Santander back in Orioles lineup vs. Tigers

The Orioles reinstated outfielder Anthony Santander from the COVID-19 injured list today and optioned pitcher Thomas Eshelman to Triple-A Norfolk, again lengthening their bench to four players. Santander is in tonight's lineup in Detroit, playing right field and batting fifth.

The 40-man roster had room after the Orioles traded injured shortstop Freddy Galvis to the Phillies.

Manager Brandon Hyde said the team will take another day or two to determine the status of pitcher Keegan Akin, to "process everything."

Pat Valaika has returned to the lineup at second base. Austin Hays is in left field, Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman and cleanup hitter and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter.

Matt Harvey made a late push to become a trade chip with back-to-back quality starts, no runs and four hits allowed in 12 innings.

Harvey's made only two career appearances against the Tigers, including one start, and allowed three runs and 16 hits in 7 1/3 innings. His final appearance in 2020 while pitching for the Royals came in relief on Sept. 15 at Comerica Park, where Willi Castro hit a solo home run in two-thirds of an inning.

The start came in Harvey's final appearance in 2013 with the Mets. Two runs and 13 hits scattered across 6 2/3 innings that actually raised his ERA to 2.27.

Hyde is managing a club that didn't trade anyone from the active roster despite the rumors.

"It's pretty fresh, it just happened, it just got over a little while ago," he said. "I don't think any of us knew what was going to happen, how many people we were going to lose, if any, so for 4 o'clock to hit and we lost Freddy in a trade there, but we're pretty much intact the rest of the way. It's a weird feeling for players and coaches on this day just because you have no idea what to expect, so I think our clubhouse is in a good spot, a good place and happy that the deadline is over.

"I wasn't expecting much movement if we had any, just because we aren't rolling out a veteran group that have expiring contracts. We're pretty young and our guys are really early in their major league career and we're still doing so much evaluating of the guys we have, so I wasn't expecting us to do an overhaul of the roster of any sort.

"Our players don't seem affected by it one way or the other. It seems pretty business as usual inside and I think we're just glad that 4 o'clock is over."

Hyde said he exchanged text messages with Galvis, who's been working out in Sarasota, Fla. and nearing game activity, and thanked him. Hyde said he'd love to manage Galvis again someday "because he is a true pleasure and the Phillies are fortunate to get him."

"He was everything that we could have asked and more," Hyde said, "not just from a performance standpoint but he's a really solid shortstop, giving us four pro at-bats a night, showing that sneaky power that he has, as well. But even more so for me was what he did for everybody off the field, in the clubhouse, the leader he was and is.

"The Phillies know what they're getting with him being there that long. It's very understandable for a team like that to want to bring a personality and a pro. He's such a pro in every way and helped our younger players. Just always in the clubhouse talking to younger players about the game. So that's going to be missed."

Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal has posted a 4.42 ERA and 1.314 WHIP in 20 games (18 starts). He's struck out 113 batters in 99 2/3 innings.

Future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera homered twice last night and is three shy of 500.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Austin Hays LF
Trey Mancini DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander RF
Ramón Urías SS
Pedro Severino C
Maikel Franco 3B
Pat Valaika 2B

Matt Harvey RHP