Sep 13, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (6) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a hitting a solo home run against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: In six weeks, the Orioles will begin reporting to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, and while many questions about the 2023 Orioles were answered with the signings of starter Kyle Gibson, reliever Mychal Givens and second baseman Adam Frazier last month and the acquisition of catcher James McCann last month, there are still some to be answered. On New Year’s Eve, the Orioles traded infielder Tyler Nevin to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Nevin had been designated for assignment when ca McCann was acquired from the New York Mets. The trade removed Nevin from the competition for a backup to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. It’s roughly the halfway point between the end of the 2022 Orioles season and the beginning of the 2023 season, so let’s tackle those remaining questions. Will the Orioles acquire another starter? During the holiday break, some business was conducted around baseball, and a few free agent starters linked with the Orioles found new homes. The biggest name among the starters was Nathan Eovaldi, who signed a two-year $32 million contract with a vesting option in 2025 with the Texas Rangers. Eovaldi’s market was undoubtedly slowed because the team that signed him had to surrender a draft pick since he turned down a $19.65 million qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber replaced Eovaldi on the Red Sox. Kluber signed a one-year, $10 million contract with an $11 million for 2024. Another 2022 Boston starter, Rich Hill, who’ll turn 43 in March, signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. There are still a few recognizable names available. Michael Wacha is the highest rated free agent still on the market, and the Orioles reportedly have expressed interest in him. Johnny Cueto, Zach Davies, Wade Miley, Mike Minor and Michael Pineda are some of the others still without a 2023 team. Gibson, the 35-year-old who signed a one-year, $10 million contract, is the most experienced starter on their staff. The returning starters include Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Austin Voth and Tyler Wells. Baseball’s top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez is set to join the starting staff, and perhaps DL Hall could as well. Voth is in a sticky spot because unlike the others, he doesn’t have an option remaining, but with the Orioles likely to carefully monitor the innings of all the other young starters, he might be valuable as a swing man. The Orioles could still sign a veteran or trade for a more established starter this month. If they trade, they’d probably want a starter who’s perhaps two years removed from free agency, and if they do, they’d have to surrender either a veteran who’s been of value or some of their promising young prospects. How many bullpen spots are available? With last month’s signing of Givens, there are five accomplished relievers returning. Bryan Baker, Félix Bautista, Cionel Pérez and Dillon Tate join Givens. The Orioles could have Voth or perhaps Mike Baumann, Spenser Watkins or Bruce Zimmermann, who provide starting depth, as a long man. A long man and the five veterans leave two openings in the bullpen. Hall, Rule 5 selection Andrew Politi, Keegan Akin, Logan Gillaspie, Joey Krehbiel and Nick Vespi are among those who could compete for the final two spots. Who is that backup first baseman? Mountcastle played 144 and 145 games in the last two seasons, but aside from the last two months of 2022, Trey Mancini, who remains a free agent was always the backup first baseman/designated hitter. The Orioles would like a left-handed hitter/DH-type. McCann has played six major league games at first, but he’s a right-handed hitter, and while Adley Rutschman could be the DH when McCann catches, Rutschman is probably not going to play first as he did occasionally in the minors. Ramón Urias played some first base in the minor leagues, but the backup probably will come from elsewhere. Franchy Cordero, who was signed as a minor league free agent could get a shot. There was some chatter that the Orioles had interest in Eric Hosmer, released last month by the Red Sox, but the Chicago Cubs may be interested as well. How many position player spots are open? With an infield of Mountcastle, Frazier, Jorge Mateo and Gunnar Henderson with Urías in reserve, Rutschman and McCann, and outfielders Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander, that leaves three spots. Ryan McKenna, who was a useful fourth outfielder last season with the ability to play each of the outfield positions, is probably a favorite for one of them. Kyle Stowers could be another, but he may be challenged by Cordero and non-roster outfielder Nomar Mazara. Don’t forget about Terrin Vavra, who’s a left-handed hitter with the ability to play second and the corner outfield positions. Infield prospects Joey Ortiz and Jordan Westburg could begin the season back at Triple-A Norfolk, but if a spring training injury sends a player to the 15-day injured list to begin the season, that could always change the Orioles’ thoughts.
WASHINGTON—The Orioles were 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position, left 11 runners on base and still managed to defeat the Washington Nationals, 4-3, before an announced crowd of 31,619 at Nationals Park on Tuesday night.
With just 21 games remaining and their hopes for a wild-card berth dimming, the Orioles needed a win against the team with the worst record in baseball. And they heard encouragement in the top of the ninth when many of the fans still remaining started a “Let’s Go O’s” chant.
The Orioles (74-67) had lost six of eight and are five games behind the third wild-card team, the Tampa Bay Rays, who split a day/night doubleheader with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dillon Tate, Cionel Pérez and Félix Bautista, pitching for the first time in a week, combined for four hitless innings against the Nationals (49-93) to preserve the win. Bautista earned his 13th save.
Tate pitched 1 1/3 innings. Pérez retired each of the five batters he faced, and Bautista, who had earned a six-out save against Toronto on September 6th and then was held out because of arm fatigue, pitched a hitless ninth.
“We had a lot of opportunities to score a few more and we just didn’t, but fortunately we got enough,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Great stuff from our pitching tonight.”
Catcher Adley Rutschman singled with one out in the first against Nationals starter Cory Abbott. He moved to second on a passed ball by catcher Israel Pineta and scored on a two-out single by Gunnar Henderson.
Joey Meneses singled with one out in the bottom of the first, and a two-out bloop by Luis Garcia skipped past Kyle Stowers in left, and the score was tied at 1.
In the top of the second, the Orioles loaded the bases, and Anthony Santander was called out on strikes on a pitch that appeared low and outside.
Washington took a 3-1 lead in the third when Ildemaro Vargas singled and Lane Thomas doubled. Vargas scored on a single by Luke Voit, and Thomas scored on a forceout by Garcia.
Austin Hays led off the fourth with a single and Jorge Mateo followed with a roller to third. He beat a wild throw to first by Vargas, and Hays took third.
Former Oriole Hunter Harvey (1-1) relieved Abbott, and Hays scored when Cedric Mullins hit into a double play
Ryan Mountcastle hit his 22nd home run to right-center off Harvey to tie the score at 3 leading off the fifth.
“That was the best at-bats he’s taken in months,” Hyde said about Mountcastle’s night. “The walks, the ability to lay off some breaking balls down, tough pitches, go deep in the count, and turn around 100 to right-center. He just has so much power that way.
“When he’s really geared in to stay on the ball, get another hit over there. He’s got so much ability and he showed you tonight what he’s capable of.”
On Monday night, Mountcastle had dinner with Harvey, an old friend.
“We were just talking smack to each other, and I’m like, ‘I’m going to take you deep,’ and he’s like, ‘I’m going to hit you right in the back.’ I told him: ‘You better not hit me in the back. You throw way too hard.’
“I got him, man, and he’s probably one of my favorite home runs that I’ve ever hit. I think right when I hit it, I looked at him in the corner of my eye. He had a little smile on his face, even after he gave it up. It was a cool moment.”
Henderson followed with a double, and Ramón Urías reached on an infield single and advanced to second on wild pitch. With one out, Hays dropped a double into right, scoring Henderson to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead.
“It’s always nice to get a bloop hit with runners in scoring position,” Hays said. “Try to stay through the middle of the field, get something to hit hard right there and found a hole. I was glad to see it find some grass.”
Leftfielder Alex Call made a diving catch on a line drive to left by Mullins, robbing him of an extra-base hit and the Orioles of two more runs. The Orioles left nine runners on base in the first five innings.
The Nationals’ CJ Abrams doubled to begin the sixth, and Tate replaced Oriole starter Dean Kremer. Pineda grounded to Mateo at short, and Abrams, who decided to break for third, was thrown out to erase a chance to tie the score by Washington.
Kremer (7-5) allowed three runs on eight hits in five innings.
“Every win means something, no matter who against and what time of year,” Kremer said. “A win’s a win. It was our 74th of the season, and that’s all we ask for.”
The Orioles play Washington again on Wednesday before going to Toronto for three games this weekend.
“It’s still a big league team over there,” Hays said. “They still have good players, so it doesn’t matter who’s wearing what uniform, any night. We’ll just go out there and play nine innings of relentless baseball and get us back on the winning bracket and come in tomorrow and get a series win and sweep on the same day.”
Notes: Rutschman hit his 30th double. He’s just the second Oriole rookie to record 30 doubles in a season after joining the club on May 21st. In 1982, Cal Ripken Jr. had 32 doubles. … Mullins and Urías were hit by pitches. The Orioles lead the American League with 77 hit batsmen, and Mullins’ 31st steal is one more than he had last year, when he also hit 30 home runs. … Tyler Wells (7-6, 3.91) will face left-hander Patrick Corbin (6-18, 6.30) on Wednesday night.
Minor league update: Brooklyn defeated High-A Aberdeen, 8-1, in the opening game of their best 2-of-3 in the South Atlantic League playoffs. Jean Pinto allowed three runs on five hits in four innings. Antonio Velez gave up five runs, four earned, in 3 1/3.
Centerfielder Jud Fabian homered and designated hitter Heston Kjerstad had two hits. Game 2 is at Aberdeen on Thursday, and, if necessary, Game 3 on Friday.
Leftfielder Richie Martin and designated hitter Cadyn Grenier each drove in three runs as Triple-A Norfolk defeated Charlotte, 12-4. Spenser Watkins (1-0) allowed one run on two hits in five innings. Alexander Wells allowed three runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings. Martin and centerfielder Colton Cowser each hit their second home run.
Call for questions: I’ll be answering Oriole questions later this week. Please email them to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.
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