Orioles need more starter choices to bloom down on the farm

MILWAUKEE - The Orioles knew that Chris Tillman wouldn't make last night's start due to the pending arrival of his first child. He didn't accompany the team to Milwaukee. A replacement had to be found.

This is where we're confronted with one of the organization's biggest issues, a prime reason why the Orioles are below .500 approaching the break and fans are ordering them to shift into sell mode and accumulate prospects.

After checking reports on the starters at Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles determined that Jayson Aquino should get the assignment. A left-hander who's 2-7 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 12 starts with the Tides.

The same Aquino who, on June 21, gave up six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings in Durham.

Also the same Aquino who, in his two relief appearances with the Orioles this season, allowed a combined six runs, served up two home runs and walked three batters in two innings.

Questioning why Aquino gets the nod inevitably leads to a familiar response. Only the names change.

"If not him, who?"

To be fair, in two starts against Louisville, Aquino allowed an unearned run over eight innings on June 16 and one earned run in seven innings on June 26. The dud in Durham fell in the middle. But the pickings are slim down on the farm.

Aquino had a respectable outing last night with three earned runs (four total) surrendered in 5 1/3 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven. The lack of walks alone should allow Aquino to ride the shoulders of his teammates around the clubhouse.

Tyler Wilson, called up for a day as relief insurance, is 2-4 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 10 starts over 53 1/3 innings. He has a 7.04 ERA and 16.96 WHIP in 15 1/3 innings with the Orioles.

Gabriel Ynoa, who had scouts questioning in spring training why the Mets gave him away, is 1-7 with a 7.13 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 11 starts over 48 innings. He's allowed six runs and 17 hits and struck out 12 batters in 12 2/3 innings with the Orioles.

Jordan Kipper is 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 10 starts over 56 2/3 innings. He tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings against Louisville, started again on Tuesday and allowed six earned runs in two innings at Gwinnett.

Chris Lee started last night for the Tides, carrying a 5.84 ERA and 1.77 WHIP into the game over 16 outings and 74 innings. It got worse. He allowed seven runs and nine hits and walked four batters in 4 1/3 innings in a 10-3 loss in Gwinnett, leaving him with a 6.32 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. Opponents are batting .324.

Lee shut out Durham on two hits over six innings in his last appearance, but Gwinnett worked him for seven earned runs (eight total) and nine hits over 3 1/3 innings in his previous start.

The Orioles ideally would like to keep Lee at Norfolk to gain more experience and build innings after a lat injury last summer limited him to eight games at Double-A Bowie. He's the top prospect in the group and he allowed one run or fewer in three of his last five starts before last night, but he's clearly not ready and rushing him solves nothing.

Left-hander Tanner Scott is an early favorite to be named the organization's minor league Pitcher of the Year, but he's limited to three-inning starts at Bowie and isn't an option unless the Orioles want to put him on the 40-man roster and have bullpen games each time he pitches. And yes, I know what joke is coming. Fire away.

David Hess was just named the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Week after shutting out Altoona over seven innings and he may be turning a corner, but he's sporting a 4.41 ERA in 16 games (15 starts). Better to leave him alone and see whether he can build on his recent success. He isn't ready to make the jump.

The plan to improve the starting depth rather than attempt to make a big splash in the offseason is sabotaged by the collective failures. No one stepped up in a time of need before Aquino earned praise last night. Alec Asher, a March 28 acquisition from the Phillies, came the closest with three quality starts in his first four tries, but he had poor showings in Houston, D.C. and Chicago, was deemed more valuable in relief and now will be starting again at Norfolk.

When executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter challenge the in-house candidates to improve, they're not just referencing the major league roster.

Did Aquino position himself for other chances in the Orioles' rotation?

"He has for a while," Showalter said.

The hope is that Aquino isn't simply the last man standing through the latest process of elimination.

The Orioles' road trip moves to Minnesota, where a four-game series closes out the first half. They went 0-7 against the Twins in 2015 and 5-1 last season, and they were swept in a three-game home series in May.

The Orioles will try to sweep the Twins in a four-game series in Minnesota for the first time since 2011, but I'm guessing they'd gladly accept three of four as a consolation prize. They need to taste victory again. They need a mouthful of it.

Chris Davis went 11-for-25 (.440) with three doubles and two home runs in the six games last season, but he's on the disabled list with a strained right oblique. Adam Jones was 10-for-24 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs in five games.

Dylan Bundy faced the Twins two months ago, allowed two runs in seven innings and lost 2-0. Brian Dozier hit a solo home run in the seventh. Bundy has never pitched at Target Field.

Right-hander Jose Berrios is 7-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 10 starts, with a 1.071 WHIP in 65 1/3 innings. Barrios faced the Orioles on May 24, allowed three runs with seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings and won 4-3 to complete the sweep.

Manny Machado, who celebrates his 25th birthday today, is 3-for-5 with a home run against Berrios. Jonathan Schoop is 1-for-5 with a home run.