With Jorge Mateo injured and the Orioles not yet ready to recall top prospect Jackson Holliday, Connor Norby will receive his first taste of the big leagues in Toronto.
Prior to Monday’s opener of a four-game set with the Blue Jays, Baltimore selected Norby’s contract from Triple-A Norfolk and placed Mateo on the seven-day concussion injured list. Days shy of his 24th birthday, the 2021 second-round pick out of East Carolina University will assume Mateo’s spot after the middle infielder was accidentally struck on the back of the head when Cedric Mullins was swinging his bat in the on-deck circle during Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
The Orioles also recalled left-handed reliever Nick Vespi and designated right-hander Thyago Vieira, who struggled immensely in his only appearance for the club last week.
Norby was set to bat ninth and play second base on Monday night.
A consensus top 10 prospect in Baltimore’s farm system, Norby was mostly a second baseman prior to this season, but he has started 33 games at the corner outfield spots in 2024 with Holliday serving as the primary second baseman for the Tides. In 238 plate appearances in Norfolk this year, the righty-swinging Norby has batted .286 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, 36 runs batted in, and an .884 OPS.
In 913 plate appearances with the Tides going back to the final days of the 2022 season, Norby has batted .293 with 97 extra-base hits and an .866 OPS, the kind of Triple-A production that’s prompted many to wonder when he would receive an opportunity in the majors.
Connor Norby drives everyone home 🏎️
His 3-RBI triple vaults Norfolk into the lead! pic.twitter.com/XGYzBbaRrz
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“Connor’s doing really well. It feels like he’s been in Triple-A longer than he has,” general manager Mike Elias said in late April. “He’s moved really quickly [through the system] too. He was drafted in 2021 and has not played a full season in Triple-A yet. He’s also somebody that is working on his defense, whether that’s at second base and he’s also working in the corner outfield too.
“His time is coming. We’re talking about him. He’s a topic of conversation, which is always a good sign.”
It remains to be seen how much Norby will actually play, especially if Mateo isn’t sidelined for long. The Orioles may simply move primary third baseman Jordan Westburg to second and play former Gold Glove winner Ramon Urias at the hot corner for the time being, but Urias is batting just .229 with a .623 OPS in 75 plate appearances and was hit on the foot by a pitch late in Sunday’s loss.
Mullins’ woes continue
Even before hurting Mateo, Mullins had plenty on his mind in the midst of a nightmare season that included a .181 average and .544 OPS entering Monday.
The frustration boiled over Sunday when Mullins struck out in the seventh inning to strand two runners in scoring position. The 2021 All-Star and Silver Slugger center fielder slammed his bat and helmet to the ground with the bat breaking in two. Manager Brandon Hyde replaced Mullins with pinch hitter Colton Cowser in the bottom of the ninth inning of the 4-3 loss to the Rays.
Since his walk-off homer against Minnesota on April 17, Mullins has batted just .139 with three extra-base hits, five walks, 29 strikeouts, and a .371 OPS in 113 plate appearances. He robbed Tampa Bay’s Jonny DeLuca of a possible home run during Sunday’s game, but even Mullins’ plus defense hasn’t prevented his overall production from falling below replacement level.
8“I try to let my defense kind of let me get my momentum going into my at-bats,” Mullins said Sunday. “It’s really been a struggle. I’m frustrated, but I’m working every day to get out of it.”
Of course, Mullins isn’t the only Orioles outfielder having difficulties this season with Austin Hays losing his everyday role to Cowser in April and Anthony Santander batting just .217 in a contract year. Hays has looked better at the plate since returning from the injured list last month, going 10-for-34 with four doubles settling in as Baltimore’s fourth outfielder.
Kyle Stowers has gone 8-for-22 with four doubles since being recalled in mid-May, leading many to clamor for him to play more frequently.
Not getting any easier
Despite letting Sunday’s game get away leaving 13 runners on base and blowing a late-inning lead, the Orioles took another series against an AL East opponent and have won eight of 10 games since being swept in St. Louis, the kind of response you hoped to see.
The problem is they gained no ground on the first-place New York Yankees, who have also won eight of 10 to maintain their three-game division lead.
A superb 105-win pace is only good for second place at the moment.
