Orioles bullpen could undergo more changes today (updated)

The Orioles surrendered five more home runs yesterday in Minnesota, all of them coming out of their bullpen, which again is in need of repair.

Relievers have accounted for 34 of the 69 home runs allowed by the Orioles, easily the most in the majors and 15 more than the runner-up Cardinals and Rangers heading into the late slate of games.

The Twins hit a homer off left-handers Paul Fry and Tanner Scott and three off Jimmy Yacabonis. Scott didn't retire a batter and his ERA rose to 7.11. All three homers off Yacabonis came in the eighth inning and his ERA jumped to 6.32.

Yacabonis threw 44 pitches.

The Orioles could bring up a couple of fresh arms from the farm before this afternoon's series finale.

Branden Kline joined the team last night and apparently will be recalled later today. He was the 26th man in the April 20 doubleheader against the Twins and made his major league debut in Game 2, tossing a scoreless inning before coming back out and giving up a pair of solo home runs.

Kline worked back-to-back games Thursday and Friday, going one inning and two-thirds of an inning.

Triple-A Norfolk manager Gary Kendall used only two relievers last night behind Luis Ysla. Tanner Chleborad worked 3 1/3 innings and Jay Flaa worked 2 1/3. Luis Ortiz is scheduled to start today.

The bullpen would benefit from a lighter load, but starter Dan Straily lasted only four innings yesterday.

The rotation has totaled 126 1/3 innings, which ranked 25th in the majors last night. The bullpen has worked 119 2/3 innings to rank first, with the opener-using Rays next at 118 1/3.

* The new regime in Baltimore needed six weeks in Sarasota and two-thirds of an inning in a major league game to decide that Pedro Araujo shouldn't hold onto his spot on the 40-man roster.

The Orioles couldn't option Araujo due to his remaining Rule 5 status and they weren't willing to wait a few more weeks, designating him for assignment April 3 and selecting pitcher Matt Wotherspoon's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. Araujo passed through waivers and the Cubs took him back - until trading him back to the Orioles two days later for international signing bonus slot funds valued at $750,000.

On the same day, the Orioles signed Straily and designated Rule 5 infielder Drew Jackson for assignment to leave them with a three-man bench. Jackson returned to the Dodgers.

Araujo was assigned to Double-A Bowie, where he belonged all along. He tried to make the jump from Single-A Myrtle Beach to the majors last year, with the predictable results. A 7.71 ERA and 1.679 WHIP with 18 walks and nine home runs allowed in 20 appearances over 28 innings and a lengthy stay on the disabled list with an elbow injury.

How's Araujo faring with the Baysox?

He's made six appearances totaling 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs and four hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. He hasn't surrendered a home run and opponents are batting .167 against him.

Araujo hasn't allowed an earned run in his last five outings.

It was smart to keep him in the organization if the Cubs were agreeable to it. Araujo is only 24 and he registered a 1.81 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 44 games with Myrtle Beach in 2017, striking out 83 batters in 64 2/3 innings and leading the Orioles to take him in the Rule 5 draft.

Araujo was 26-9 with 2.63 ERA in 145 minor league games before joining the Orioles, striking out 394 in 341 2/3 innings. Scout Dave Engle watched Araujo in the Arizona Fall League and recommended him.

Keep working with him. It isn't a huge financial commitment and those international signing bonus funds aren't going to bring in top international talent before the July reset.

Two other pitchers chosen by the Orioles in the 2017 Rule 5 draft, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Jose Mesa Jr., were returned to the Yankees. Mesa didn't make it out of spring training. Cortes appeared in four games, allowed four runs and 10 hits with four walks in 4 2/3 innings and didn't make it out of April.

Cortes hasn't been back in the majors. He's made four starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and allowed nine runs and 19 hits in 21 2/3 innings. He's walked seven and struck out 21.

Mesa hasn't stayed healthy. He made only nine appearances last summer at Double-A Trenton and has gotten into three games this year - allowing six runs and seven hits with nine walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Remember when the Orioles thought he might be able to start?

* They close out their series in Minnesota today with Dylan Bundy searching for his first win since Sept. 13 and his second since July 29.

If you still care about a pitcher's won-loss record.

Bundy's finest outing this season came against the Twins last Sunday, when he allowed two earned runs (four total) over six innings and didn't surrender a home run while lowering his ERA from 7.79 to 6.56. He's 0-4 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.398 WHIP in six career games (five starts) against the Twins and has allowed 11 earned runs (12 total) and 14 hits in 8 1/3 innings in two starts at Target Field.

On six days' rest or more, Bundy has registered a 3.80 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in 13 starts over 73 1/3 innings. He owns a 4.60 ERA and 1.279 WHIP in 35 starts on four days' and a 5.75 ERA and 1.459 WHIP in 30 starts on five days'.

If you study pitcher-catcher pairings, Bundy has allowed five earned runs in 11 innings with Jesús Sucre behind the plate and 12 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings with Pedro Severino. Doubt if you can read anything into it, but there you go.

Update: Ortiz and catcher Austin Wynns also joined the Orioles in Minnesota. I don't know whether a catcher is coming off the 25-man roster or the club is going with a four-man bench while Trey Mancini is day-to-day with a bruised hand.