Means on mound as Orioles try to move win streak to four games

John Means is bringing a 2.05 ERA into this afternoon's start against the Indians and he's technically in a slump.

This is how good he's been since September 2020. The bar has been raised to such heights that a bump is noticeable.

Means had a 1.21 ERA after following up his May 5 no-hitter with six scoreless innings against the Mets at Citi Field. He's allowed nine runs and 16 hits in his last three starts over 18 1/3 innings. Opponents have hit six home runs, giving him 11 to tie Dean Kremer for the team lead.

Kremer has thrown 32 1/3 fewer innings.

A slump in John Means' world includes a quality start in Minnesota between his two lesser successes, when he held the Twins to two runs with no walks in seven innings and the bullpen imploded in an 8-3 loss.

In Chicago for the second game of last Saturday's doubleheader, Means threw 86 pitches in five innings while allowing three runs in a 3-1 loss. The losing streak reached 11 games with Lance Lynn outdueling Means, who surrendered a solo home run to Billy Hamilton and two-run shot to José Abreu after a cheap two-out single ahead of him.

Thirty-five of Means' 86 pitches came in a scoreless and hitless first inning.

Means made two starts against the Indians in 2019. He allowed three runs in five innings in Cleveland and tossed five scoreless with only one hit in Baltimore.

The Indians are the 17th team in major league history to be no-hit twice in the same season. Keep it in mind.

What he cares about today is getting deep into the game and putting the club in position to win its fourth in a row. What he can do is strengthen his chances of making the All-Star team.

His ERA ranked sixth in the majors last night and his 0.80 WHIP was fourth, just ahead of former Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman (0.81). Opponents are batting .173 against Means, the ninth-lowest average in baseball. His .189 BABIP was second.

There's also an All-Star history with Means, who made the team in 2019 and didn't pitch. Someone owes him an inning.

Hunter Harvey has returned to the Orioles' bullpen after beginning the season on the 60-day injured list with a strained oblique. He missed the competitive start, with the Orioles 15-16 following Means' no-hitter, and the 14-game losing streak that they carried like an anchor.

"It's tough because I feel for a lot of the guys," he said yesterday before allowing a run in the sixth on a single and triple.

"I know we've got some good talent here, and it really stinks that I wasn't up here to be with the guys and try to help them be better and try to contribute. It was tough to watch, and I really wanted to be here and be with the guys and try to win. It's tough to be away from that and watch their struggles. So, I mean, it was tough."

Harvey's father, former All-Star closer Bryan Harvey, sat in the stands last night.

Shawn Armstrong is away after being designated for assignment, perhaps ending a tenure with the Orioles that began on April 28, 2019 with a waiver claim from the Mariners and consisted of 85 games.

My guess is Armstrong won't make it through waivers.

Anyone remember which pitcher came off the active roster two years ago to make room for Armstrong?

That would be Luis Ortiz, who was optioned on the same day that the Orioles recalled him.

Catcher Jesús Sucre was designated for assignment in the morning to create room on the 40-man roster.

The Orioles were in Minnesota that day and the flurry of roster moves felt like a blizzard.

They also optioned pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis, placed starter Alex Cobb on the injured list with a lumbar strain and recalled reliever Branden Kline and catcher Austin Wynns. Only Wynns remains with the Orioles, and he didn't play for them last season.