Midday Mailbag: Should the Orioles bench Cedric Mullins?

Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.

Question: What can the Orioles do with Cedric Mullins? He looks absolutely clueless at the plate. From: Richard Kalwarski

Answer: Richard, that’s a popular question. Lee Barrett also wanted to know if they should sit Mullins and put Colton Cowser in center field and rotate Austin Hays, Heston Kjerstad and Kyle Stowers in left field.

First of all, Lee, Heston Kjerstad was optioned to Norfolk on Monday so that Stowers could be recalled. Kjerstad must stay in Norfolk for 10 days unless he replaces a player on the injured list.

As Peter Schmuck pointed out in his column this morning, manager Brandon Hyde is using some of the competitive capital he earned by being patient with Mullins as well as Cowser.

Mullins is 5-for-57, and Cowser is hitting just .125 (4-for-32) in May after hitting .303 until then.

Both Mullins and Cowser are left-handed hitters. I think Hyde will be patient with both. Since the Orioles designated Ryan McKenna for assignment on Monday, Hays is the only experienced centerfielder other than Cowser or Mullins.

Question: Obviously I hope this doesn’t happen but say Toronto wins this afternoon, does that end the sweepless streak? Or would the makeup game later in the season be considered part of this series? From: Dave Gruber

Answer: Dave, if the Blue Jays beat the Orioles today, the sweepless streak ends at 104. The game that was rained out on Tuesday night counts as part of a four-game series in July.