This, that and the other

DENVER – Seranthony Domínguez has converted his seven save opportunities with the Orioles following the trade that unfolded near the deadline that sent outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies.

The ride can’t be described as smooth, but he usually gets the team where it wants to finish.

The occasional bumps have resulted in all of the scoring against Domínguez. He’s allowed five runs in 15 innings on solo homers by José Ramírez on Aug. 3, Rob Refsnyder on the 18^th, Francisco Alvarez on the 19^th, Jesse Winker on the 21^st and Brendan Rodgers Friday night.

Alvarez and Winker had walk-off homers for the Mets at Citi Field to stick Domínguez with both losses. Four of the home runs were hit in a span of seven appearances.

In 16 games, Domínguez has registered a 3.00 ERA and 0.933 WHIP with 10 hits, four walks and 19 strikeouts.

“I don’t mind solo homers with a three-run lead,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“When you have a three-run lead, even a two-run lead in the ninth, walks are what kill you normally, and he’s going right after guys. He is giving up some homers, but he’s got really good stuff. Hopefully the homer trend is just a little short-sided right now and hopefully it improves. But he’s not walking people, he is attacking people in the strike zone, and sometimes when you have that good of stuff you’re gonna give up homers. Hopefully it’ll be a few less going forward.”

Craig Kimbrel hasn’t earned a save since July 7 in Oakland or an opportunity since July 25 in Miami. Seven relievers have recorded saves, including Jacob Webb and Danny Coulombe, who are on the injured list, and Dillon Tate, who was designated for assignment.

Domínguez ranks second to Kimbrel’s 23 and has become the primary closer. He was warming last night in the ninth in case of a rally. The title just isn’t pinned to him.

“I think right now we have a ninth-inning lead, more than likely he’s going to be the main option,” Hyde said. “He’s been like that for the last few weeks. That could change any time, too. We have some other guys down there who could possibly pitch the ninth inning.

“The ninth inning is incredibly important, the hardest inning to pitch. Also hard to get there, too, so you want to rely on certain guys. Cionel Pérez, it’s not talked about enough how good he has been and what he’s doing right now and how well he’s throwing the baseball. And Seranthony’s not going to be able to throw every night, too, so there’s going to be other opportunities for other guys hopefully, save situations on nights he’s not available.”

* Pérez has made 51 appearances this season without surrendering a home run. The streak goes back to May 31, 2023 when the Guardians’ Josh Naylor and Josh Bell went back-to-back in the fourth inning. No other homers were hit against him in the next 41 outings during the regular season.

“It’s the sinker/slider,” Hyde said yesterday after issuing a playful warning about jinxing Pérez and prior to the left-hander walking two batters in the seventh.

“He’s tough to get underneath the ball to get loft. It’s a unique, low-arm slot, super-fast arm, 5-9, 5-10, whatever he is. It’s just a tough at-bat. So let’s hope the trend continues.”

* The business that’s pending for major league teams includes finalizing Arizona Fall League rosters.

Pitcher Tyler Burch will be counted among Orioles representatives after beginning the season on the injured list following arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow.

Burch’s ties to the organization go back to the 2021 trade deadline when the Orioles acquired him from the Phillies for veteran shortstop Freddy Galvis.

“He had a big stuff jump after the (COVID) shutdown,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said after the trade. “He’s working with two plus pitches, one a really good, hard breaking ball. … It’s a nice arm for the system.”

Burch made 26 relief appearances with Double-A Bowie in 2023 and posted a 3.07 ERA in 41 innings.  He’s currently on a rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen and has tossed five scoreless innings, including two last night with three strikeouts.

I’m told that the fastball velocity has increased from 94.5 mph pre-surgery to 96 mph, and his cutter velo has gone from 88-89 mph into the 90-92 mph range.

Burch is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and has a chance to complicate the Orioles’ 40-man roster plans.

* I wrote earlier that Colton Cowser could give the Orioles baseball’s first back-to-back American League Rookies of the Year since Bobby Crosby and Huston Street in 2004-05. But did you know that it’s happened only five times and Oakland appears on the list in three?

It began with the Senators Albie Pearson and Bob Allison in 1958-59. The Athletics’ Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire won the award in 1986 and ’87, and Walt Weiss followed in ’88.

The Mariners’ Kazuhiro Sasaki and Ichiro Suzuki won it in 2000 and 2001.

* One final note: Right-hander Cal Quantrill was listed as today’s starter for Colorado but it’s left-hander Ty Blach, who made five starts with the Orioles in 2019 and allowed 26 earned runs and 27 total with 32 hits and 13 walks in 20 2/3 innings.

Weird that they didn’t keep him.

Actually, they released Blach in August 2020 and resigned him in March 2021. He didn’t pitch in the majors again until 2022 with the Rockies.

Blach has made 18 appearances this season, including 10 starts, and registered a 6.36 ERA and 1.696 WHIP in 63 2/3 innings. He’s surrendered 92 hits, or 13.0 per nine innings.