Orioles recall Ortiz in latest roster move (plus lineup and notes)

Joey Ortiz is back with the Orioles for the third time.

The Orioles recalled Ortiz from Triple-A Norfolk this afternoon and optioned Mark Kolozsvary, who joined the active roster yesterday and caught the ninth inning.

The move is another response to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle going on the 10-day injured list yesterday with vertigo.

Ortiz’s last game with the Orioles was May 24 in New York. He was optioned two days later and didn’t play for Norfolk again until June 8 due to illness, but he’s gone 9-for-25 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs this month.

Ortiz is 7-for-27 with the Orioles. He’s on the bench tonight.

Ryan O’Hearn remains in the Orioles lineup and is batting cleanup and starting in right field after homering in back-to-back games for the second time this season. Gunnar Henderson is the shortstop and will try to run his homer streak to four in a row.

The Orioles’ rookie record for most home runs in consecutive games is five by catcher Caleb Joseph in August 2014, per STATS.

Henderson has built a six-game hitting streak, slashing .542/.560/1.083 (13-for-24) with a double, four home runs, 10 RBIs, a walk, six runs scored and two stolen bases.

Josh Lester is the first baseman tonight. Anthony Santander is the designated hitter.

Kyle Bradish is coming off a 10-strikeout game in Milwaukee, when he allowed three runs in five innings. He has 15 strikeouts in two starts this month over nine innings.

Bradish is 0-2 with a 6.95 ERA and 1.909 WHIP in five career starts against the Blue Jays. George Springer is 6-for-11 with four doubles against him. Alejandro Kirk is 5-for-7 with a double, Bo Bichette is 4-for-12 with two home runs and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 5-for-13 with a home run.

The Orioles have won five games in a row, giving them the second-best record in baseball at 42-24, and are only four behind the first-place Rays, who have dropped two straight to the Athletics. A victory tonight would put the Orioles 19 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2014 season.

José Berríos is 6-4 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.228 WHIP in 13 starts this season. He’s seeking his eighth quality start tonight and has allowed only four runs in his last four outings over 24 2/3 innings.

The Orioles know plenty about Berríos. They just haven’t been able to beat him. The right-hander is 9-0 against them with a 2.92 ERA and 1.117 WHIP in 12 starts.

Adley Rutschman is 7-for-10 with two doubles and a home run against Berríos. James McCann is 8-for-24 with two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs, but he’s on the bench.

O’Hearn is 7-for-19 with two doubles and two home runs. Aaron Hicks is 5-for-14 with a double.

For the Orioles
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Anthony Santander DH
Ryan O’Hearn RF
Austin Hays LF
Aaron Hicks CF
Adam Frazier 2B
Josh Lester 1B
Ramón Urías 3B

Kyle Bradish RHP

Infielder Luis Almeyda, who was the jewel of the Orioles 2023 international draft class and signed for a club-record $2.3 million, will miss several weeks with a left ankle sprain. Almeyda, 17, was 3-for-20 with a double, two home runs and eight RBIs in the Dominican Summer League.