Where will Orioles turn for offensive jolt?

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn't offer a long-term endorsement yesterday for the current group of hitters on the roster. You don't make promises while an offense keeps stalling.

Reasons are highlighted, such as players pressing to be "the guy," as Hyde said, and the expansion of the strike zone.

"We just have a lot of guys that are trying to make up for the start of the year with one at-bat," Hyde said via Zoom, "and that's not how it works."

Many of the roster moves this month have impacted the pitching staff. A rookie starter optioned to the alternate training site in Bowie. A reliever removed from the paternity and injured lists. A reliever optioned, called up as the 27th player, returned to the site and recalled again to replace the rookie starter. Another reliever recalled as the 27th player in a different doubleheader, returned and recalled.

And late last night, breaking news that the Orioles are designating veteran Wade LeBlanc for assignment and calling up prospect Zac Lowther from the alternate site.

The shuffling of position players has been done to cover for injuries or make room for the healthy. Austin Hays' strained hamstring enabling Ryan McKenna to make his major league debut. Anthony Santander's sprained ankle enabling McKenna to get back on the active roster. Infielder Pat Valaika optioned to clear a spot for outfielder DJ Stewart, who recovered from a strained hamstring.

The offense as a whole is hurting. Would the Orioles search the Bowie site for a possible cure?

There could be moves coming. Teams don't usually stand pat under these circumstances. But Hyde isn't shifting his focus beyond the clubhouse.

"As of tonight, we're going with what we've got, with who's here, and hopefully we can put a bunch of good at-bats together and come out with a victory tonight," he said yesterday. "We're day-to-day. We'll go from there."

Exactly how he should handle the situation. Express confidence in his players without offering hollow guarantees.

Demand more without tossing anyone under the bus.

The solution isn't as simple as pulling players out of Bowie. The Orioles have specific plans for many of them.

They'd have to deviate if, for example, they called up second baseman Jahmai Jones, who is 8-for-13 with two doubles, two home runs and a pair of walks in alternate site games versus the Nationals. Jones is supposed to be the regular second baseman at Triple-A Norfolk, with Richie Martin as his double play partner. That seemed to be the intended setup prior to the regular season.

Martin went 3-for-4 with a double and walk in the first game and 1-for-4 with a double in Friday night's win. Catcher Austin Wynns is 1-for-2 with a home run in both of his starts. Super-utility player Stevie Wilkerson is 6-for-11 with two doubles, a triple and two walks in the last three games.

None of these players is known for resuscitating a lineup - they bring different skills that the organization values - but they'd qualify statistically as upgrades. And, yes, with numbers accumulated against a team's alternate site.

Outfield prospect Yusniel Diaz was on the taxi squad for the last road trip, a surprise inclusion since he hasn't played at the Triple-A level and that seems to be an important part of his development.

I can't imagine the Orioles leapfrogging him to the majors, but I also didn't think he'd be on the taxi squad. I didn't think Lowther would be in the majors without throwing a pitch in Triple-A.

I'll plead ignorant. It's one of my go-to moves.

The Orioles aren't flush with players possessing lengthy track records of proficiency at the plate. As hard to say as it is to find.

They expect more out of rookie Ryan Mountcastle and are expected to get it. He sat out last night's loss while in a 1-for-24 slump and having struck out 24 times in 69 at-bats. He's drawn only three walks and taken 41.7 percent of the pitches he's seen, the third-lowest in the league heading into yesterday.

Mountcastle is 7-for-23 (.304) with a double and home run against left-handers and 5-for-46 (.109) with three doubles against right-handers.

His skill set and production in the minors and after last year's promotion suggest that he'll snap out of it. Scream it, actually.

Trey Mancini has heated up after missing the 2020 season, contributing an RBI double last night as part of his surge. Hays is back in the lineup, which should provide a jolt. He singled twice and lined out last night.

The Orioles have scored three runs or fewer in their last seven losses. It's going to take a village - if not someone from the alternate site.