Ryan O'Hearn keeps raking for the Orioles (plus other O's notes)

CHICAGO – To say the least, since they added him to their roster for the first time this year on April 13, Ryan O’Hearn has had an impact for the Orioles – both on the field and in the clubhouse, where the 29-year-old veteran fits in beautifully.

Few Orioles are swinging a hotter bat right now. Over 28 games, O’Hearn is batting .342/.384/.620/1.004 with seven doubles, five homers and 19 RBIs.

This after he hit .219 with a .683 OPS in 342 games since the 2018 season with Kansas City.

“Total pro. Gamer, loves to play, takes really good at-bats,” manager Brandon Hyde said before Saturday’s game at Wrigley Field. “Great in the clubhouse and dugout. Just doing a little bit of everything for us right now, and just the quality of his at-bats are really good.

“I think the experience he had in Kansas City, good and bad (helps now), and (he is) somebody that has always mashed in Triple-A. Kind of had some weird roles in Kansas City, and now (he's) in more of a defined role where he knows he’s got a good chance to be in there versus right-handed pitching. Or be a pinch-hit option. He’s really loving it here.”

O’Hearn didn’t start Saturday against a lefty but singled as a pinch-hitter in the sixth. Then in the eighth, he crushed a ball to deep center that the wind kept from going out for a game-tying homer on a day the Orioles would lose 3-2 to the Cubs.

During a six-game hitting streak, O’Hearn, who has played first base and corner outfield for the Orioles, is 11-for-20 with two homers. In his last 17 games since May 16 he is batting .400 with six doubles, five homers and 13 RBIs.

Hyde said O’Hearn was quickly welcomed onto the team.

“We have a great clubhouse. It’s an easy group of guys, great group of guys. Very welcoming," Hyde said. "Think he formed those relationships in spring training spending six weeks with the club. He was disappointed he didn’t make the team. That was a tough day. But he went to Triple-A and did everything right and now he is fitting right in.”

And he is definitely a high-character, quality-type guy that fits in seamlessly with the rest of the Orioles.

“He definitely has got the right makeup," Hyde said. "He had stretches where in Kansas City he didn’t play at all and was going back and forth from the minors. So to now be here and part of a wining environment and fit in so well, and I know he wants to stay and be a part of what is going on here. That was obvious in spring training. He came to the park every day with an awesome mindset and great attitude and plays hard. Just doing everything right.”

A nice Father’s Day: Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Hope you and yours have a great day.

Hyde, we can safely say, will enjoy this Father’s Day in one of his favorite places, Wrigley Field. One of his two daughters is here, as is his son, Colton, who is often around the Orioles.

In fact, the Wrigley Field fans know Colton and were cheering for him here on Friday, Hyde said.

“He grew up here and has special memories," Hyde said. "I was just watching (coach Tony) Mansolino with his two boys taking BP in the cage and doing fly balls in the outfield. It was something we did every single day when we were here. To hear people in the bleachers during batting practice recognize him, that was cool. This is a special place for us.”

So fans in the bleachers were cheering for Colton?

“They know him,” said Hyde. “He used to love throwing balls into the bleachers to fans.”

Are they starting to solve Cano?: It is hard to be critical in any way of a pitcher that is 1-0 with a 1.03 ERA, but O’s reliever Yennier Cano has gone from unhittable to a bit hittable for opponent batters. His ERA was 0.00 through May 17. But in 12 games since then it is 2.70. And in that span, opponent batters are hitting .352 with an OPS of .880 against the right-hander.

Have the batters adjusted against him?

“Look on the board, it’s 97 (mph),” said Hyde. “The changeup was really, really good early, when he first got here. That’s kind of been a little bit inconsistent, I think. But I like that he is throwing some sliders now, just not be as predictable. But it’s still 97 mile-per-hour sinkers, and that is still going to be tough to hit. He was not going to have one walk the entire season.

“You knew there would be some rough patches. And he’s not going through a rough patch now, he just is being kind of ordinary and (Thursday versus Toronto) was an ordinary outing. But he still has a ton of talent and we’re going to take our chances with him.”

Hyde might be set as well as any manager in the game in his late-game bullpen choices with Cano and right-hander Félix Bautista.

“I think it is tough to have a better eighth, ninth (option). (Thursday) we went a little bit longer. I normally wouldn’t do that, but where the game was in that seventh inning and with them having a lot of rest made the decision a little easier. I think I’ll take my chances with those guys late in the game.”

Series finale is today: After scoring just five runs in this series, the Orioles today must get a win against the Cubs to avoid being swept three straight for the first time this year. The Orioles have lost three of four games and four of their last seven series. They are 10-10 in those seven series, starting with three games versus Texas in late May.

The Orioles have twice lost the first two games of a three-game series this season, at home versus Texas and at Milwaukee. Each time they won the third game, and they will try for a three-peat of that today at Wrigley Field.