Orioles claim Louis Head off waivers (plus some pregame notes)

CHICAGO – The Orioles have claimed reliever Louis Head off waivers from the Marlins, which is going to require a corresponding move on a full 40-man roster.

Head was on an injury rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League and the Marlins appeared ready to send him to Triple-A Jacksonville. He’s been sidelined since late June with a right shoulder impingement.

Head, 32, was traded from the Rays to the Marlins in November for a player to be named later who became reliever Josh Roberson. The Indians drafted him in the 18^th round in 2012 out of Texas State University.

The major league debut didn’t arrive until last summer. Head appeared in 27 games with the Rays, including two starts, and posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in 35 innings. He allowed only two home runs.

Head has appeared in 23 games with Miami and allowed 19 runs and 26 hits in 23 2/3 innings. He’s walked 11 batters and stuck out 23.

The Orioles faced Head four times last season, once as a starter, and he allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

The start was made on Aug. 18 as an opener, when Head pitched the first inning at Tropicana Field and surrendered two runs. Cedric Mullins hit a leadoff home run.

Head has two minor league options remaining.

A source confirmed that the Orioles claimed Head on waivers, as first reported by MLB.com.

Meanwhile, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde returns to Wrigley Field tonight. He was the Cubs first base coach on their 2016 World Series team before moving back to bench coach.

He’s bringing a hot club.

The Orioles will try to extend their winning streak to nine games for the first time since September 1999. They’re two games back in the wild card race.

This is the Orioles’ first visit to the North Side since 2014, when they were swept in an August series. Their two-games series against the Cubs this year at Camden Yards was trimmed to one due to rain, with the makeup to be played on Aug. 18. They won 9-3 on June 7.

Trey Mancini has reached base in nine straight games and 17 consecutive starts. He’s 21-for-73 (.288) with five doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs since June 21.

Ryan Mountcastle is 13-for-42 (.310) with six doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs in his last 12 games since June 27.

Jordan Lyles is making his 16^th career appearance and 10^th start against the Cubs. He owns a 5.68 ERA and 1.433 WHIP in 52 1/3 innings.

The Cubs are starting right-hander Adrian Sampson, a fifth-round pick of the Pirates in 2012 who has a 2.91 ERA in five games (three starts). He’s allowed seven earned runs in 21 2/3 innings with three walks and only two home runs.

Sampson held the Brewers to one run in 5 2/3 innings in his last start. His only career appearance against the Orioles was a scoreless relief inning with the Rangers in 2019.

The Mariners selected Sampson off waivers in May and the Cubs re-signed him as a free agent later that month.

Sampson is a reverse splits guy, with right-handers batting .300/.353/.581 against him in his career, and left-handers batting .263/.316/.467.

The Cubs were just swept by the Dodgers in a four-game series in Los Angeles and are 34-52, including 17-27 at home.