Orioles recall Bradish, Nevin, option Baumann; Alexander Wells goes on injured list; DL Hall to start for Aberdeen

BALTIMORE—The Orioles announced the recall of right-hander Kyle Bradish from Triple-A Norfolk to start Friday’s game against the Boston Red Sox. Bradish, who was one of four right-handers acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in the trade for starter Dylan Bundy in December 2019, was 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in three starts for Norfolk. He’s among the team’s prospects who signal a brighter future.

Bradish, who threw four scoreless innings for the Orioles in Grapefruit League games, allowed eight hits in 15 innings, striking out 17 and walking three, in the three starts for the Tides.

“You saw the start he got off to in Norfolk,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We wanted him to get two or three starts down there when we broke spring training. We felt like he was ready.”

Injuries to John Means, the Orioles’ ace who had Tommy John surgery this week, and Chris Ellis (right shoulder inflammation) have created an opportunity for Bradish.

It occurs in the same week that catcher Adley Rutschman and left-hander DL Hall are playing for High-A Aberdeen on rehab assignments. Hall is also scheduled to pitch tonight, and he’ll be caught by Rutschman. Bradish, Hall and top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez could be in the Orioles’ rotation later this season.

Hyde said if Bradish, 25, pitches well, he could pitch six innings and throw between 85 and 90 pitches.

“…We’re excited to watch Bradish pitch,” Hyde said. “His couple of appearances he made in spring training obviously made a nice impression on everybody. I’d never seen him pitch before. The staff had never seen him pitch … You’re going to see major league stuff. That’s what we saw in spring training. Excited for him, excited for his family and look forward to watching him make his debut.”

The Orioles also recalled infielder/outfielder Tyler Nevin from Norfolk. Nevin was batting .364 with two home runs and 17 RBIs for the Tides. Last season, Nevin batted .286 with a home run and three RBIs in six games for the Orioles. He can play first and third base, and the corner outfield positions.

“I’m going to move Tyler around,” Hyde said. “I think he’s going to add for us offensively. I just want him to be steady defensively, which he’s worked extremely hard at in the outfield and in the infield. We like the way he swung the bat in spring training. He’s off to a great offensive start down there, taking really good at-bats, just want to see him do the same thing up here.”

Bradish and Nevin, who was acquired from Colorado as part of the return for relief pitcher Mychal Givens in August 2020, are two of the more publicized returns in trades executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has made.

“We’re getting homegrown games here, either guys Mike’s acquired or drafted the last few years,” Hyde said. “It’s fun to have these guys come up.”

To make room for Bradish and Nevin, the Orioles optioned right-hander Mike Baumann to Norfolk and placed left-hander Alexander Wells on the 10-day injured list because of left elbow inflammation.

“We feel pretty good about our pitching right now, as of today,” Hyde said. “We liked what Tyler has done in Norfolk. We wanted to give him an opportunity. He’s in there tonight, playing third base.”

Wells had a 4.91 ERA in two games for the Orioles. He allowed two runs on homers to Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo in Tuesday night’s game against the New York Yankees.

“He’s going to get some further tests [on the elbow],” Hyde said. “He’s going to get looked at some more by some doctors tonight.”

Baumann was 1-2 with a 6.14 ERA in five games for the Orioles. Hyde said that he would pitch multiple innings in scheduled appearances.

“It’s easier to schedule them out,” Hyde said. “It’s harder in the big leagues because things change on a day-to-day basis, game-to-game, inning-to-inning. Mike, we felt like in talking to him last night, it was important for him to go down there and get regular work … really believe in his stuff, love his arm, wasn’t getting hit hard. It’s about pitching ahead in the count here, being able to command his breaking ball a little bit better because he’s got a plus-fastball and a really good slider. We want to see him get regular work and be back here soon.”

Ellis update: Ellis, who’s on the 10-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, returned to Baltimore on Tuesday to have his shoulder examined. “I guess the doctors are going over some stuff right now,” Ellis said. “They’re supposed to get back to me by the end of the day.”

Ellis left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels after throwing to five batters. He had a similar injury last September. “I spent a lot time this offseason rehabbing and with the lockout stuff going on, it was just a big whirlwind of things, and then I show up at camp. I was pitching through some things that I never really alleviated, and unfortunately, have to address it now. Hoping for the best.”