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Orioles

Despite focus on offensive woes, rotation has sealed Orioles’ 2015 fate

Luke Jones

The Orioles’ offseason departures of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis need to be rehashed about as much as Chris Tillman desires another start against the Toronto Blue Jays at this point. We get it. Even if you might have agreed with the decision not to sign either outfielder to a four-year contract, there’s no excusing an offseason plan that essentially consisted of writing checks to a long list of arbitration-eligible players and trading for a failed former first-round pick (outfielder Travis Snider) after one good half in 2014. But even with the corner outfield woes that have lingered all year, the reeling Orioles entered Tuesday averaging 4.36 runs per contest, a mark nearly identical to last season’s 4.35 scored per game. It may not feel that way with the offense’s extreme peaks and valleys during a difficult 2015 season, but the numbers don’t lie. Would the Orioles still be in contention for a playoff spot with Cruz and Markakis? Certainly. But would Buck Showalter’s club be even with Toronto and the New York Yankees in the American League East race? Based on the way the starting rotation has performed, probably not. That failure has ultimately sealed the Orioles’ fate as

Davis’ two longest bombs of year give Orioles temporary relief

Luke Jones

Chris Davis’ longest home run of the year and the emphatic bat flip that followed are unlikely to save the season, but the Orioles could breathe a temporary sigh of relief on Wednesday night after they hadn’t led over their previous 51 innings before the walk-off blow against Tampa Bay. The 459-foot blast to the back of the right-center bleachers in the bottom of the 11th came after a 446-foot shot in the fourth inning that had been his longest homer of the 2015 season. His 37th and 38th long balls of the year were instrumental in the Orioles snapping a six-game losing streak, but the precursor for his breakout performance may have come a night earlier. With Baltimore trailing 11-0 to Tampa Bay in the late innings and Buck Showalter looking to give his biggest stars — Davis, Adam Jones, and Manny Machado — a breather, the first baseman asked his manager to let him stay in the game. Like many of his teammates, Davis was angry and just didn’t feel like throwing in the towel on what would be the Orioles’ 12th loss in 13 games. The lefty slugger hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the

Struggling Gonzalez undergoes MRI on shoulder, elbow

Luke Jones

(Updated: 11:30 p.m.) BALTIMORE — Performing poorly for more than two months, Orioles starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez underwent a magnetic resonance imaging exam on Tuesday as he’s been experiencing discomfort in his right elbow and shoulder. Manager Buck Showalter said after the 11-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays that the exam revealed only inflammation and no structural concerns, but the 31-year-old has already received a cortisone injection in his shoulder and is expected to at least miss a start or two. The right-handed hurler could pitch again later this month, according to Showalter. “It was a positive report. They didn’t find any structural damage,” Showalter said. “We’re going to let that quiet down [and] see if we can get him ready to pitch again. It was as good news as you could expect.” Gonzalez sported a 3.33 ERA when he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a groin strain on June 11. Since returning in late June, the right-hander has pitched to a 6.49 ERA that’s elevated his season mark to a robust 4.85. Signed to a minor-league contract prior to the 2012 season, Gonzalez posted an ERA of 3.78 or better in each of his first

Orioles promote Alvarez, option Urrutia to Triple-A Norfolk

Luke Jones

In the last days before September call-ups, the Orioles have promoted 26-year-old outfielder Dariel Alvarez from Triple-A Norfolk for a three-game series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington. To make room for Alvarez on the 25-man roster, the Orioles optioned outfielder Henry Urrutia to the Tides on Friday. With Texas sending three left-handed starters to the hill over the weekend, it made sense to add an extra right-handed bat to the 25-man roster prior to Sept. 1 and to recall Urrutia after rosters expand. Considered one of the few positional talents in the higher levels of the Baltimore system, Alvarez was hitting .275 with 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a .729 on-base plus slugging percentage in 541 plate appearances for the Tides this season. The Cuban outfielder has the strongest throwing arm in the organization and was starting in right field and batting eighth in the series opener against the Rangers. Alvarez ranked third in the International League in total bases, fourth in hits, and fifth in RBIs. He was also selected to this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game and won the Triple-A home run derby. Opinions have varied on Alvarez’s ceiling as many members of the organization are high

Hardy heads to disabled list, Reimold designated for assignment

Luke Jones

Adding injury to the insult of being swept in a four-game series by Minnesota, the Orioles placed shortstop J.J. Hardy on the 15-day disabled list with a groin strain. The club also activated outfielder Steve Pearce from the DL, recalled right-handed pitcher Jorge Rondon, and designated outfielder Nolan Reimold for assignment prior to the start of a four-game series in Kansas City. The 33-year-old Hardy had been dealing with the groin problem for several days and was expected to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging exam. Beginning Sunday’s game on the bench, Hardy entered the game in the ninth inning after Matt Wieters hit for Ryan Flaherty in the bottom of the eighth and remained in the game as it went extra innings. Hardy reached on an infield single in the 11th, but it was apparent the groin was bothering him as he later advanced to second base. Jimmy Paredes then entered to run for Hardy, forcing the Orioles into a different defensive alignment that cost them dearly in the 12th inning with Manny Machado making an error at shortstop and Paredes making one at third base. Flaherty will most likely serve as the primary replacement at shortstop in the veteran’s

Unlikely hero Urrutia provides feel-good moment for Orioles

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — Henry Urrutia may never hit another home run and the Orioles still may not qualify for the playoffs despite his dramatic game-winning blast in a 5-4 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday. But it was a moment to savor as the 28-year-old Cuban outfielder became the fifth player in franchise history to club a walk-off shot for his first major league homer, joining Chris Hoiles (1990), Dave Criscione (1977), Jim Hardin (1969), and Merv Rettenmund (1968) in Orioles lore. Of that group, Criscione became one of the great one-hit wonders in club history in hitting a game-winning homer against Milwaukee despite receiving only 10 plate appearances in his major league career. If we’re being honest, Wednesday was more likely to be Urrutia’s 15 minutes of fame rather than the start of a long run as the Orioles’ left fielder, but it was easy to feel good for a man who defected from Cuba in 2011 and eventually signed with the Orioles. After a disappointing run that included 58 major league plate appearances in 2013, Urrutia faded from the Orioles’ radar with an injury-riddled 2014 at Triple-A Norfolk and was having a solid but unspectacular season with

Pearce, Roe inching closer toward return to Orioles

Luke Jones

BALTIMORE — As the Orioles continue to search for consistent production in left field, outfielder and first baseman Steve Pearce appears to be moving closer to a return from an oblique strain. Manager Buck Showalter told reporters prior to Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets that Pearce took live batting practice in Sarasota, but the 32-year-old was hit in the back by a pitch in his third at-bat, bringing an end to his session. Should Pearce respond well to hitting live pitching and feel no ill effects from the hit by pitch, the Orioles are hoping to send him on a minor-league rehab assignment in the near future. Baltimore is currently using a platoon of Henry Urrutia and Nolan Reimold in left field after exhausting a number of unsuccessful options over the course of the 2015 season. Of course, Pearce was in the midst of a poor campaign of his own with a .227 average in 193 plate appearances, but he might represent the organization’s best internal option of receiving production in left field if he can channel his 2014 success over the final weeks of the season. Pearce was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left

Orioles send Roe to 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis

Luke Jones

The Orioles bullpen remains in flux as right-handed pitcher Chaz Roe was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis. Right-handed pitcher Mychal Givens was recalled from Double-A Bowie to replace him as Baltimore began a three-game series in Seattle on Monday night. Roe is 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA in 34 2/3 innings this season, striking out 35 and walking 13. The 28-year-old pitched brilliantly with a 0.90 ERA in his first 15 appearances since being promoted from the minors in late May, but his 6.14 ERA in 14 2/3 innings dating back to June 30 created cause for concern. He allowed a leadoff double in the bottom of the 11th inning in Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. After previously pitching in the majors for Arizona and the New York Yankees, Roe signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles last winter. The 25-year-old Givens had pitched four scoreless innings in two brief stints with the Orioles this season before being optioned back to Bowie to make room for Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia last week, a move met with criticism in the midst of a pennant race. Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan

Orioles fail to sign second-round pick Hughes

Luke Jones

The Orioles failed to come to terms with 2015 second-round pick Jonathan Hughes before Friday’s signing deadline. The right-handed pitcher was the 68th overall pick out of Flowery Branch (Ga.) High, but he will instead attend college at Georgia Tech. As compensation for not coming to terms with Hughes, Baltimore will receive the 69th selection in the 2016 amateur draft. At 6-foot-2 and 184 pounds, Hughes possesses a fastball that sits in the low 90s along with a slider, curve, and changeup, a repertoire that made him an attractive prospect to the Orioles. The slot in which he was drafted carried a bonus-pool value of $907,000. Hughes is the highest Orioles draft pick to go unsigned since pitcher Wade Townsend in 2004, but the organization was able to sign 35 of their 41 selections in the 2015 draft. In other news, the Orioles have signed veteran left-handers Dana Eveland and Andy Oliver to minor-league deals. The 31-year-old Eveland spent part of the 2012 season in Baltimore, pitching to a 4.73 ERA in 32 1/3 innings.  

Orioles designate lefty reliever Wright for assignment

Luke Jones

With his minor-league rehab assignment coming to an end, Orioles left-handed reliever Wesley Wright was activated from the 60-day disabled list and designated for assignment. Signed to a $1.7 million contract in December, Wright made just two appearances for Baltimore in the first week of the season before being placed on the DL with a left trapezius strain on April 11. The 30-year-old allowed one run in just 1 2/3 innings. Pitching with diminished velocity, Wright posted a 7.71 ERA in 11 2/3 rehab innings for Triple-A Norfolk. Even after he agreed to extend his rehab assignment, the Orioles simply couldn’t find room in the bullpen for a left-hander not pitching effectively. The Orioles could be in the market for a top-shelf reliever at the trade deadline to ease the workload on All-Star pitchers Zach Britton and Darren O’Day, but Wright did not fit that profile, making him expendable in a bullpen ranking third in the American League with a 2.90 ERA at the All-Star break.

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