Orioles place Akin on injured list

The Orioles placed left-handed reliever Keegan Akin on the 15-day injured list this afternoon with lower back discomfort, a move that’s retroactive to yesterday. Lefty Nick Vespi was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.

Akin has allowed 10 earned runs (13 total) and 12 hits in his last four appearances over four innings. He was charged with two earned runs and four total in the 10^th inning Wednesday against the Reds and couldn’t record the final out.

The appearance left Akin with a 6.85 ERA.

The Orioles optioned Akin on May 9 and recalled him three weeks later. The media will find out later today if his absence could extend beyond 15 days.

Vespi has registered a 1.71 ERA and 0.987 WHIP in 23 games with Norfolk. His last appearance was Saturday.

The Orioles recalled Vespi on June 9 and optioned him the following day without using him. He also came up in May but didn't pitch.

A bullpen move was anticipated today as the Orioles begin their final homestand before the All-Star break. But Akin seemed vulnerable to another demotion rather than a stint on the IL.

Rookie Jordan Westburg figures to stay in the Orioles’ lineup, perhaps starting again at third base with the Twins sending right-hander Pablo López to the mound. Westburg the fifth player in club history with five or more hits, multiple RBIs and multiple runs scored in his first three major league games, according to STATS. Joey Rickard, Manny Machado, Rhyne Hughes and Jeffrey Hammonds are the others.

Dean Kremer has allowed three earned runs or fewer in four of five starts this month. He faced the Twins on May 25, 2021 in Minnesota and surrendered five runs and six hits in four innings.

The next three series are against teams in the American League, with the Marlins coming to Baltimore after the break. The Orioles are 38-21 (.644) against the AL, the third-best winning percentage in the majors for a team in its league.

The Orioles are 6-20 against the Twins since 2018.

López, acquired from the Marlins for Luis Arráez, is 3-5 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.156 WHIP in 16 starts. He’s struck out 120 batters in 96 innings.

Nine of López’s outings have been quality starts. He’s struck out at least nine batters in his last three starts.

The only career start for López against the Orioles occurred in his first appearance of the truncated 2020 season, when he tossed five scoreless innings at Camden Yards with two hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.

Carlos Correa’s average has dipped from .291 last season to .212, the largest decline for any qualified hitter this year, per STATS.

These teams will meet again July 9-11 at Target Field to close out the first half. They split four games in Baltimore last year, and the Twins won two of three in Minnesota.

The Orioles haven’t swept the Twins in a three-game series at home since 2016.

The Twins and Guardians are tied for first place in the American League Central, two games below .500. Minnesota has lost three in a row, and is 17-23 on the road this season.

Pitching hasn’t been an issue. The Twins began yesterday with the fourth-lowest ERA in the majors at 3.70. The rotation is fourth at 3.78, and the bullpen is fifth at 3.56.