Orioles recall Vespi and option Zimmermann

The Orioles made another adjustment to their bullpen before tonight’s series opener against the Royals at Camden Yards.

Left-hander Nick Vespi was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and lefty Bruce Zimmermann was optioned, giving manager Brandon Hyde an available arm in relief. Zimmermann threw 61 pitches in three innings Wednesday night in Milwaukee.

Vespi is waiting to make his first appearance in 2023. He was recalled on May 12 and optioned two days later.

The numbers in Triple-A are worthy of a second promotion.

Vespi is 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA, 0.984 WHIP and seven saves in 19 games with Norfolk. He’s allowed four runs and 15 hits with five walks and 21 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.

There could be another move coming with Saturday’s starter TBA and the club seeming less enthused about using an opener.

Meanwhile, the Orioles begin another homestand tonight after going 3-3 on their trip to San Francisco and Milwaukee.

Tyler Wells has registered a 3.29 ERA in 12 games, and his 0.849 WHIP is the lowest in the majors. He made a May 2 start in Kansas City and allowed four runs and three hits in six innings.

Bobby Witt, MJ Melendez and Salvador Perez hit home runs off Wells, who’s 3-0 with a 3.54 ERA and 0.934 WHIP in six career appearances (three starts) against the Royals.

The Rays have won six games in a row to keep the Orioles 6 1/2 back in the American League East. The Yankees are two games behind the Orioles.

The Royals own baseball’s second-worst record at 18-44. They lost two of three games to the Orioles last month in Kansas City.

Daniel Lynch, the 34^th-overall pick in the 2018 draft out of the University of Virginia, has made two starts and allowed five earned runs (seven total) and 11 hits in 10 1/3 innings. He’s struck out 13 batters.

Lynch is 8-20 with a 5.27 ERA and 1.586 WHIP in 44 career starts over three seasons. The Richmond native has lost both starts against the Orioles, allowing six earned runs (seven total) and 12 hits in nine innings.

Adley Rutschman is 2-for-3 with a double against Lynch. Ryan Mountcastle is 2-for-5.

The Orioles released Norfolk left-hander Zac Lowther, who didn’t pitch in spring training due to a shoulder impingement and was on a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League.

Lowther is a former top 30 prospect and the organization’s co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2018.