Orioles see logic and challenges with short bench

The idea of a 14-man pitching staff still makes sense during a season with heightened injury concerns. The increase in games and innings endangering the arms. The handling of workloads done with care.

Carrying two Rule 5 picks on opening day solidified the logic. Hard to punch holes through it.

The complication resides in the trainers' room.

Keeping nine relievers on a 26-man roster allows for only a three-man bench and the Orioles have found themselves stripped down to the extra catcher.

Injuries to the position players leave the Orioles with fingers crossed on short hands. Day-to-day statuses are daggers.

The Orioles had to put Austin Hays on the 10-day IL this week with a strained left hamstring while Ryan Mountcastle was unavailable due to a bruised left hand, the result of being hit by a 93 mph fastball.

The bench shrank to one player again Thursday night after Trey Mancini exited the game in the bottom of the first inning with a bruised right elbow. X-rays were negative after Dylan Cease drilled him with a 95 mph fastball. The Orioles positively were in another bind.

Pat Valaika replaced Mancini at first base. Mountcastle took some swings in the cage earlier in the day, but wasn't ready.

Pedro Severino was the only healthy body and manager Brandon Hyde couldn't risk using him and then losing Chance Sisco, who made back-to-back starts.

In what could be a temporary arrangement, the Orioles sent down reliever Brandon Waddell yesterday and recalled infielder Tyler Nevin from Triple-A Norfolk. And it still gave them only two completely healthy players on the bench, including Stevie Wilkerson, who wasn't in the lineup against White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel.

There are risks involved in expanding the pitching staff. Like robbing Peter to pay Paul, as former manager Buck Showalter used to say. But the Orioles are having a run of bad injury luck with position players.

What are the odds that Mountcastle and Mancini would be hit by pitches three days apart?

Seriously, are there actual odds on this?

It could have been worse. Another player could have been injured and forced Severino into the game at catcher, with Sisco moving to another position.

The Orioles always have sounded open to the idea of eventually going back to a four-man bench, saying they'd keep re-evaluating their situation over the summer. But they can't really think about it long-term when their starters fail to work deep into games and spare the bullpen.

Having so many relievers struggling at the same time also forces their extra hand.

There aren't a lot of enticing choices among position players at Norfolk. Nevin made sense as a first baseman who's on the 40-man roster, but he was slashing .212/.260/.470 with 20 strikeouts in 73 plate appearances. Not breaking down the door, but a sensible selection to walk through it.

Unless you wanted more of Ramón Urías for the middle infield, with Valaika and Wilkerson sharing first.

Jahmai Jones isn't deemed ready to join the Orioles and he's on the injured list anyway. So are Yusniel Diaz Richie Martin and Rylan Bannon, the latter batting .175 with a .545 OPS. And it just made more sense to recall a first baseman with Mancini and Mountcastle out.

Ryan Ripken isn't on the 40-man roster, but, yeah, that would have been cool.

Nevin probably won't stay around for long with Mancini and Mountcastle possibly available this weekend. It only takes one to make Nevin expendable. And the bullpen could return to nine relievers with Hunter Harvey close to being reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Harvey's made three appearances with Norfolk, including last night's start, and allowed three earned runs and five total in 4 2/3 innings. He's walked one batter and struck out two.

Rule 5 pick Mac Sceroler also is on a rehab assignment with the Tides and nearing a return.