Orioles return to Colorado, roster expansion nearing

DENVER - The Orioles are in Colorado for three games against the last-place Rockies, who are a bottom-three team in the majors. They are polar opposites of the Dodgers. It’s like drinking San Pellegrino or straight from the garden hose.

The clubs met at Camden Yards last summer and the Orioles won two of three, with each game decided by a single run. The Rockies won two of three in 2019 at Coors Field during the infant stages of the Orioles’ rebuild.

Known as “infant” because it made you cry every hour.

In the Orioles’ lone victory, Keon Broxton played center field and Stevie Wilkerson was in left. Hanser Alberto batted leadoff. Josh Lucas tossed three scoreless innings for his only major league save.

My only memory of that series isn’t Josh Lucas. It’s Broxton swinging at the first pitch thrown to him as an Oriole, by former prospect Jeff Hoffman, and hitting it 474 feet onto the left field concourse. Jaws dropped in the press box simultaneously, creating a sound louder than the home run.

“Walking up to the plate, I was thinking, if I get a good pitch to hit, I’m definitely gonna let it loose,” he said afterward. “I hadn’t seen a pitch in a while. I want to see where I’m at.”

Broxton hadn’t played in eight days until the Orioles acquired him from the Mets for $500,000 in international bonus pool money. They optioned Cedric Mullins to Triple-A Norfolk.

The 474-foot bomb was the second-longest in Orioles history behind Jonathan Schoop’s 484-footer in Kansas City in 2015.

The Orioles are 2-4 all-time in Colorado. The Rockies are just happy to be home. They’re 19-50 away from it.

It ain't a party at home, either. The Rockies lost to the Marlins 12-8 yesterday to split a four-game series. They have a minus-206 run differential this season that's exceeded only by the White Sox's minus-283.

Austin Slater is expected atop the order tonight with the Rockies starting left-hander Austin Gomber, whose 26 home runs allowed were tied yesterday for most in the National League. Colorado also is starting right-handers Ryan Feltner and Cal Quantrill in the series. The Orioles are listing Albert Suárez, Dean Kremer and TBA, the latter spot likely kept open for Zach Eflin's reinstatement from the injured list.

We’re two days from roster expansion. The extra position player won’t come from the injured list. Jordan Westburg’s return date is expected to fall in late September. Jorge Mateo won’t play again until 2025 and it might not be with the Orioles.

Westburg took ground balls in the outfield at Camden Yards with his right hand held behind his back to prevent accidental contact. He’s on the ground floor of baseball activities.

Coby Mayo is a candidate to return. Outfielder Forrest Wall was claimed on waivers Wednesday. Outfielder Daniel Johnson was on the taxi squad for a day in case Mullins went on the injured list, but he’s with Norfolk again. Corner infielder J.D. Davis signed on Aug. 7 but hasn’t hit or made it back. Infielder Jean Segura signed Aug. 9 but hasn’t hit or made it back.

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad remains on the concussion injured list and can’t be counted on at this point. Check back later.

On the pitching side, Eflin should be ready for reinstatement from the injured list this weekend and that brings a thunderous exhale from the organization. Reliever Jacob Webb seems to be nearing a return, with manager Brandon Hyde telling the assembled media in Los Angeles “sometime beginning of September” if the rehab assignment goes without a hitch.

Webb hasn’t pitched since Aug. 2. Left-handers hit .125/.238/.194 against him and right-handers hit .229/.317/.395. He’s an underrated loss.

These are the more immediate returns and a pitcher must be removed to create room for one. A second pitcher could go if the Orioles select Nick Anderson’s contract after inking him to a minor league deal. And we can’t forget about Colin Selby after he’s been down the minimum 15 days, or Trevor Rogers, Bryan Baker and Brooks Kriske. Or how prospect Brandon Young is on the radar screen.

As we move deeper into the month, the Orioles will make some hard decisions relating to the playoff roster. Anyone on the bubble now can’t afford to keep failing and lose further trust. They’re pitching to win games and save themselves.