This, that and the other

OAKLAND – The joke landed and also elicited a quick and serious response.

With a six-man rotation, multiple pitchers nearing a return from the injured list and others who are candidates to return from the minors, is it possible that the Orioles actually have, dare we say, too much pitching?

Manager Brandon Hyde, sitting in the dugout yesterday during his media session, smiled and fired back.

“Can never have too much pitching,” he replied.

This is true.

The club is debating how to make room and who might get excluded, talks that are kept private for obvious reasons.

One example is Austin Voth, whose 30-day rehab assignment concludes this weekend. He didn’t allow a run over seven innings in his first four appearances with Triple-A Norfolk but was charged with two yesterday in two-thirds.

Voth is out of options and the Orioles must reinstate him if he’s staying.

“These are all discussions that are happening right now,” Hyde said. “Those things affect the roster and the guys that are here right now, so I don’t want to get too deep into that, but I think that we have numerous options here going forward. And then we get to expand on Sept. 1.”

Danny Coulombe expressed confidence yesterday that he could be reinstated after one rehab appearance. He threw a full-effort bullpen session on Saturday and his left biceps didn’t bark.

“I felt healthy and I was pretty much where I needed to be,” he said.

Coulombe was a surprising IL move because he strung together five scoreless outings in a row and lowered his ERA to 2.77 in 39 innings, solidifying his high-leverage status. Not a hint of trouble.

The outsiders didn’t know that he was pitching through some discomfort.

“A little bit, for a week or so,” he said. “But honestly, it was nothing that I was ever really alarmed about, so that’s always a good thing.”

Coulombe made the West Coast trip, giving the Orioles a chance to monitor his recovery and keeping him close to his teammates.

“It’s been great,” he said. “When you know it’s not going to be a long stint, you want to stay locked in and be part of the team, even though you feel like you’re kind of just taking up space. But it’s been good, for sure.”

John Means is barreling toward an early September return, his pitch count stretched yesterday to 57 over four innings with only one run allowed on a leadoff homer.

“He’s throwing the ball really well,” Hyde said. “I know the last outing didn’t go as well from a stats standpoint, but just Means, the experience that he has, what he’s done in his league so far, even in just a couple years he’s shown what he can do at the big league level. You never know what you’re going to get back from a guy coming off Tommy John, and we’re hoping that he can impact our club at some point.”

In whatever role – starter, reliever, maybe a little bit of both.

“Whatever role, yeah,” Hyde said.

That’s also under discussion.

The considerations in piecing together a rotation for the stretch run begin with who’s capable physically.

“That’s the biggest thing right now is keeping your fingers crossed that everybody stays healthy,” Hyde said. “We have some position player guys right now who are a little bit banged up, as you know, and you try to keep the pitching as healthy as possible going down the stretch.

“We have everybody’s rehab assignments and guys who are pitching in Triple-A right now. We feel good about the reinforcements if things happen, and you need to have depth, especially this time of the year. We’re really taking it day-to-day and series-to-series on where we are pitching up here, and then how everybody else is doing.”

The position guys with aches and pains might include outfielder Austin Hays, who was removed yesterday in the bottom of the seventh inning after grounding out. Or perhaps it was just a chance to rest him in a blowout.

So much happened in the game, including Jorge Mateo’s inside-the-park home run and Gunnar Henderson’s four-hit day and chance at the cycle, that Hays got lost in the interview shuffle.  

We know what’s happening with Anthony Santander’s back. He becomes more of an IL consideration if the off-day doesn’t enable him to play Tuesday night and more rest is advisable.

* So much to digest from Henderson’s day.

He became the 11th player in Orioles history with four extra-base hits in a game and the first since Melvin Mora in 2008. Miguel Tejada, Brady Anderson and Albert Belle did it twice. The others are Chris Richard in 2000, Will Clark in 1999, Cal Ripken Jr. in 1983, Dave Duncan in 1975, Don Baylor in 1973, and Charlie Lau in 1962. Henderson and Richard are the only rookies.

Richard and Baylor are the only others whose four extra-base hits included at least one double, triple and home run.

Henderson, at 22 years and 52 days, is the 12^th-youngest player since 1901 with four extra-base hits in a game. He’s the youngest Oriole. Move over, Cal.

Henderson is the fourth Orioles rookie with at least 11 total bases in a game, joining Ryan Mountcastle in 2021, Richard in 2000 and Nick Markakis in 2006.

* Jorge Mateo is the 25^th Oriole to hit an inside-the-park home run, according to STATS. For some reason, Baseball Reference lists 26.

The site includes Glenn Davis on Oct. 1, 1992 off reliever Eric Plunk in Cleveland. The problem here is that the ball landed in the seats.

A game story in The Washington Post includes the following:

“Plunk served up the home runs to (Mike) Devereaux and Davis, both of which were no-doubt-about-it shots to left field.”

So, I doubt 26 is accurate.

The others are as follows:

Trey Mancini on July 28, 2022 vs. the Rays
Austin Hays on Aug. 11, 2020 in Philadelphia
Robert Andino on Sept. 26, 2011 vs. the Red Sox
Adam Jones on May 22, 2010 in D.C.
David Newhan on July 21, 2004 in Boston
Phil Bradley on June 8, 1990 vs. the Yankees
Al Bumbry on Aug. 21, 1976 in Chicago
Al Bumbry on April 19, 1974 vs. the Yankees
Paul Blair on Sept. 3, 1973 in Boston
Paul Blair on Aug. 26, 1973 vs. the Royals
Davey Johnson on July 25, 1971 vs. the Angels
Boog Powell on Aug. 16, 1969 in Seattle
Paul Blair on Aug. 8, 1969 vs the Twins
Andy Etchebarren on Sept. 6, 1965 in New York
Billy O’Dell on May 19, 1959 vs. the White Sox
Lenny Green on April 26, 1959 in New York
Joe Taylor on Sept. 26, 1958 in New York
Gus Triandos on Aug. 31, 1957 vs. the Red Sox
Jim Busby on June 22, 1957 vs. the Tigers
Bob Nieman on Aug. 10, 1956 in New York
Chuck Diering on May 5, 1956 vs. the Indians
Willie Miranda on May 8, 1955 in D.C.
Gil Coan on Sept. 24, 1954 vs. the White Sox
Vern Stephens on July 3, 1954 vs. the Tigers

Two in one season for Blair, and three overall? More people should be talking about this.

And somebody please find the video of Powell and send it to me.

* The five-run 10th inning Saturday night marked the second time this year that the O's scored that many in an extra frame. They did it in the 11th on May 21 in Toronto.

A noteworthy achievement because it’s the first time in team history that the Orioles tallied five or more runs multiple times in an extra inning in the same season, per STATS.

* Adley Rutschman singled twice, drove in a run and scored three yesterday from his leadoff spot. I don’t think he’s budging from it.

Rutschman also drew a walk, but only one.

He has 16 multi-walk games this season, the most by an Orioles player since first baseman Chris Davis in 2016.

Davis has the most such games since 2009 with 17 in 2015, also per STATS.