BALTIMORE—John Means was scheduled to pitch on Sunday. However, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has decided to give him additional rest, and he’ll start on Wednesday night against Tampa Bay instead.
Means had five days’ rest after his no-hitter on May 5 when he threw a career-high 113 pitches. He threw six shutout innings on Tuesday night against the New York Mets.
“I think any time we’re going to have the ability to give our guys extra days, we’re going to,” Hyde said. “We’ve talked a lot about last year being an unusual year, managing the workload [because of the pandemic]. John’s thrown a ton of innings so far this year already.”
Means has thrown 52 innings, seventh most in the major leagues, entering Saturday’s games. In last year’s 60-game season, he’s threw 43 2/3.
After Monday’s offday, the Orioles don’t have another offday until June 3rd.
“We’ve got a lot of games in a row where everybody’s going to be on regular rest, probably,” Hyde said. “We just felt like this was a good time to push him back a couple of days before this long stretch.”
Hyde would like to get his pitchers extra rest when possible.
“You’ll be seeing everybody push guys back,” Hyde said. “To give guys extra rest here and there when necessary, especially this first year. [Means] was very receptive.”
Hyde hasn’t said who his starter will be on Sunday. It could be left-hander Keegan Akin, who threw a scoreless inning on Wednesday, or it could be another left-hander, Bruce Zimmermann, who’s at Triple-A Norfolk after starting for the Orioles.
“I’m going to wait until after the game today,” Hyde said before Saturday night’s game against the Yankees. “We’re going to see how the game plays out tonight. Could possibly be a bullpen game. We’ll probably have a transaction postgame. It will be either a starter or a bullpen game. We’re not sure which one we’re going to go with yet.”
Norfolk home season starts Tuesday: After spending the first two weeks on the road, the Orioles’ Triple-A Norfolk Tides will play their home opener against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at Harbor Park on Tuesday.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to it,” Norfolk manager Gary Kendall said. “I haven’t been back to Norfolk for a game since 2019. We ended on a pretty good note there. The fans play a big part in this. They were waiting, just like we were waiting, to go out and play some baseball. Now, there’s not just the excitement of Opening Day but the excitement of being at home before a home crowd and being minus baseball for almost two years. It’s really nice to get out there and play before a home crowd.
“Starting on the road, these first 12 and really 14 with offdays, it’s going to be really nice to get home and see some familiar faces and let the guys have a normal day … You get a little more time at the ballpark and get acclimated. We’re really looking forward to it, and I know our players are.”
With rest at a premium for pitchers, Kendall is prepared for many transactions. He heard stories from previous Tides managers.
“They didn’t lie when they said you seldom have the same club from day-to-day,” Kendall said. “You try to stay positive, and it keeps you on your toes. You do have some roles for some of the pitchers, whether it’s starters, relievers or guys who are going to throw in the middle of the game, towards the end of the game.
“A lot of times that long guy is going to have to make an emergency start. You’re always going to have adjust on the fly. As far as pitchers leaving us, that’s always a good thing because they’re always going to Baltimore. Hopefully, they can … help them win ballgames because that’s what keeps us all employed is them winning ballgames and us developing players. It’s a challenge, and you certainly would like to keep a certain 33 guys or 25 guys, depending on which year it is. You just have to adjust and you make the best out of what you have. You’re honest and upfront with your pitchers.”
Kendall says that he’s happy to see players he’s worked with succeed at the big league level.
“I think we’ve had some really good drafts recently or acquisitions, claiming guys or trading for guys,” Kendall said. “It’s certainly been a plus as you can see from some of our lower levels, the success that they’re having, not just from winning games, but when you eyeball some of these players, the [Gunnar] Hendersons, the [Adley] Rustchmans, you can see the obvious talent.
“I think we’ve drafted really, really well and as far as seeing the [Trey] Mancinis, the [John] Meanses, [Anthony] Santander, and those players, I’m just elated that I was part of the process, having been able to manage them, to get to know them and help them along with a lot of really, really good coaches on our staff that we’ve had either in Bowie or the places I’ve been.
“I’m just tickled at the success they’re having and the fact that they haven’t changed a bit.”
Tate update: Right-hander Dillon Tate, who’s on the 10-day injured list because of a strained left hamstring, is improving, Hyde said.
“It’s going well,” Hyde said. “Hamstring’s feeling better. He’s off the mound. He’s doing fine.”
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View Comments
Sacrifice a youngen to the Yankees, doesn’t smell right...go O’s...
Means already received an extra days rest after his no hit shut out. We should send our ace out every fifth day. At least the bullpen can rest when he pitches. The rate we are going the bullpen will be used up by the all star break. Moving Means back tells me this manager does not care about winning .
I agree do other teams test their aces. He’s a nice guy but a Elias puppet and we all know Elias plan and winning this year is not included in it
"Means has thrown 52 innings, seventh most in the major leagues, entering Saturday’s games. In last year’s 60-game season, he’s threw 43 2/3."
Unsubstantiated negative nonsense...and if Means went out every fifth day and then needed TJ surgery you two would be calling Hyde an idiot for over using Means...
Means has already pitched more innings than he did all last year. So they are trying to monitor his workload. After the day off Monday, they have 16 straight days without a day off. So this will be the last time they can push him back this month
He gets paid to pitch, looks like a boxers manager picking & choosing fighters for an impressive record, EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion, I’m guessing most #1 pitchers have thrown more innings than last year... go O’s...
Orioles aren't going to make the playoffs this season, so giving Means some extra rest after an abbreviated season in 2020 seems thoughtful & protective of the Oriole's best MLB pitcher.
Now onto a new duo I have released with Sean Lennon...
"All we are saying is........give Ramon Urias a chance!"
1 fielding error, 4 throwing errors, not good, but do they really think he has Chuck Knoblauch syndrome? His last 14 days/6 games he is batting a robust 0.385!
Kendall isn't talking up Cumberland to try to keep him under the radar before he pounces on MLB pitching latter this season...good strategy there Kendall!
Moving Means back is exactly the thing to do. He is too valuable to the team’s future to put at an undo risk, especially after the limited number of innings thrown last year. Be reasonable guys!
Maybe they should not pitch him at all, to protect our future...go O’s...
Pitch 'em if you got 'em. Soon as he's up for arbitration he's most likely gone anyway. When IS he up for arbitration? Rich?
Naw ... seriously I have no problem giving him a couple days off. But it does make you wonder doesn't it?
Means is eligible for arbitration after this season.
Oh no .... Don't expect they'd pony up enough to try signing him long term do you? Trade?
Rich, With Means's arbitration eligibility only months away, I wouldn't bet against a trade. Do you have any guesses as to how many teenage prospects we will get in return for him?
Trade, sit him against Yankees, more rest, better stats, hmmm...go O’s...
Oh man oh man oh man PB let up by Sisco...please begin skewering him immediately. Thanks
Jorge Lopez looking like George Lopez...go O’s...
Just tuned in during the bottom of the 2nd .... this is what Mike Elias is giving us? Just wait everyone says. Serenity now.
Lopez had 70 pitches in the 2nd inning, they did point out Sisco now leads the majors with caught stealing, 7 of 9 & people say Severino is better defensively...go O’s...
Stats show Sisco is having a better season than Severino so far 2021, not hard to look up. Overall though Severino’s WAR is -0.1 this season while Sisco’s is so -0.3, so they are both struggling this season but Sisco is struggling more than Severino. Focusing on one star like runners caught stealing is myopic which is your style
Is that sarcasm? Let me tell you sir, sarcasm does not come across well in written form. Elias pitched through college don’t think he is on the mound tonight
Well considering you're throwing my words back in my face ... no, absolutely no sarcasm was intended.
And of course Mike Elias isn't on the mound tonight. He's too busy at Bowie teaching the fine art of the changeup and otherwise 'developing' the young pitchers for bringing up sometime this decade.
I thought I was very succinctly referring to this being an absolutely-horrid-terrible-very-bad team that Mike Elias is presenting to the Orioles fans in 2021. Is that more unambiguous?'
Remember to drink your Pepsi!
Per BC, stats show Sisco is having a better 2021 than Severino, ok, then why isn’t he starting?...go O’s...
I guess good move to put Akin in now with low pressure situation. Was hoping he would start tomorrow
So improving winning pct from 2018 to 2019 to 2020 is tossed aside because BRR proclaims the Orioles to be absolutely horrible terrible very bad team because they have lost what 6 of 7. The successes in the minors should also be totally disregarded. BRR supreme unassailable judge of all he purveys!
Finally you get it. :)
I have an Oriole fan since 1958 and this has been the worst free fall I have ever seen. There are four positions, catcher, 3rd base, shortstop, 2nd base, and catcher that I wouldn’t give anyone a bag of balls for. The only reason these players are in the majors is because they are playing for the Orioles. I really feel there is not another team in either league they would be playing for. It’s time to bring up the guys from the minors and let them learn on the fly. Other wise I do not see this team being competitive for another six years. I strongly feel the team needs to be sold.
Would love to see a sale.
Alnassar I don’t recall you posting before but I’m 100 per cent behind what your saying. As for pajama man or Brett Cumberland or whatever he goes by now he’s just hot air sometimes funny sometimes sickening .
Totally agree, if you can’t pay MLB players like MLB players, sell them to someone who will... go O’s...
bunch of baloney not taking train the train to Balt this year can't think of any other team that's pushed its ace back other than for a legit physical reason.O's actively tanking season.Christ MEANS IS 27 NOT 21
older Orioles fans- me included are going to die before seeing another winning Orioles team.lol give the older fans something to enjoy about the Orioles
You sir, made me shed a team tonite. :)
I propose a boycott of the team by the older fans.we have been considered non- entities by the current regime anyways
The old owner must be totally senile to let the two sons and the boy wonder just go on losing and losing in the name of rebuild. I call it having cast offs to save money .Tell the kool aid bunch it’s all part of a slow master plan and they will believe anything you say because losing is part of their mentality.
Everybody gets a trophy .... right?
:)....go O’s...
And as far as the master plan of putting a non competitive team on the field and slowly adding young prospects even if half of them prove to be great which is unlikely what do you think the rest of the league will be doing regressing no they will be making their teams stronger every year with buying players and also prospects. So with this current ownership and Elias unless they start spending money for quality players once Davis contract is gone along with the prospects never expect anything different then you see right now.
Tampa Bay cannot be reproduced.
yeah today makes sense,the starter went 2 innings yesterday the bullpen 7 - let's make today a bullpen day. so a healthy starter who pitched 5 days ago can get more rest! and concede the game to the Yankees- like they need even more of a edge against the O's yeah O's are the YANKS bi##hes
IF he has a bad putting against the Yankees his value in a trade goes down, remember he’s not a kid anymore, he’s 28 yrs old...strategic...lol...go O’s...
Outting, damn spellcheck...go O’s...