Notes on Araujo, tonight's game and bad start to trip

SEATTLE - If the Orioles really like reliever Pedro Araujo, they keep him for at least the first 17 days of the 2019 season.

Araujo's Rule 5 status will carry over, as it did this year with outfielder Anthony Santander. Manager Buck Showalter told the media in Kansas City yesterday that Araujo won't pitch again this season after going on the disabled list June 11 with a strained right elbow.

Some eyebrows were raised, of course, when Araujo was put on the shelf. He had a 7.71 ERA and 1.679 WHIP in 20 games and the Orioles needed a spot for closer Zach Britton on the 25-man roster. But Araujo had to be shut down from a throwing program and received an injection due to soreness in the elbow and he won't be included on the expanded September roster when he more easily could have been stashed with the additional relievers.

He also could have been used in less-pressurized situations with more coverage in the bullpen and the Orioles in evaluation mode rather than trying to contend, but it won't happen.

Araujo registered a 1.81 ERA and 0.912 WHIP in 44 games last summer at Single-A Myrtle Beach, with 83 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings, and the Orioles broke camp with him despite the enormous leap to the majors. They also kept left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., gambling that two Rule 5 picks wouldn't totally handcuff Showalter.

It's hard to finesse two of them.

It makes no sense to cut loose Araujo now that he's gone this far and it's only 17 days in a season that's dedicated to the rebuild. Option him as soon as it's permissible, assuming that he still isn't ready, and put him in Bowie's bullpen to restart his development. The 2018 season didn't do much for his progress or his confidence.

Cortes was designated for assignment on April 10 and returned to the Yankees. He went 6-6 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 23 games (18 starts) with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and probably would have returned to the Orioles this summer if they had the freedom to keep him in the organization.

Why should Jimmy Yacabonis have all the 26th man fun?

Santander spent the first 44 days with the club before the Orioles could option him to Double-A Bowie. He batted .258/.293/.402 in 54 games with the Baysox, went on the disabled list with an infection in his knee, is has posted a .175 average and .534 OPS in 10 games at Triple-A Norfolk and could be recalled later this month.

A couple of moves are anticipated before tonight's series opener in Seattle or the following day. The Orioles have made only one since rosters could expand, recalling infielder Breyvic Valera from Norfolk.

The Tides' season ended today and they failed to secure a wild card spot.

Santander and catcher Chance Sisco were in the lineup yesterday for a 7-2 win in Durham.

The Orioles lost two of three games in Seattle last year and swept a three-game series at home. They're 2-8 at Safeco Field over the past three seasons.

The last three-game sweep in Seattle came in 2012. The Mariners swept the Orioles in a three-game series in 2010 and in four games in 2016.

Left-hander Josh Rogers makes his second major league start after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings against the Blue Jays on Aug. 28. The Mariners counter with Erasmo Ramírez, who's 1-3 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in six starts over 28 2/3 innings. He's surrendered nine home runs.

Ramírez missed most of the season with a shoulder injury that twice landed him on the disabled list. He's 2-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 0.889 WHIP in 17 career games (seven starts) versus the Orioles.

Chris Davis has two doubles and two home runs among his six hits in 22 at-bats against Ramírez. Mark Trumbo is 1-for-20 and awaiting knee surgery later this week.

The Orioles are listing Wednesday's starter as TBD, though it's Andrew Cashner's turn in the rotation. Perhaps Showalter can shed some light on the situation later today.

The road trip has started with three losses in Kansas City by a combined score of 23-7 to lower the Orioles record to 40-97, and yesterday's game featured two errors by starter David Hess and one by Valera in the third inning.

The 97 losses are the most since the Orioles dropped 98 in 2009. This is the sixth team in club history to reach 97 losses. Three more and they'll become the third to touch 100.