The Orioles’ ugly 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night could have lasting repercussions.
The Orioles avoided using most of their top late-inning arms, but Kevin Gausman’s 2 2/3-inning outing forced the bullpen to account for 5 1/3 innings. And the Orioles used both of their long relievers – right-hander Tyler Wilson and left-hander Vidal Nuno – for multiple innings.
Nuno pitched 2 1/3 innings, and Wilson went two innings, so they both will be unavailable for Wednesday’s game, which leaves the team without any true long relief options with right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound.
After one of the shortest outings of his major league career on Tuesday night in the Orioles’ ugly 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, right-hander Kevin Gausman said he needs to hit the film room.
Gausman believes his unspectacular start to this season is rooted in bad mechanics, specifically his...
After one of the shortest outings of his major league career on Tuesday night in the Orioles’ ugly 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, right-hander Kevin Gausman said he needs to hit the film room.
Gausman believes his unspectacular start to this season is rooted in bad mechanics, specifically his...
“They’re both down for tomorrow,” manager Buck Showalter said. “We’ve got people we could have pitched, but I was trying to stay away from them. There’s potentially a move or two coming.”
The Orioles could option either Wilson or Nuno, but that would mean they couldn't return until April 30 barring a return as part of a DL move. They could option right-hander Stefan Crichton to get a fresh arm, but can also provide length as a multi-inning reliever.
There’s no shortage of options of arms in the minor leagues. The Orioles reshuffled their 40-man roster by placing 25 pitchers on it – with almost all of the ones in the minors holding options – for this kind of situation.
Also, the Orioles can’t wait too long to decide whether to place outfielder Seth Smith on the 10-day disabled list after he left Tuesday’s game with a right hamstring strain.
Orioles outfielder Seth Smith believes the right hamstring injury that forced him out of Tuesday’s 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds won’t place him on the disabled list, but it’s still too early to know.
Smith left in the bottom of the sixth inning with what the club announced was a strained right...
Orioles outfielder Seth Smith believes the right hamstring injury that forced him out of Tuesday’s 9-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds won’t place him on the disabled list, but it’s still too early to know.
Smith left in the bottom of the sixth inning with what the club announced was a strained right...
Smith isn’t necessarily needed for Wednesday’s game because the Orioles are facing a left-handed starter in Amir Garrett, but Smith’s ability to come off the bench against a right-handed reliever offers greater value in a National League park.
A bigger problem could be that the all of the Orioles’ position players on the 40-man roster are already with the big league club – barring outfielders Joey Rickard and Anthony Santander, who are on the DL. So adding another outfielder would warrant a corresponding 40-man move (unless the team transferred Santander to the 60-day DL to create a 40-man spot).
Since bringing up an additional outfielder would warrant making 40-man space anyway, the team will fight the urge to give fast-tracked outfielder Cedric Mullins a early-season opportunity. Mullins already has 10 extra-base hits in 12 games at Double-A Bowie (five doubles, one triple, four homers) and is hitting .412/.455/.784.
The switch-hitting Mullins is performing well from both sides of the plate, and while his start is drawing major attention, there's question whether it's wise to add him to the 40-man already or start this major league service time clock this early.
eencina@baltsun.com
twitter.com/EddieInTheYard
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
