Orioles activate McCann and option Stowers

The Orioles have decided to carry three catchers on their 26-man roster.

Veteran James McCann was activated this morning from the 10-day injured list after two injury rehab games at High-A Aberdeen. As the corresponding move, outfielder Kyle Stowers was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Anthony Bemboom remains in the majors, providing a second backup to Adley Rutschman.

McCann could be in today’s lineup with the Yankees starting left-hander Nestor Cortes.

Stowers has barely played this season. He received only six plate appearances in three games.

Manager Brandon Hyde sent up Stowers last night to pinch-hit for Austin Hays in the ninth inning. Stowers drew a walk against Yankees closer Clay Holmes and is 0-for-4 with two walks and three strikeouts.

Terrin Vavra started in right field last night and made a diving catch in a 4-1 loss. Hyde said earlier in the day that he wanted to provide Vavra with more playing time.

“I really like the at-bats that he gives,” Hyde said. “Our outfielders have swung the bat well and played well. We didn’t have a great defensive series in Boston, but those guys all swung the bat well. That was kind of a funky series, honestly, with the conditions and the glare and the shadows and the weather, and then the ballpark coming out of spring training. Just didn’t play our best, but we did swing the bat well. All those guys did. And wanted to keep a lot of those guys in the lineup, try to find time for some others, also.

“Terrin gives you consistent at-bats and he’s worked hard on his defense in the infield and the outfield.”

Stowers made his major league debut on June 13 in Toronto, replacing Anthony Santander after the outfielder went on the restricted list. He returned in August and batted .253/.306/.418 with four doubles, a triple and three home runs in 34 games. He walked five times and struck out 29 in 98 plate appearances.

McCann, acquired from the Mets on Dec. 21, was inactive for the last week of spring training after straining his left oblique. He caught seven innings last night in the first game of Aberdeen’s doubleheader and was expected to be activated this morning.

Optioning Stowers wasn’t the obvious counter move, but the club would rather give him steady at-bats in the minors, and keeping a third catcher more easily allows Hyde to put two in the same lineup. Rutschman and McCann can play first base or serve as the designated hitter.

The Orioles also are facing left-handers in the first three games of the upcoming four-game series against Oakland, which could get McCann off the bench.

The left-handed hitting Bemboom will have more difficulty. He’s made one start.