Orioles place Cobb on IL (plus other notes, O's down 10-2)

The Orioles are using the injured list for the second time today, placing Alex Cobb on it with a lumbar strain. The move is retroactive to Saturday.

Cobb was supposed to start Wednesday night against the Athletics, but manager Brandon Hyde will have to find a replacement.

No corresponding roster move was announced, only the removal of Cobb and the reason behind it.

Cobb opened the season on the IL with a groin injury and made his debut in Thursday's home opener against the Yankees, allowing two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

It's been a bumpy ride for Cobb since the Orioles signed him to a four-year, $57 million contract in March 2018. The abbreviated camp and miserable first half, blisters on the index and middle fingers of his right hand and now a pair of injuries and trips to the IL.

Nate Karns was put on the IL earlier today with tightness in his right forearm, removing him from the bullpen and consideration as the opener.

Josh Rogers and Yefry Ramirez were the scheduled starters today for Triple-A Norfolk's doubleheader in Charlotte, but Rogers has been scratched. Sean Gilmartin will start in place of Rogers, who is likely headed to Baltimore.

* Trey Mancini is in right field again tonight, the latest evidence that he's switching corners under Hyde.

Dwight Smith Jr. gets most of the starts in left, but when he sat last night, Joey Rickard inherited the spot and Mancini remained in right.

Mancini has been in the lineup in right field for seven of the 11 games. He's played first base twice and served twice as the designated hitter.

"He's played an outstanding right field," Hyde said. "I talked to him about it yesterday. He looks really natural to me out there. I thought he looked natural to me out there in spring training, also. I'd move him from corner to corner.

"I told him I think his arm plays better out there for whatever reason. I like his jumps. He's just done a really, really nice job."

Former manager Buck Showalter played Mancini in left, but thought he'd eventually be a better fit in right at Camden Yards. Mancini started twice in right field in 2017.

"I can play him in both spots and feel comfortable," Hyde said, adding that the switch this season is mainly "ballpark specific."

"Just because of angles and left-handed, right-handed, how the ball comes off the bat a little bit differently. That's why I tried to get him accustomed to both spots in spring training as much as possible. And this park is a little smaller in right, it's got a little bigger gap in left-center. Boston's totally different, so we'll reevaluate it when we go to different places. But I just like how he's playing."

Smith got his first rest last night and is back in the lineup against Athletics left-hander Brett Anderson.

"Big spark, big spark," Hyde said. "Pro at-bats, covers the field. Grinds out ABs against lefties and righties. Love the way he stays in there, hangs in there, uses the whole field. Just gives you a pro AB and gives himself a chance every time up.

"He's on time, he does his homework pregame, he's on time with the heater during the game. For a guy with a big leg kick that he has, he doesn't go forward. He kind of stays in the center, stays back really, really well. A lot of guys with those big leg kicks can drift, and Smitty stays behind the ball really well.

"He's off to a really good start. He ended spring training on a tear, kept it going in the beginning part of the year and is going to continue getting playing time here."

* Hyde said a best-case scenario is getting four or five innings out of left-hander John Means, making his first major league start tonight. Means has thrown 79, 34 and 18 pitches in three relief appearances, the latter used as a side day Saturday in preparation for tonight's assignment.

"We'll see how the game goes and see how he feels," Hyde said. "It's kind of a spot start situation. Not true rest, but has given us some length out of the 'pen, so his pitch count is at a decent number. But realistically probably four or five innings."

* Hyde closed his media session with an unprompted show of appreciation for the ovations that greeted Chris Davis throughout last night's game. Davis set the record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit by a non-pitcher and is one plate appearance away from tying Tony Bernazard's record of 57.

The booing ceased as Davis came to plate five times, lining out in each of the first three and striking out twice.

Davis is out of the lineup tonight. He was on the field this afternoon for early batting practice, with a slow-motion camera set up behind the plate, and took regular BP later in the day.

"I just thought the fan reaction to Chris last night was phenomenal, phenomenal," Hyde said. "Obviously, he's going through a really tough time and I just through that was so cool and shows a lot about our fan base, how they were really cheering him on.

"There was disappointment when he didn't get those hits. But I just thought their reaction to the tough times he had and how they cheered him last night was fantastic."

Update: Oakland used three infield hits, a Hanser Alberto error and Marcus Semien three-run homer to lead 5-0 in the second inning.

Update II: Jurickson Profar homered on Richard Bleier's first pitch in the seventh inning for a 6-0 lead.

Update III: The Orioles averted a shutout in the seventh on Pedro Severino's two-run double, but the A's scored four runs in the eighth for a 10-2 lead. Miguel Castro replaced Bleier with the bases loaded and let all three inherited runners score. He also was charged with one of his own.