillaspie and Mike Baumann.

They chose Sulser.

Claiming left-hander Kirk McCarty off waivers from the Guardians and optioning him to Norfolk necessitated a corresponding 40-man move.

They chose Diplán, who was designated for assignment.

The Orioles could try to pass Diplán through waivers a third time after twice designating him in the past. He can decline an outright assignment and choose free agency.

My curiosity is the choice to keep reliever Travis Lakins Sr. on the 15-day injured list. A simple transfer to the 60-day creates an opening on the 40-man.

I’m assuming that it’s simple. Maybe there’s more to it. But the Orioles have resisted that move in the past while also designating infielder Jahmai Jones and pitchers Zac Lowther and Cody Sedlock.

Lakins was placed on the IL retroactive to May 12 with right elbow inflammation after the Orioles reversed his option to Norfolk. He’s going to easily clear 60 days. The last time I checked, on June 20, he was on a throwing progression in Sarasota.

* The Orioles posted their 39^th win last night. They didn’t win 39 in 2021 until Aug. 25.

They’ve won eight of their last 11 games at Camden Yards.