Orioles keeping eyes on present and future in 2023 (tonight's game postponed)

DETROIT – The words have been uttered multiple times now by multiple people in the Orioles organization.

Manager Brandon Hyde floated them into the chilly Detroit air yesterday afternoon while seated in the visiting dugout, explaining why the Orioles optioned Terrin Vavra and brought up infield prospect Joey Ortiz. A promotion that wasn’t telegraphed. Whose purpose wasn’t immediately known.

“We’re trying to win games,” Hyde said.

Let’s make that perfectly clear.

Player development remains a priority and the Orioles get a kick out of being first in farm system rankings, but they don’t intend to punt the playoffs. They want a wild card berth, at the very least. The games in April matter as much as August and September.

Grayson Rodriguez was optioned at the end of camp because the Orioles kept their five best starters, but he was a quick recall after a line drive slammed off Kyle Bradish’s right foot in Texas. He made one start with Triple-A Norfolk and was in the majors.

Cole Irvin received only three starts before a surprise demotion, with his ERA at 10.66 and his WHIP 1.974. The Orioles identified what he needed to work on, but he couldn’t do it with them.

Ortiz got the call because the Orioles are facing three left-handed starters in a row. Ortiz is a right-handed hitter. Vavra bats from the left side. And there’s more to it.

Jorge Mateo left a game in D.C. with a sore right hip and the club is being careful with him. Ortiz is a talented insurance policy at shortstop. A defensive wiz. And Vavra’s ability to play the outfield is less important with Austin Hays perhaps returning to the lineup in a day or two.

Hays has his right middle finger taped after being hit Tuesday night while attempting to bunt. Poor technique but good fortune, because the injury could have been much worse.

That finger could have been used as commentary if Hays went on the IL, a season after staying away from it and playing hurt.

Pulling Ortiz out of Triple-A this early, with the real possibility that he’s optioned later, addresses a current need on the club, after all those rebuild years spent saying they wouldn’t do that with a prospect.

Jordan Westburg is batting .323/.397/.585 with two doubles, five home runs and 19 RBIs with Norfolk and he’s a right-handed hitter, but he isn’t on the 40-man roster. He stuck around major league camp until the end and opened eyes wide, slashing .306/.368/.510 in 22 games on the heels of being named the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said, “He’s really close.” Then, he added, “We want guys of this caliber to come up and stay up. I don’t like sending guys up and back.”

It could happen with Ortiz

It could have happened with Westburg if he were here.

So, forgive the shuttle if it arrives for you. And thanks for doing your part. You’ll be back.

They’re going to play if promoted. Otherwise, it’s a repeat of the Kyle Stowers situation, and he was optioned to get regular at-bats. To avoid hurting his development.

Vavra is more versatile and he’s more of a contact hitter, which the Orioles figured would give them a better chance of winning. Now, Ortiz is the chosen one for however long.

The 17-8 Orioles have the most wins before the end of April of any team in franchise history. Ortiz drove in three runs to tie Don Baylor for the club record in a major league debut, though the latter needed 11 innings. He’s playing again tonight if the forecast improves.

Hyde can get clever rotating players, loving the flexibility on his roster, treating it almost like a toy. Ortiz started at second base last night with Adam Frazier in right field. Ramón Urías played third base with Gunnar Henderson on the bench, but the rookie might get back in the lineup tonight in a left-on-left matchup.

The Orioles never rose more than 10 games above .500 last season. They are on the verge of matching it in April.

* Adley Rutschman singled twice last night and leads the team in hits with 27 and was first in walks with 20.

Only two catchers American League history have led their team in hits and walks – Oakland’s Sean Murphy in 2022 and Minnesota’s Joe Mauer in 2012 and 2009. STATS includes ties in this stat.

Rutschman leads AL catchers in hits with 128 and walks with 85 since his debut on May 21, 2022.

* Tonight's game has been postponed due to rain. The teams will play a split doubleheader on Saturday.

The first game has been moved up to 12:10 p.m. The second game will begin at 5:10 p.m.

Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer were the scheduled starters tonight and Saturday, respectively.