Update on Wednesday starter, Hyde reaches managerial milestone with Orioles

The Orioles almost have their starter for Wednesday afternoon.

Austin Voth is going to start or pitch in bulk relief behind an opener to conclude the series against the Guardians at Camden Yards.

The club won’t call up a pitcher from Triple-A Norfolk and hand him the assignment.

“We’re unsure a little bit on who’s going to start the game,” said manager Brandon Hyde, “but trying to hold back Austin for that game.”

Left-hander Keegan Akin can provide length out of the bullpen today if Tyler Wells is knocked out early.

“Still got two games before that,” Hyde said. “Never know what’s going to happen.”

Voth made 17 starts among his 22 appearances in 2022 after the Orioles claimed him off waivers from the Nationals. He’s pitched in relief in 18 games this season, posting a 4.10 ERA and 1.253 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings.

The 62 pitches thrown Friday night while covering 3 2/3 innings made Voth unavailable through the weekend.

“I kind of stretched him that day, because he wasn’t building up to 62, even though he’s thrown a bunch of innings in the past and higher pitch counts last year, obviously,” Hyde said. “Sixty-two is kind of a stretch, so I would assume that he’d be able to get into that range or, hopefully, a little bit more, but we’ll see.”

Bryan Baker started twice last season as an opener and is an option Wednesday if he’s available and Hyde chooses to bring Voth out of the bullpen.

“Just gonna have to wait and see where we are after Tuesday’s game,” Hyde said.

Voth surrendered a home run in his first five appearances, but none in the next 13. He’s allowed three earned runs this month in 11 2/3 innings.

“First handful of outings he got hurt by the longball,” Hyde said. “I think he went back to that curveball/cutter mix that he had that worked so well last year a little bit more. He’s got good fastball command and I just feel like he’s throwing his curveball a little bit more. And probably getting more comfortable, too. … Just made a bad pitch for a few outings in a row that would usually go over the fence, but he’s limiting damage now and doing a much better job.”

Adley Rutschman is out of the lineup today but again could come off the bench late in the game. He never sits for long.

Asked if he’d like to give Rutschman a full day off, Hyde said, “I’d love to.”

Hyde is managing his 600^th game with the Orioles today. He filled in with the Marlins on June 19, 2011, to put his overall total at 601. He’s 248-351 with the Orioles but 83-79 last season and 34-19 in 2023 for the second-best record in baseball.

The Orioles hired Hyde in December 2018 and introduced him to their massive rebuild project. Baseball America chose him as the major's Manager of the Year last fall, and The Sporting News selected him as the American League’s Manager of the Year, definitive signs of progress.

Contract terms aren’t made public by the Orioles, but Hyde has received an extension. Orioles chairman and chief executive officer John Angelos said during a spring training media scrum that Hyde and executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias are “here for the long haul.”

“I walked in kind of not knowing what to expect, honestly, but felt like I was ready at that time,” Hyde said. “First few years were tough, and happy with how we’ve stayed with it and happy with how our team has gotten more talented. We took our bumps and bruises the first few years, and especially in this division with, back then, playing 19 times a year, those teams that we were playing. But we made a lot of progress organizationally and I’m really proud of that, and to be a part of that here. I think we’re doing a lot of good things right now.”

Hyde said the years are flying by “until I see pictures of myself in my Cubs uniform and then I look now and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’”

“It has gone by,” he said. “Sitting in this room, not knowing anybody, barely knowing Mike. I met Sig (Mejdal) once, I didn’t know any of the front office or media. Had my family here, Brooks (Robinson) was sitting there. That was a surreal day and a special day for my family. I feel very fortunate.”

The pandemic in 2020 reduced the baseball schedule to 60 games, delaying Hyde’s climb up the list. Mike Hargrove is fifth in games managed for the Orioles, with 649 games. Hall of Famer Earl Weaver is first, of course, with 2,541.

“I’ll be all the way gray,” Hyde quipped.

Hank Bauer is fourth with 726, Paul Richards is third with 1,063 and Buck Showalter is second with 1,353.