Notes on Urías' hamstring, Givens' knee, Vespi's arrival, Rodriguez's innings and more

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde saw Ramón Urías in the weight room this afternoon and said the infielder’s left hamstring is improving through rehab sessions.

What hasn’t changed is the anticipated length of Urías’ absence from the active roster. He won’t be back after his 10 days have passed.

“He’s doing well,” Hyde said. “I think the timetable’s still the same. It’s going to be two or three weeks, but he’s progressing extremely well and right now he’s just getting a ton of treatment and doing some exercises in the weight room, but hasn’t done anything besides that.”

Reliever Mychal Givens said his left knee felt good after he pitched Wednesday and Thursday with Double-A Bowie on his rehab assignment. His activation from the injured list is approaching.

“I think he’s pretty close,” Hyde said. “We might try to give him another outing, and then we’re going to continue to monitor from there, go from there.”

The Orioles recalled Nick Vespi today to replace Drew Rom, a swap of left-handers who have different roles in the minors. Rom is a starter who could cover more innings in the bullpen if the need existed.

It doesn’t anymore.

“After the off-day, and with our bullpen being in fairly good shape, we feel just more of a shorter reliever than more of a long guy needed,” Hyde said. “That was the only reason behind it.”

Vespi allowed four runs and struck out 17 batters in 12 2/3 innings with Norfolk following his sports hernia surgery in January.

"I felt good, I felt strong coming off the injury and everything," he said. "I feel back to normal now."

Grayson Rodriguez makes his eighth start Monday night against the Angels at Camden Yards. He’s accumulated 33 2/3 innings, and the Orioles haven’t set a hard count for him.

Rodriguez totaled 103 in the minors in 2021 and 75 2/3 last summer due to a lat strain that cost him exactly three months. The Orioles can pull back Rodriguez a little in the second half if it’s deemed wise.

“Right now, he’s pretty free,” Hyde said. “We’re going to monitor as the second half goes along, and hopefully he can make all of his starts. And if he can, then we’ll kind of go from there and see where he is compared to what his last couple years in the minor leagues were like. But as of right now we don’t have any restrictions on him. If he can go eight, I’m going to let him go eight. But I think as the second half comes and you kind of see where he is, innings-wise, we’ll make decision from there.

“There’s a lot that factors into that, too. Stressful innings, etc. There’s a lot of things. But right now we haven’t put a number on how many innings we’re going to put a cap on for him this year.”

The goal is to keep Rodriguez healthy and avoid shutting him down in September.

“We’re going to see how the second half goes,” Hyde said.

Hyde wore a white Syracuse hooded sweatshirt in the heat today. He’s driving to the university after the game to attend oldest daughter Aria’s graduation on Saturday.

Asked whether he’s a road-trip playlist or podcast guy, Hyde said, “Tonight, I’m going to be a whatever’s-going-to-keep-me awake guy.”

“I do like podcasts,” he said. “The audiobooks, I have a tough time with driving. That tends to make me tired. Just kind of the monotony. I would love to do that. That would be a great time to catch up on books. It does make me a little bit tired. So, it’s going to be probably a podcast night.

“I’m going to say Joe Maddon’s podcast. Always interesting.”

Bench coach Fredi González will manage in Hyde’s place Saturday.

“He already gave me a list of bullpen guys I can’t use tonight so that they’re available tomorrow,” Hyde quipped.

For the Pirates
Ke’Bryan Hayes 3B
Bryan Reynolds LF
Andrew McCutchen DH
Carlos Santana 1B
Jack Suwinski CF
Connor Joe RF
Tucupita Marcano SS
Ji Hwan Bae 2B
Austin Hedges C

Johan Oviedo RHP