BALTIMORE—In six of their last nine games, the Orioles have been held to a single run. Not coincidentally, the Orioles lost each of them.
On Friday night, Tyler Glasnow overpowered the Orioles for five innings, and the Rays’ bullpen shut them down for the rest of the game in a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.
The Orioles, who began the season 12-8, are 10-22 since, and won’t have a winning record in 2020. They have eight games remaining and are 6-12 in one-run games.
“It just seems like when we play these guys … we’re a hit or two away, we’re a pitch or two away, we’re a defensive play away from being on the other side,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “That’s frustrating.”
After Orioles starter Alex Cobb retired the first two Tampa Bay batters, Brandon Lowe singled. Mike Brosseau walked, and Nate Lowe singled to right, driving in Brandon Lowe.
“It’s so big to go out there in the first inning and shut the door, set the tone, and get your offense back out on the field,” Cobb said.
The Orioles blew an opportunity to score in the bottom of the first when Chance Sisco led off with a single. Austin Hays walked, and Rio Ruiz singled.
Third base coach José Flores held Sisco ,and Hays nearly was tagged out at second when he tried to retreat.
Bryan Holaday and Andrew Velazquez struck out, and Cedric Mullins flied to left, leaving the bases loaded.
“Tonight, we were knocking on the door,” Hays said. “We had the bases loaded with no outs. Usually when things are going really, really well and you’re scoring a bunch of runs, something crazy happens.”
The Rays’ Yoshi Tsutsugo led off the third with a fly to right that bounced out of DJ Stewart’s glove, but was ruled a triple. Tsutsugo scored on Brandon Lowe’s single for a 2-0 Rays lead.
Hays led off the fourth with a home run to left against Glasnow, his second. His first home run was an inside-the-park homer on August 11 at Philadelphia.
Glasnow struck out 10 in five innings, and lowered his ERA against the Orioles to 2.08 in six starts.
“It’s a tough at-bat from the first pitch on,” Hays said of Glasnow. “You’re just battling the whole time. When he makes a mistake, you have to take advantage of it.”
Oliver Drake, Aaron Loup, Nick Anderson and Ryan Sherriff combined to hold the Orioles to one hit in four scoreless innings of relief.
“I feel like we play competitive games against this team, which is a really good team with really good pitching,” Hyde said. “A lot of nights, we’re just one hit away from having the lead in the seventh instead of chasing like we do against these guys all the time.”
Cobb allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. He has yet to win a game at home in three seasons with the Orioles. He’s 1-5 with a 4.76 ERA.
“It’s been up and down,” Cobb said of his season. “I feel like it started off pretty well.”
Cobb said he’s been working on making mechanical adjustments with pitching coach Doug Brocail.
“I think it’s going to pay off a lot in the long run,” Cobb said. “It’s a challenge to do that in-season.
“I knew this year was going to have these types of moments where you’ve been up and down and try and find your delivery. It’s difficult. I think that the trajectory has been going up.”
The Orioles struck out 14 times, one short of their season high. Stewart and Holaday struck out three times each.
Completing Bleier, Givens trades: The Orioles received 18-year-old shortstop Isaac De León from Miami as the player to be named later in the July 31 trade for reliever Richard Bleier.
A native of the Dominican Republic, De León hit .256 with a home run and 20 RBIs for the Marlins’ Dominican Summer League team in 2019.
Colorado sent 18-year-old outfielder Mishael Deeson to the Orioles to complete the trade for reliever Mychal Givens. The Orioles also received infielders Tyler Nevin and Terrin Vevra from the Rockies.
Deeson hit .252 with a home run and 20 RBIs for Colorado’s Dominican Summer League team in 2019. He also stole 23 bases.
Both players were added to the Orioles’ 60-man player pool but won’t report to the Bowie alternate site because it’s late in the season and the intake and quarantine processes would be lengthy.
In order to make room in the 60-man pool, the Orioles released left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny from the alternate training site. He signed a minor league contract with the Orioles but never pitched for the team this season.
The Orioles also received a player to be named later in trades with Houston for pitcher Hector Velázquez and two from Atlanta for starter Tommy Milone. In the trade with the New York Mets for reliever Miguel Castro, the Orioles will receive a player to be named later or cash. They already received left-handed pitcher Kevin Smith.
The Orioles’ 40-man roster has 39 players.
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Right or wrong, seems to be a lot of controversy around Flores & his coaching of 3rd...go O’s...
I was surprised that he held Sisco in the 1st. His reasoning for holding Sisco may well have been that he had the Ruthian combination of Bryan Holaday and Andrew Valazquez coming up next. Just what the hell is Valazquez doing on a major league roster? The fact that he is, is where I have to question just how great a job Mike Elias is doing, and why Hyde has him in the lineup so regularly. I guess somebody else needed their 'rest'.
Ken, as I tweeted yesterday afternoon, Iglesias was being rested, but available to play, and he pinch hit.
Sorry Rich, but I don't tweet. Regardless of resting Iglesias, what I'm questioning is why Velazquez is even on the team. He's simply not that good. And by not good, I mean overmatched at this level. Isn't Valaika perfectly capable of playing SS anymore?
One more thing Rich ... is the diner ever going open again? I've been craving a slice of that Lemon Merangue!
Besides looking like a little leaguer at bat Velazquez arm is weak it looks like he is shot balling the throw. If Jose was being rested with 11 games left why wasn’t Valaika playing SS. The other night Velazquez had 3 balls with a runner on first. Obviously I thought the next two pitches were automatically holds but he was given the green light at 3 and 1 swung at a low ball and then of course struck out.
Ken, the Diner may open occasionally in the offseason, but the unprompted comments that are offered by you and others are similar to many of the questions I would pose.
Because of the brevity of the season, there were few off days and fewer opportunities for non-game coverage.
Flores has had a few blunders this year. Good 3B & Infield Coaches aren't hard to find. Neither are Big League capable Managers. They are out there and looking for jobs.
Agree CalPals-Flores has been controversial as a 3rd base coach. Such a poor baserunning team that I don't envy him. We have been excited(rightfully so) about this teams play BUT as the season progresses you could see the pitching improving and the hitting declining. Mountcastle,Stewart,Mullins have been a nice story but what the hell happened to Alberto/Severino? Seems they packed it in as Sept. approached bringing the offense down with them. So yes they're "in" these games but have no pop in the lineup. That being said pitching wins and they're headed in that direction.
Even with his hot hitting this year Severino is like a .233 career hitter. Alberto is a waiver pickup lefty-hitting specialist. It should be no surprise when either of them runs cold when played as everyday players.
Agree the baserunning on this team is shocking. I’m amazed at guys in the big leagues who seem not to understand the game. But I realize it’s a lot easier to find people who know all the fundamentals than it is to find guys who can hit 97 mph heaters and lay off sliders down and away AND still play some kind of serviceable defense at the same time
Just mentioned the problem around third base on here the other day if you all remember? Hyde playing it down saying it is tough coaching that position but there has been too much indecision or bad decision around that bag this year.The runners can’t see behind them so most of the blame has to go to Flores. Hate jumping on people like this but it has probably cost them some games and is frustrating to me as a fan. Not to mention a guy like Cobb who may have gotten a W if we scored on the play.Enough on that for now, Cobb looked good which may Help get us some pieces over the winter and looks like we git a bunch more prospects as PTBNL. Wish they get get hold of real power hitter though, they all seem like speedsters and glove guys but no average or pop though realize they are still developing.Keep up the good work Rich, look forward to your page each day.
Thank you, Tony. It will be interesting to see if there are any coaching changes after the season.
As well as being 3B coach, Flores is also the infield coach. In the end, that may be the deciding factor whether they make a change there. Some of the infield play ( Ruiz, Alberto) has been spotty. As for Cobb, he’s not going anywhere. Maybe at the trade deadline because nobody will pick up his salary. And the Orioles won’t eat his salary just to move him.
Excellent point. Had forgotten Flores was also the IF coach. A double wammy. But then again who knew a supposedly good fielder Ruiz was gonna forget how to throw to first and Iglesias was gonna pull up lame right out of the gate. Kinda miss Richie Martin. Agree with everybody--Valesquez does not belong on this team.
Unfortunately that explains a lot...go O’s...
The Orioles goal of "competing well" is the description of a sparring partner. And we're a lot more than "just one or two plays" from a win, except in the most theoretical sense; that is, if we posit this one change in the game with the assumption that nothing else would have changed. A baseball game offers nine innings and twenty-seven outs as opportunities to score; scoring only once means missing a lot of opportunities. I truly enjoy the positive attitudes and rational critiques in Rich's columns and the group discussions although I don't always sound that way.
With the lack of MLB ready infielders in the O's farm system, would it be feasable to trade Cobb for a MLB ready or an established infielder? It seems to me that the starting pitching is coming around and also the outfield. I have to agree with BRR on Valazquez.
Norm, Cobb’s salary is prohibitive in these cost-conscious times. Trading him is extremely difficult.
As Rich said, Cobb's salary is prohibitive - no team will be willing to pick up his $14 million tab for next season. Orioles are stuck with Cobb ... only thing they can hope for is that he finally contributes something next season - even 8 or 9 wins from him next year would be a pleasant surprise at this point.
My mistake, I had no idea..............14mil? We are stuck (again)
Agree, it would be nice, but unreal now unfortunately...go O’s....
Do we have any trades where we are the ones owing somebody a PTBNL? If so, Elias should say “ok we’ve decided on the player we’re gonna send you: Chris Davis.”
Lol, awesome, sure there’s some clause (Santa) that says he doesn’t /wouldn’t have to go, but love the idea...go O’s...
Constructive discussion. I am highly critical, game after game, about the third base coach who sends runners when he should not. This time, he held a runner and I could not complain.
Here’s my overall take on this season. We have had 60 games to figure out who we are “becoming”. Comments directed at individual players are less useful to the big picture, compared to comments looking at the entire team and its future. Cobb, Velasquez, Valaika, Ruiz: will not be on this team when we are better. Alberto is top-five in the major leagues hitting against left-handed pitching. Nunez probably can hit major league pitching, enough to stick. We have young arms coming, galore. Santander is a middle of the order bat. Sig and Mike just picked up two more 18-year-old Dominican prospects, love it! Is Brandon hide the guy to take us to the World Series? My jury is out. Thoughts? We are going to get better, sooner than I expected! I have really enjoyed watching these 2020 games and I look forward to 2021!
The Orioles just demoted Velasquez. Maybe they read this site ...