Orioles lineup, Hyde on how he'll use Davis plus other notes

Chris Davis is back on the Orioles' active roster, but he isn't in their lineup for tonight's game against the Mets at Citi Field.

Pat Valaika is playing first base and Renato Núnez is the designated hitter. Núñez has been receiving treatment for a sore hamstring and missed the last two games.

José Iglesias moves up to second in the order after batting third this season.

Davis hasn't played since Aug. 19 and has two hits in his last 23 at-bats.

"Chris, the last few days, has been taking quite a few at-bats in Bowie and he feels a lot better. Just spoke with him a couple hours ago and he feels good, feels ready to go, so he's here," manager Brandon Hyde said in today's Zoom conference call with the media.

"I'm going to find spots to possibly play him. When I make the lineup out I'm going to give our team the best chance to win and if CD is part of the lineup that day, then he is, and if not, he's going to be ready to pinch-hit and defend late."

Davis could start Wednesday night in the series finale. He has 56 career at-bats against right-hander Rick Porcello and has hit four home runs, though he's slashing .232/.271/.464.

"It's the same way I make (the lineup) with everybody else," Hyde said. "We're facing Michael Wacha tonight. Michael Wacha is a reverse guy. I've got the majority of right-handed batters in the lineup against Wacha. Rick Porcello tomorrow is a sinkerballer, CD has some at-bats against him, had some success against him. It's something that I factor in. So I factor in like the other 12, 13, 14 players we have.

"I make Chris just one part of the team and I make that decision to play him based on a lot of different factors."

Cedric Mullins has been day-to-day, but he's in tonight's lineup.

The taxi squad is holding outfielder Ryan McKenna, infielder Ramón Urías, catcher Austin Wynns and reliever Branden Kline.

McKenna didn't join the player pool until Aug. 3. He's been working out at Bowie, but is making his first road trip with the Orioles.

"I think it's a great experience for Ryan," Hyde said. "It allows Ryan McKenna to come here to be a part of our club and to gain experience, be at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium pregame. Even if he doesn't get activated for this road trip, it's a really nice ...

"Before he never would have gotten this opportunity to be able to kind of have a test run before you make your debut, see what a major league game looks like and what a major league clubhouse looks like and a pregame and all that kind of stuff. The advance meeting and those types of things. So I think it's one really cool thing about this taxi squad situation is guys like Ryan get to experience a major league road trip and what goes into it and see the major league game up close and personal."

Carson Fulmer is in the bullpen tonight. Hyde said the right-hander is a reliever "as of right now."

"We don't know much about Carson," Hyde said. "I saw him a little bit with the White Sox. Carson threw yesterday and our pitching guys are ecstatic about the kind of stuff and what they saw from him in his bullpen session yesterday. It's a top of the first round college guy that got to the big leagues really fast. I saw that early in Chicago.

"They used him in a variety of roles, never really got comfortable at the big league level. So it's a big arm that we want to take a look at and hope we can find some opportunities to get him in and show what he can do."

The appearances will be brief at the beginning because Fulmer hasn't been stretched out or remained active.

"I think the last time he's thrown was over a week ago," Hyde said, "so I wouldn't go more than an inning or two with him his first couple times out."

Jorge López is starting Wednesday night. Left-hander Keegan Akin starts Thursday night against the Yankees in the Bronx.

Hyde was asked about the importance of keeping Akin and Dean Kremer on a five-day routine this week.

"I think we'll keep them on a routine," he said. "I think big leagues you can go four or five days' rest between starts. I think guys can adjust to that. So we're going to try to keep them on somewhat regular rest the rest of the way. We also have other starters we need to think about, as well. But we'll keep them on as close to regular rest as possible."

For the Orioles
Hanser Alberto 2B
José Iglesias SS
Renato Núñez DH
Pedro Severino C
Ryan Mountcastle LF
DJ Stewart RF
Pat Valaika 1B
Rio Ruiz 3B
Cedric Mullins CF

John Means LHP