Watkins replaces Wells on Orioles roster

The Orioles placed Tyler Wells on the 15-day injured list today with right shoulder inflammation and recalled pitcher Spenser Watkins from Triple-A Norfolk.

The move is retroactive to Tuesday and Wells is likely done for the 2022 season after making 23 starts.

Wells missed about six weeks with an oblique injury, returning on Sept. 7. He made three appearances and allowed eight runs in nine innings.

Overall, the former Rule 5 reliever went 7-7 with a 4.25 ERA and 1.138 WHIP. He ranks second on the team in starts and his 103 2/3 innings are fourth. Kyle Bradish and Dean Kremer just passed him.

Manager Brandon Hyde said earlier this week that the club hadn’t discussed shutting down Wells, but the shoulder injury takes him out of the rotation.

Watkins was pulled from his last two scheduled starts before first pitch to keep him available to the Orioles. He was optioned on Sept. 7.

The right-hander has posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.342 WHIP in 20 games (19 starts).

The Orioles need a starter for Saturday night against the Astros and Watkins could fill the spot. Kremer pitches tonight and Austin Voth closes out the series on Sunday afternoon.

Kremer has some tough acts to follow.

Jordan Lyles registered a complete-game victory over the Tigers Wednesday night and Bradish spun 8 2/3 scoreless innings last night in the series opener.

Bradish’s 103 strikeouts through his first 21 career games are the third-most in club history behind Tom Phoebus (110 in 1966-67) and Wei-Yin Chen (105 in 2012).

Kremer has allowed three earned runs or fewer in his last seven games and eight of nine. But he hasn’t completed six innings in his last three starts.

The Astros saw Kremer on Aug. 27 and were held to one run and four hits with no walks in 7 2/3 innings. His only career start against them.

The Orioles are 78-71 overall and 3-1 against the Astros. They’re four games behind the Mariners for the last wild card with 13 remaining.

Orioles starters have allowed two runs in 30 1/3 innings against Houston this season.

Astros right-hander José Urquidy is 13-7 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.172 WHIP in 27 starts. He tossed seven scoreless innings on Sept. 4 in Anaheim, but he’s allowed six earned runs in each of his last two starts over 11 total innings. Urquidy has surrendered 17 hits.

The Orioles faced Urquidy on Aug. 27 and scored three runs in five innings. Anthony Santander and Austin Hays homered.

Left-handers have hit .199/.244/.342 against Urquidy during his career, and right-handers have hit .263/.306/.473. He has a 2.70 ERA and 0.900 WHIP in three starts against the Orioles covering only 13 1/3 innings.

Cedric Mullins is 3-for-7 with a double and home run against Urquidy. He leads the Orioles this season with 41 multi-hit games.

The Astros will try again for their 100^th win. Their seven-game road winning streak ended last night.

They didn’t record an extra-base hit for the first time since Aug. 26 versus the Orioles.