The Orioles made a number of roster moves on Wednesday. Travis Lakins, who left his start against Houston in the second inning on Tuesday night, was placed on the 10-day injured list because of right elbow pain.
Manager Brandon Hyde said that Lakins would undergo further tests when the Orioles arrive in Southern California for a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels. They’ll have an offday on Thursday. He thinks Lakins could miss significant time.
“Right now, we’re still calling it an elbow strain,” Hyde said. “They’re going to do some further tests on it. We don’t know for sure, but it could be a while.”
Right-handed reliever Isaac Mattson was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, and right-hander Spenser Watkins had his contract purchased from Norfolk.
Left-hander Alexander Wells, who was the winning pitcher on Tuesday night, was optioned to Norfolk to clear space on the 26-man roster. Infielder Stevie Wilkerson was designated for assignment to make room for Watkins on the 40-man roster.
Lakins is 1-4 with a 5.79 ERA in 24 games. Mattson, who was one of four pitchers the Orioles acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for Dylan Bundy in December 2019, pitched in one game last month, allowing a run in 2/3rds of an inning.
Hyde said it was important to have Mattson, who could pitch an inning or two, because of the strain on the bullpen the past two games.
“We’re having a tough time getting length out of our starters,” Hyde said. “The bullpen is extremely taxed, and we’re limping here to the All-Star break, and I want to give some breathers. To have two arms fresh, we needed big time.”
Watkins, who was signed as a minor league free agent before the season, spent six seasons in the Detroit Tigers organization and was 1-2 with a 3.58 ERA in seven starts for Norfolk. He’ll wear No. 80, the first player on the Orioles to wear that number.
“I don’t know much about him, honest,” Hyde said. “He wasn’t in major league camp with us. He did come over and throw some [simulated games]. He has pitched well in Triple-A. He is built up, so he can give us some length, hopefully.”
Watkins, 28, said that he was close to leaving organized baseball when he was idle last year.
“There was a lot of uncertainty, and there was a lot of pressure for me to provide for my family,” Watkins said. “It was an option for me to step away at the time and pursue coaching. I was lucky enough to get the call. Getting to the big leagues after years I’ve put into this, I can’t put it into words. I’ve been shaking since I got the phone call. It means everything to me and my family.”
If Watkins gets into a game, he’ll be the 45th player used by the team. With so many pitchers making their debuts this season, Watkins thought this could be his time.
“The thought crept in my mind, for sure,” Watkins said. “Seeing all those guys get the chance and the opportunity to come up here and witness it made it feel even closer for me, and it got to a point where it was, ‘wow, this is a real opportunity for me here.’ Here we are, so I’m real excited.”
It’s all in the future: Bowie catcher Adley Rutschman and Norfolk right-hander Marcos Díplan will represent the American League in the Futures Game to be played on July 11th at Denver’s Coors Field.
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Sorry Stevie u had to go. The team is getting a little tighter with good or potentially good players. We have a catcher, and some some good pitchers waiting in the wings. Let’s just let the kiddie Corp play and see what happens. Drink cool aid not Pepsi
Remember what drinking the Koolaid did for those in Jonestown...go O’s
Ps. Harvey’s gotta go
He’ ll go to bullpen before he gets released
Can anyone answer this question. Have they ever tried playing, Mountcastle at 2nd
No, and they've never tried me at second, either. He had trouble at short and third, so why do you think he could play second?
Mountcastle must have set a world record for fastest drop from “shortstop prospect” to “strictly a DH.”
Sisco was drafted as a SS, maybe a faster decline...go O’s...
Ray, Sisco played shortstop in high school, but was drafted as a catcher.
He also pitched...go O’s...
Doesn’t everyone pitch in high school?
All SS do...did you?...go O’s...
Ok, so Hays has been hitting the ball pretty well the last couple games & he’s not in the lineup tonight, I don’t want to hear “There’s a right handed pitcher starting tonight”...I’m honestly getting where I think Hyde just likes playing with his lineup every night...go O’s...
I just think Hyde likes keeping his players healthy, Ray.
Who in the world is Marcos Diplan?
24 yr old DR pitcher in the Orioles system...go O’s...
He was acquired by the Orioles in December 2019 on waivers, and you could see him in the second half of the season.
Why even bother with the DFA on Wilkerson? Flat out release, he's already gone unclaimed TWICE! Nobody else wants him!!!
He chose to remain in the organization last time, and he’s a useful player at Triple-A. Good attitude and can play many positions,
It’s guys like Stevie that I think could become good coaches. If wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him coaching for the O’s organization in a few years.
Right you are, Dave. Managers love players like Stevie and Austin Wynns. They get everything out of their talent and don’t complain.
Good observation dlg
Rich, I’ve never seen you play baseball, so I don’t know why, they didn’t try you out at second!! So not making it at third or short,
The way to get the most out of Mountcastle is to put him at a position where he’s comfortable. That would be DH or first base.
Doesn’t make you a flop. All I asked, did they try him out at second and if not, they should. You never know. The throwing angle is completely different and throwing to first, is a hop, skip & a jump. I would love to see mountcastle & Mancini, in the game together, with a top notch DH. They have nothing to lose, & a lot to gain. If it works, how about Mancini at first, mountcastle at 2nd, west burg or gunner at short and either westburg or gunner at third. Just thinking out loud!
I think he'd have an easier time learning 2nd Base than LF (where they insisted on playing him earlier this season). He struggled big time there.
If he can’t even play third he won’t be athletic enough for second.
Yes you're probably right.
All I ever heard was he didn’t have the arm for 3rd, 2B sounds reasonable...go O’s...
Ray, P.C. and everyone else, after several years of experimenting with Mountcastle at shortstop, third base and left field, the Orioles have found he's best at first and as a DH. No, it's not reasonable to think every player can play at a position just because the Orioles have a need there. Playing a good offensive player at a position he's not suited for can have negative effects.
The Orioles are moving players around in the minor leagues to find out who can play where and to make them more versatile.
Wow, sorry, was just conversation...go O’s...
GEICO insurance runs ! Come on boys, lets break their backs here in the 8th
As Palmer just noted...Sulser gets lefties out better than righties. But Hyde has his finger on the pulse. Numbers be damned. We'll see what happens here
Hyde got it right. That's why "arm chair" manager's like me belong at home in Va. Beach.
Great job BIRDS ! SWEPT 'EM. Payback
First time we swept the stroh's at Minute Made Park
Can you imagine what a $1000 wager on the O’s to sweep 3 at Houston woulda paid out?
A nice sum indeed.
If anyone is still up look at what’s happening in the 9th inning in NY. Wow!!!!
Crazy! And the Yanks weren’t even the only team to score 7 in the first AND LOSE yesterday! The Cubs did it too - scored 7 in the top of the first and lost 15-7.
I saw that. I heard it was the first game in the history of baseball where each team had a 7 run lead by the 4th inning.