Dan Connolly

Smith not starting; Machado back in lineup; Schoop leads off for first time in 2017

FREE ARTICLE

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn’t announce his starting lineup Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays until less than two hours before first pitch because he was waiting on the health of a few of his players.

One, third baseman Manny Machado, was back in the starting lineup after being out Thursday, when Showalter rested his superstar partially because of a sore right index finger.

Outfielder Seth Smith, who fouled a ball off his left cheek Thursday, was not in Friday’s lineup even with a right-hander on the mound.

Smith was dealing with some blurry vision Thursday and, on Friday, took some pre-game fly balls in the outfield, but, apparently, the Orioles decided to err on the side of caution.

Hyun Soo Kim started in left, Mark Trumbo in right field and Trey Mancini was the starting designated hitter against Toronto right-hander Aaron Sanchez.

The lineup also had a slightly different look. With Smith shelved and Joey Rickard not starting against Sanchez, second baseman Jonathan Schoop got the call to leadoff.

It’s only the second time Schoop, who is hitting .281 with a .329 on-base percentage, has hit leadoff in his career. The other was last Aug. 29 – also against the Blue Jays. Schoop was hitless in four at-bats in that one.

Dan Connolly

Dan Connolly has spent more than two decades as a print journalist in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Baltimore native and Calvert Hall graduate first covered the Orioles as a beat writer for the York (Pennsylvania) Daily Record in 2001 before becoming The Baltimore Sun’s national baseball writer/Orioles reporter in 2005. He has won multiple state and national writing awards, including several from the Associated Press Sports Editors. In 2013 he was named Maryland Co-Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. And in 2015, he authored his first book, "100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." He lives in York, with his wife, Karen, and three children, Alex, Annie, and Grace.

View Comments

Share
Published by
Dan Connolly

Recent Posts

  • Orioles

Hyde sticking with Mullins; Orioles-Blue Jays postponed

BALTIMORE---Before Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays was postponed by rain, Cedric Mullins…

May 14, 2024
  • Uncategorized

Midday Mailbag: Should the Orioles make Grayson Rodriguez the closer?

Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit…

May 14, 2024
  • Rich Dubroff

What they’re saying about Rutschman’s home runs, Burnes’ start and Orioles’ 3-2 loss to Blue Jays

BALTIMORE—What happened? Adley Rutschman hit two home runs, but the Orioles had just one other…

May 14, 2024
  • Uncategorized

Rutschman homers twice but Orioles get just 3 hits in 3-2, 10-inning loss to Blue Jays

BALTIMORE ---Catcher Adley Rutschman hit two home runs, but the Orioles had just one other…

May 13, 2024
  • Jersey of the Game

Orioles’ Jersey of the Game-Elrod Hendricks

Elrod Hendricks was a longtime catcher and spent 28 years as bullpen coach, the longest…

May 13, 2024
  • Uncategorized

Orioles make outfield changes: Hays activated, Stowers recalled, Kjerstad optioned, McKenna designated for assignment

BALTIMORE ---For Monday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Orioles have added outfielders…

May 13, 2024