Mountcastle scratched from lineup and more from Elias

NEW YORK – Ryan Mountcastle was scratched from tonight’s lineup with neck stiffness. Anthony Santander moved from right field to the designated hitter spot, and Ryan McKenna is playing right.

Manager Brandon Hyde stopped by McKenna’s locker to pass along the update.

“He’s getting treatment right now on the side of his neck,” Hyde said, adding that Mountcastle should be available off the bench.

Reliever Paul Fry wasn’t available in Anaheim because of a similar ailment.

“What’s up with the pillows?” Hyde said. “We’re staying in a nice hotel. These beds are super comfortable. I don’t know. They’re not used to the bed or pillow or something, but we’ve had two stiff necks in the last week.”

The starter for Saturday’s game against the Red Sox remains undecided.

Hyde might know by Thursday, but don’t expect an announcement.

“We’re going to wait until this series is over and kind of see where we are pitching-wise,” he said.

Alexander Wells figures to be eliminated based on last night’s relief appearance. Kyle Bradish or another Triple-A starter could be called up. Hyde could choose a bullpen game.

Catcher Creed Willems, an eighth-round pick in last year’s draft, will report to Single-A Delmarva later this week.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Trey Mancini 1B
Anthony Santander DH
Austin Hays LF
Ramón Urías 3B
Robinson Chirinos C
Chris Owings 2B
Jorge Mateo SS
Ryan McKenna RF

Tyler Wells RHP

For the Yankees
DJ LeMahieu 3B
Aaron Judge CF
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Giancarlo Stanton RF
Josh Donaldson DH
Gleyber Torres 2B
Joey Gallo LF
Isiah Kiner-Falefa SS
Jose Trevino C

Jordan Montgomery LHP

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias provided an update today on John Means’ elbow surgery in Dallas, referring to it as a “successful” procedure on the ulnar collateral ligament.

“John’s been discharged from the hospital,” Elias said on a video call. “He’s going to start his rehabilitation immediately under the direction of our medical staff, and everything went great. Obviously, there’s a large historical record of pitchers getting this surgery, and while we expect him to obviously miss the rest of 2022, we think he’ll be back at some point in 2023. And if history and John’s work ethic are any guide, he’ll be back as good as ever, if not better than ever. And we look forward to having him back on the team next year.”

A 12-month absence is the norm, but it could take as many as 18.

“We’ll just take it as it comes,” Elias said. “He’s a very hard worker, he’s got everything else going for him. We have a first-rate surgeon and rehab staff. The timing, while not great, it definitely is not the worst possible timing. So, very optimistic that we get him back hopefully in the first half of 2023, but you’ve got to leave some allowances for case-by-case.”

Elias is confident that Means will pitch “a big portion” of the season.

For now, the plan is for Means to join the Orioles during their next homestand and allow the medical and athletic training staffs to check on him.

“When he’s ready to do some real physical activity, the scene will probably shift to Sarasota,” Elias said. “But we’re in a good spot. John’s actually living in Dallas, there’s ton of rehab facilities available there surrounding Dr. (Keith) Meister’s practice. … I imagine we’ll see him in all three locations over the next few weeks. But he’ll be spending a lot of time in Florida once the fall and winter rolls around, for sure.”

So, what about Bradish to fill the opening in the rotation?

“I think anybody in our Triple-A who’s pitching well and pitching as well as Kyle is, has put themselves in good contention for joining this rotation. Until the (Chris) Ellis injury, we had five starters who were going pretty good. We’re in a situation right now this week where our focus is on the next couple of games here versus the Yankees, which is kind of an all-hands-on-deck approach from the pitching staff. I think once we get through these next couple games, we’ll take a look at who’s rested on the major league roster and see what we do with that fifth rotation spot going forward.

“But certainly he and other people have put themselves on the radar for helping the staff this year.”

Matt Harvey could provide a starter option later in the summer. He’s making a second start Thursday at extended spring training.

“He got a late jump signing, and therefore we’ve had to recreate a spring training experience for him,” Elias said.

“He’s thrown well, showing his typical stuff and velocity, and as far as we’re concerned, he’s a member of our organization, he’s on a minor league contract. When he’s ready, we’ll get him out of Florida and into affiliate play and we’ll take it as it comes from a baseball standpoint as his stuff and performance dictates.”

Elias said the team is aware of the “off-field background of his situation,” a reference to Harvey’s testimony in Eric Kay’s trial and the possibility of a suspension.

“I don’t feel it’s my place to comment on that until such time that everything that has transpired, may transpire, does take place there,” he said. “Right now, he’s a minor leaguer in our system, we’re always supportive of anything that happens above and beyond our franchise and at the league level regarding such things. He was a terrific member of our organization in 2021, first-rate teammate, and he’s part of our system right now, and he’s working his way up toward leaving Florida and going out to an affiliate. So, I think that’s where we’re at with him.”

Left-hander DL Hall starts Friday at high Single-A Aberdeen. The Orioles want to build up his innings, which is why he stayed back at extended spring training, and the hope is he can

Hall eventually will return to Double-A Bowie and also pitch at Norfolk. He's been build up to four-plus innings in Florida and could reach that amount Friday with the IronBirds.

"We have to be mindful of what his workload is going to be with the goal that he stays up and running all year long," Elias said. "That's going to require some pacing in terms of the bullets that he's firing and the innings that he's racking up."