World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966

American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969

American League Wild Card 2016, 2012, 1996

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Game Stories:

Four-run fourth, Jayson Aquino's quality start give Orioles 4-2 win over Red Sox The

Sun 4/22

Bundy excels again as first-place Orioles shut out Red Sox, 2-0 The Sun 4/21

Orioles recap: J.J. Hardy's RBI single in 10th lifts Birds over Reds, 2-1 The Sun 4/20

Mancini, Schoop HRs spark big inning, win MLB.com 4/22

Bundy, Machado keep O's rolling vs. Red Sox MLB.com 4/22

Hardy's RBI 1B, Miley's 11 K's lift O's in 10 MLB.com 4/20

Columns:

Orioles' Kevin Gausman hoping to find his splitter in time to regain form against Red Sox

The Sun 2/23

Orioles minor league report: Ryan Mountcastle hitting well for Keys The Sun 4/23

Rookie Trey Mancini impressing Orioles clubhouse during his subtle, record-setting start

The Sun 2/22

Back, back, back: In nod to Orioles and data, Adam Jones positioning himself deeper The

Sun 2/22

Schmuck: Machado-Pedroia 'controversy' not worthy of the attention it's getting The Sun

4/22

Orioles' Buck Showalter laments another 'tough stretch' out of the lineup for Hyun Soo

Kim The Sun 4/22

Orioles notes: Zach Britton improving, but set to see hand specialist for final clearance

The Sun 4/22

Orioles-Red Sox game Saturday to start at about 7:30 p.m. after rain delay The Sun 4/22

Orioles on deck: What to watch Saturday vs. Red Sox The Sun 2/22

Full Q&A with Orioles center fielder Adam Jones on the decision to play him deeper in

outfield The Sun 2/22

Will Red Sox retaliate for Orioles third baseman Manny Machado's hard slide? The Sun

4/22

Orioles-Red Sox tensions rise after Machado's slide into second base injures Pedroia The

Sun 4/21

Brad Brach again steps in seamlessly for injured Orioles closer Zach Britton The Sun

4/21

Orioles on deck: What to watch Friday vs. Red Sox, plus series matchups The Sun 4/21

Orioles' first road trip of season full of pleasant surprises The Sun 4/21

Orioles' Miley sharp again with Joseph behind the plate The Sun 4/20

Postgame pies coming back? Orioles mum on Wednesday's celebration The Sun 4/20

Orioles lefty Jayson Aquino to make first major league start Saturday against Red Sox

The Sun 4/20

Orioles on deck: What to watch Thursday at Reds The Sun 4/20

Right-hander Brad Brach proving to be worth every penny for Orioles The Sun 4/20

Orioles' postgame pie returns, at least for one night, after Jimenez's sweet performance

The Sun 4/20

Gausman out to rebound, sweep Red Sox MLB.com 4/23

Aquino impresses in audition, gives O's depth MLB.com 4/22

Britton to see hand doc, could throw after that MLB.com 4/22

Tillman makes second rehab start MLB.com 4/22

Increased cutter use helping Bundy excel MLB.com 4/22

Brach delivering in ninth with Britton out MLB.com 4/21

Bundy eyes fourth straight quality start MLB.com 4/21

8 Miley: Lefty keeps O's rotation hot with gem MLB.com 4/20

Chris Davis snapped his bat over his knee and trees are crying everywhere MLB.com

4/20

O's, Davis avoid quirky DP vs. Reds MLB.com 4/20

Injured hammy could land Smith on DL MLB.com 4/20

Jimenez finds success in first win of season MLB.com 4/20

Jones playing deeper in center field MLB.com 4/20

Britton cleared to throw on Monday (and other notes) MASNsports.com 4/23

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox MASNsports.com 4/23

Edwin Jackson making progress in extended spring training MASNsports.com 4/23

Mancini and Schoop homer, Aquino gets first win (with quotes) MASNsports.com 4/22

Game status, Bourn, Tillman, Joseph on Aquino (O’s up 4-2) MASNsports.com 4/22

Showalter on Machado/Pedroia, Kim and more MASNsports.com 4/22

Britton ready to resume throwing on Monday (and other notes) MASNsports.com 4/22

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-red-sox-20170422-story.html

Four-run fourth, Jayson Aquino's quality start give Orioles

4-2 win over Red Sox

By Peter Schmuck / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

Suddenly, the Orioles seem to have more effective starters than they can use.

Left-hander Jayson Aquino became the sixth different Orioles pitcher to deliver a quality start

during the first three weeks of the new season, pitching six strong innings in the Orioles’ 4-2

victory over the Boston Red Sox before 35,457 on Saturday night at Camden Yards.

The Orioles' fourth straight win improved their major league-best record to 12-4 and moved

them to the threshold of a three-game sweep of the defending division champions.

“I think you saw some of the things we like about him," manager Buck Showalter said. “He

doesn’t lack for – I don’t want to say confidence. He’s one of those guys, ‘Here’s mine and see

what you can do with it. I’m not going to pick around.’ … There’s some personality to his

pitching.”

Aquino (1-0) was the second call-up starter to take the mound over the past eight days and the

second to keep the Orioles from feeling the full force of the injury that has kept ace Chris

Tillman out of the rotation from the start of spring training.

Right-hander Alec Asher delivered a similar performance against the Toronto Blue Jays on April

15 at Rogers Centre.

“You kind of shuffle the deck,” Showalter said. "If certain things aren’t working, you go in some

other directions. Dan [Duquette] is good at that.”

Aquino’s six-inning, six-hit performance gave the Orioles their eighth quality start in the past

nine games. The only exception over that span was Kevin Gausman’s blowup in Cincinnati on

Tuesday night.

If you’re keeping stats at home, the starters’ ERA over that span is 2.59. If you remove

Gausman’s game from the equation, the rotation ERA in the other eight games is an amazing

1.36.

The Orioles struggled to solve knuckleballer Steven Wright through the first three innings after

hammering four home runs off him in his first start against him at Fenway Park on April 12, but

they caught up to him again in the fourth.

They batted around to score four runs, but three of them came on back-to-back homers by Trey

Mancini and Jonathan Schoop.

It was the second time this year the Orioles have homered back-to-back. The first time was on

April 12, when – you guessed it – Mancini and Schoop hit them off – you guessed it – Steven

Wright. Adam Jones drove in the other run with a two-out single.

Mancini’s eighth homer in his first 17 games tied a major league record held by Carlos Delgado

and Trevor Story. He had a couple of chances to break that record and nearly did with a long fly

ball to left field in the eighth inning.

Mychal Givens took over for Aquino and pitched two perfect innings. The Orioles couldn’t use

Brad Brach for the save situation, so left-hander Donnie Hart and Darren O’Day pitched the

ninth inning, with O’Day getting the last out for his first save of the year.

Caleb’s big night: No, Caleb Joseph didn’t get his first RBI since 2015, but he did get his first

two hits of the season. He singled in the third inning and doubled in the fourth – both hits off

Wright. He also scored his first run of the year on a fourth-inning RBI single by Jones.

Bradley’s big shot: Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who came off the disabled list for this

series, hit his first home run of the season in the third inning, and it was a big one. It landed on

Eutaw Street to give the Red Sox (10-8) a short-lived 2-0 lead and was the 89th Eutaw Street

homer in the history of Camden Yards. Forty-nine of them have been hit by opposing players.

The last homer to land on Eutaw before Bradley was by Orioles designated hitter Pedro Alvarez,

who did it on Sept. 2.

No slidegate fallout: The game was played without serious incident after tempers flared Friday

night because of Manny Machado’s hard slide into Dustin Pedroia. There were two hit batsmen

in the late innings – Schoop for the Orioles and Marco Hernandez for the Red Sox -- but the

situations didn’t point to either of them being intentional.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-red-sox-0422-20170421-

story.html#nt=oft13a-6gp1

Bundy excels again as first-place Orioles shut out Red Sox,

2-0

By Peter Schmuck / The Baltimore Sun

April 21, 2017

The oft-maligned Orioles starting rotation continues to exceed the minimal expectations that

followed it into this season, and right-hander Dylan Bundy continued to stack up quality starts

Friday night at Oriole Park.

Bundy (3-1) pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed just six hits on the way to his third

victory of the year, a tense 2-0 triumph over the Boston Red Sox before an announced 34,442

that kept the Orioles atop the American League East and maintained their grip on the best win-

loss record in either league.

He has a quality start in each of his four appearances and has allowed more than one run in only

one of those games. He came out for the eighth inning and allowed a leadoff single to catcher

Christian Vasquez before giving way to left-hander Donnie Hart and right-hander Mychal

Givens.

Brad Brach, who saved both Orioles victories in Cincinnati, came on for the third straight night

and converted another opportunity in place of injured closer Zach Britton.

Though Bundy had to work out of some early trouble, he cruised through the middle innings,

retiring 14 of 16 batters before the hit that ended his evening. It was the Orioles' seventh quality

start in the past eight games.

“Really, I just had to use all my pitches tonight,’’ Bundy said. “It’s a tough lineup over there and

it’s tough lineup to get out. They just battled from Pitch One and they battled me the whole

night. It was a tough one. I got some double-play balls that my defense helped me out on and got

me out of some jams and I think that was really the key to the game.”

Meanwhile, the offense continued to dole out support sparingly. Adam Jones gave the O’s the

lead with a single in the third inning that brought home Craig Gentry, who had doubled down the

right-field line with one out. Manny Machado doubled that lead with a two-out, bases-empty

homer off Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz in the fifth.

Controversy flared in the eighth inning when Machado spiked Red Sox veteran Dustin

Pedroia on a hard slide at second base. Pedroia had to be helped off the field after suffering an

injury to his left calf, and the Red Sox obviously were not happy about it.

Machado said afterward that it was unintentional and texted Pedroia from the clubhouse to see

whether he was all right. It remains to be seen whether there will be any payback this weekend.

“I’m not going to change the way I play,’’ Machado said. “I’m going to keep playing hard. I’m

going to do what I need to do to help my team win. It was not intentional. Just look at the replay

and you’ll see it. ... I would never want to hurt a guy like that.”

Pomeranz, who had allowed just four hits over six innings in a victory over the Orioles in his

first regular-season start, pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits.

The Red Sox will send knuckleballer Steven Wright to the mound Saturday night for his second

start of the year against the Orioles. In his earlier start, he lasted just 1 1/3 innings and gave up

eight earned runs in a 12-5 blowout at Fenway Park.

Double play trifecta: Bundy allowed a single to the Red Sox leadoff hitter in each of the first

three innings, but the Orioles defense had his back, turning double plays in each of those innings

to get him out of trouble.

He worked out of the most dangerous early threat after Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley

Jr. opened the second inning with singles to put runners at the corners with no one out.

Bundy struck out Pablo Sandoval and got Vasquez to ground into a routine 6-4-2 DP.

Manny’s third: Machado has been showing signs of breaking out of an early hitting funk, and he

nearly delivered a run-scoring extra-base hit in the third when he hammered a line drive that

Bradley caught in center.

No problem.

Machado came up in the fifth inning and homered to left field to increase the Orioles’ lead to 2-

0.

It was his third homer of the year and his ninth RBI. He would add a single in the eighth for his

first multihit game of the season.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-orioles-recap-j-j-hardy-s-rbi-single-in-10th-lifts-

birds-over-reds-2-1-20170420-story.html

Orioles recap: J.J. Hardy's RBI single in 10th lifts Birds

over Reds, 2-1

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

The Orioles didn’t necessarily bring their bats to Cincinnati, scoring a total of seven runs in their

three games against the Reds at the Great America Ball Park, but they continued their early-

season trend of emerging from close games victorious.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy provided the extra-inning heroics in Thursday night’s interleague series

finale, hitting a two-out RBI single off reliever Blake Wood, scoring Mark Trumbo from second

base for the winning run in the 2-1 victory.

After taking two of three in Cincinnati, the Orioles (10-4) have won six of their past eight games

and finished their first road trip of the season — a three-city, nine-game trip through Boston,

Toronto and Cincinnati (9-7) — with a 6-3 record. They are 4-0-1 in five series this season.

Eight of the Orioles’ 10 wins this season have been decided by two runs or fewer.

“Pitching, timely hitting, hit some homers, it’s kind of the way we expect to play,” Hardy said. “I

don’t think we’re too surprised about the way things are turning out. We’ve got a lot of

confidence in here.”

The Orioles managed just five hits in Thursday’s series finale but scored the winning run in the

10th. Trumbo drew a one-out, six-pitch walk, then moved to second on Jonathan Schoop’s

groundout. Hardy then battled back from an 0-2 count, fouling off two pitches before looping a

single into shallow center field as rain began to fall for the third time on the night.

“He just stuck his nose out there,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “That’s a professional,

veteran player who’s just not going to give in. We were talking before the game, regardless of

what J.J.’s hitting, he’s always engaged at shortstop. Young players, including ours, could really

learn from him. I don’t care if he’s 0-for-4, you don’t mind seeing him up there because he’s

going to stick his nose in there and try to stick one out over the infield.”

Said Hardy: [Trying to] not strike out. I’m just trying to see the ball, put something in play and

make something happen. Those guys are tough. They’ve got some really good arms and

fortunately that ball fell.”

The only two runs in the first nine came on homers. Schoop went deep against former

Oriole Scott Feldman in the second, and Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit a shot off Orioles left-

hander Wade Miley in the fourth.

Miley gave the Orioles their deepest start of the season, allowing just one run over eight innings

and tying his career high with 11 strikeouts.

Right-hander Brad Brach — filling in for injured closer Zach Britton — recorded the save for the

second straight night, retiring the Reds in order in the 10th. Brach needed just 10 pitches to close

out the game for his fifth career save.

Schoop provides power: Schoop’s solo homer in the second inning was the Orioles’ only run

against Feldman, who held his former team to four hits over seven innings.

Schoop took a first-pitch curveball from Feldman over the left-field fence.

Schoop has hit safely in his past eight games, and is 12-for-31 with six extra-base hits — three

doubles and three homers — over that stretch, raising his season batting average from .105 to

.280.

Hardy gets greedy on base paths: Hardy’s game-winning hit atoned for a critical base-running

error in the fifth.

The Orioles botched a potential scoring opportunity in the fifth, when Hardy’s line drive to Billy

Hamilton sailed over Hamilton’s head.

But when Hardy attempted to extend the hit to a triple, he was thrown out by shortstop Zack

Cozart’s relay throw to third base for the second out of the inning.

It was the second time on the night that an Orioles base runner was thrown out attempting to take

third base. Manny Machado was thrown out to end the third inning trying to go from first to third

on a two-out single by Trumbo.

O'Day sends it to extras: Reliever Darren O’Day had his third straight scoreless outing, sending

the game to extra innings with a perfect ninth inning.

O’Day needed 19 pitches to retire the Reds in order, including a pair of seven-pitch strikeouts —

getting Scooter Gennett looking at a slider and Arismendy Alcantara swinging through a

fastball.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225924246/orioles-use-homers-to-beat-wright-red-sox/

Mancini, Schoop HRs spark big inning, win

By Brittany Ghiroli and Jeff Seidel / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- The first-place Orioles continued to feast on Steven Wright's knuckleball on

Saturday, with Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop hitting back-to-back homers for the second

time this month off the Red Sox righty in a 4-2 series-clinching win.

Baltimore, the team with the best record in baseball, improved to 12-4, while Boston lost back-

to-back games for just the second time this season.

Wright, who was knocked around for eight earned runs while recording just four outs against the

Orioles on April 12, lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on nine hits in his second

showing.

"He's going to get it going. This guy, for a while they were talking Cy Young with him," Orioles

manager Buck Showalter said of Wright. "We've seen the best of him, and we've been fortunate

to catch him before he's really got it going. It started out early. You see those weak fly balls off

the end of the bat, it doesn't usually bode well for you. But it seemed like he may have lost the

feel for it a little bit in that [fourth] inning."

With the Orioles trailing, 2-0, in the bottom of the fourth, Mancini's first-pitch homer -- his fifth

dinger on the year -- tied the game at 2, with Schoop following to give Baltimore its first lead.

Wright exited after Adam Jones' RBI single.

"I think I'm coming into my own power-wise. It's just something where when you get older, you

hope kind of happens more frequently," Mancini said of his hot start. "Luckily, that's happening.

You don't think about hitting home runs. I never think about it when I'm up to the plate, or at

least when I hit them, I'm not thinking about it a lot of times. If I go astray, it's because I'm

thinking a little too much about driving the ball far. It's just something you approach it and you

want to put a good swing on the ball, and it's something that just happens."

The O's backed a strong showing from rookie starter Jayson Aquino, who pitched six innings and

held Boston to Jackie Bradley Jr.'s two-run homer in his first career start. That was Bradley's first

homer this season and came one day after he came off the disabled list.

"I'm just trying to put the bat on the ball," Bradley said. "With missing time, you just try and stay

in a rhythm and put some good swings on some balls.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Back-to-back, again: Wright had an easy time in the first three innings before succumbing to

back-to-back homers by Mancini and Schoop again. Those two shots put the Orioles ahead for

good. Wright now has given up 12 runs in his two starts versus the Orioles.

"Obviously, I felt pretty good at the beginning and then one inning kind of got away from me,"

Wright said. "It's just not really moving. It's something I've definitely been aware of, and I've

been trying to work on it."

Aquino solid in debut: Tabbed for the spot start after an impressive spring, the lefty held his

own. Aquino struck out two and allowed only two runs, giving Baltimore its fourth consecutive

quality start. Saturday marked Aquino's fourth career big league appearance.

"It's been a tough process. I've been through a few organizations right now," Aquino said through

interpreter Ramon Alarcon. "But I'm just thankful to the Orioles for this opportunity and

allowing me to start a game at the Major League level." More >

QUOTABLE

"He had a changeup he got hurt on and a slider to Bradley. But I'm glad you keep an open mind,

because what I saw on a quick look last year didn't match up with what we saw in the spring.

You kind of lean on what your guys who have seen him consistently down below say. So I was

glad to see what everybody was talking about." -- Showalter, on Aquino

WHAT'S NEXT

Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez starts in the finale of this three-game series on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.

ET. Rodriguez has two starts and allowed seven runs in 10 1/3 innings over two starts, but he

threw a scoreless inning of relief in his last appearance, versus the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Rodriguez came to the Red Sox in a 2014 trade with the Orioles.

Orioles: Kevin Gausman will take the mound for Sunday's series finale. The righty is coming off

his worst start of the season and one of the worst of his career on Tuesday in Cincinnati, where

he allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings. Gausman, the O's Opening Day starter, will look to

bounce back after having just one quality start his first four games.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225670260/manny-machado-homers-in-os-win-over-red-

sox/

Bundy, Machado keep O's rolling vs. Red Sox

By Brittany Ghiroli and Jeff Seidel / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Coming off one of their best road trips in recent years, the Orioles kept right on

rolling Friday night at Camden Yards. Backed by a terrific seven-plus innings from Dylan

Bundy, who is looking more and more like the frontline starter Baltimore badly needs, the O's

bested Boston, 2-0, to keep a firm hold atop the American League East.

Baltimore, at 11-4, owns baseball's best record and handed Boston just its second loss in seven

games. The third-place Red Sox, who also trail the Yankees, had numerous missed opportunities

and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, including stranding a pair of runners in the

eighth.

"We were fortunate in a lot of areas tonight I thought. You don't like your chances too much

putting yourself constantly in those situations we did [in] three or four innings," Orioles manager

Buck Showalter said.

"The one guy that got in early on an early flight looked like he was rested. Dylan was good."

Perhaps most devastating to Boston was second baseman Dustin Pedroia exiting in the bottom of

the eighth inning after Manny Machado slid over second base on a double-play ball and hit into

his calf.

"We will certainly reevaluate him tomorrow as far as his availability," Boston manager John

Farrell said. "That probably could have been a whole lot worse from what we're seeing right now

in the training room. It was an extremely late slide. The argument at the time was if the rule is in

place to protect the middle infielder, then it didn't work tonight."

Machado blasted his third homer of the year two outs into the fifth inning off Red Sox

starter Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz also allowed a third-inning run on Adam Jones' single, but

was otherwise solid over 5 1/3 innings.

Bundy continued the Orioles' recent string of dominant outings, becoming the third consecutive

starter to pitch into the eighth inning. He exited after a leadoff single, garnering a standing

ovation in a game that saw him scatter six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

From there, Boston threatened, but O's relievers Donnie Hart, Mychal Givens and Brad

Brach prevailed to keep the Sox off the board.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Bundy's World: Bundy is starting his first full season in the rotation off in enviable fashion. The

righty has turned in back-to-back scoreless outings and has a 1.37 ERA in his first four games.

The fourth overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Bundy's ascent has been a huge lift for an Orioles team

missing Chris Tillman. More >

Missed chances: The Red Sox missed a big chance to take an early lead. They had runners on

first and third with no outs in the second when the game was scoreless, but Bundy struck

out Pablo Sandoval and got Christian Vazquez to ground into a double play. The Orioles took the

lead one inning later. Boston also put the first two batters on in the sixth and eighth but came up

empty both times.

"We had opportunities," Farrell said. "They roll three double plays, and we couldn't bunch hits

together -- two-out hit, one-out hit, no-out hit. We created some opportunities but still left

empty."

QUOTABLE

"We're trying to win a ballgame there. You could tell [Machado's] reaction, he felt bad about it.

Certainly something you don't like to see happen. Manny's had some challenges there. [Jonathan]

Schoopy some challenges there. They know what it feels like to be in that situation. We lost Jon

for a couple months. I think it was [Pablo] Sandoval, a good, clean, hard slide. I haven't looked at

it, but I know how those things seem to play out now the next day." -- Showalter on Machado's

slide

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Red Sox finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They came into the game leading

the American League with a .282 batting average, but they could not get the right hit at the right

time on Friday.

REPLAY REVIEW

Baltimore challenged the out call on Machado at second base on the play that resulted in

Pedroia's injury. After two and a half minutes, the on-field call was confirmed.

"I was trying to get on the bag. If you see the replay, you see how my foot comes off the bag and

hits him in the calf," said Machado, who sent Pedroia a postgame text. "It wasn't intentional --

just look at the replay. You guys will see it. Me and Pedey go back. I would never want to hurt a

guy like that."

EJECTED

Red Sox third-base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected prior to the top of the ninth inning by

third-base umpire Alan Porter.

WHAT'S NEXT

Red Sox: Steven Wright (1-1, 8.36 ERA) will start on Saturday in the 7:05 p.m. ET match-up.

The Orioles touched him up for eight runs on eight hits in 1 1 /3 innings earlier this month, so he

will hope for better results this time around.

Orioles: Jayson Aquino will take the mound for Baltimore in his first MLB start. The lefty is

coming off of an impressive spring, and the O's think he's a good match for the Red Sox's lineup.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225504566/jj-hardys-single-lifts-os-over-reds-in-10/

Hardy's RBI 1B, Miley's 11 K's lift O's in 10

By John Fay and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

CINCINNATI -- J.J. Hardy had two hits, but the one the Orioles needed the most came in the top

of the 10th inning. Hardy's RBI single with two outs scored Mark Trumbo for a 2-1 victory over

the Reds on Thursday that gave Baltimore two of three games in the series.

Reliever Darren O'Day pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning to get the victory, and Brad

Brach earned his second save in the bottom of the 10th. Following a two-inning, five-strikeout

performance by Reds reliever Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati summoned Blake Woodfor the top of

the 10th of a 1-1 game. Trumbo picked up a one-out walk and went to second base on a Jonathan

Schoop slow groundout to set up the winning run. Hardy lifted a single to left field, and Trumbo

scored well ahead of the throw to the plate and catcher Tucker Barnhart's sweep tag.

Hardy had fallen behind 0-2. His strategy at that point?

"Umm, not strike out," Hardy said. "Just trying to see the ball, put it in play make something

happen. Those guys are tough, really tough, good arms. Fortunately, that ball fell."

Orioles starter Wade Miley tied a career high with 11 strikeouts as he pitched superbly over eight

innings. Miley gave up one run and two hits with one walk but had to settle for a no-decision.

Following Amir Garrett's seven-inning, 12-strikeout performance in Wednesday's loss, Reds

starter Scott Feldman allowed one earned run and four hits over seven innings with no walks and

four strikeouts. It gave Cincinnati consecutive quality starts for the first time this season. The

only Orioles run against Feldman came with two outs in the second inning, when Jonathan

Schoop attacked a first-pitch curveball and drove it to left field for a homer and a 1-0 lead.

Feldman faced one over the minimum number of batters for the remainder of his start, but like

Miley, did not factor in the final decision.

"It was a tough game tonight," Feldman said. "We had a chance to win the series and came up a

little bit short. Guys made some great plays on defense, and unfortunately Wade pitched a great

game."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Out at third: Billy Hamilton made a rare mistake in the outfield, when he took two steps in on

Hardy's liner to center field with one out in the fifth. As Hamilton tried to catch up to the ball, it

zipped over his head to the wall. But he made a nice cut-off throw to shortstop Zack Cozart, who

threw out Hardy at third base. It was the second time in the game Baltimore was nailed at third

base. In the fourth, right fielder Scott Schebler ended the inning when he threw out Manny

Machado trying to advance from first base on Trumbo's two-out single.

"Confidence-wise, it's good," Schebler said. "I've been working on my arm. You guys know that.

To get something like that and get out of a jam is awesome. As far as personally, I take pride in

that."

Votto's tape measure shot: Miley had a 1-0 lead and was holding the Reds hitless until there were

two outs in the fourth inning. Joey Votto attacked a 2-0 pitch and cleared the fence for a solo

shot to center field for his fifth homer of the season. The drive left the bat at 105 mph and

traveled 423 feet, which was his second longest shot in the Statcast™ era and one foot short of

his personal best.

QUOTABLE

"One-run game, three really nice defensive plays, two pitchers who pitched their tails off. They

were able to scratch out that run on a two-out base hit by Hardy. But we have to take this into the

next series, play better and score some runs and get some victories." -- Reds manager Bryan

Price

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Reds second baseman Jose Peraza was 0-for-3 and struck out twice in the game. Entering the

night, Peraza had a streak of 53 plate appearances without a strikeout, which was the longest

such streak in the Majors so far in 2017.

WHAT'S NEXT

Orioles: The Orioles open a three-game series at home against Boston with a 7:05 p.m. ET

game. Dylan Bundy (2-1, 1.86 ERA) faces Boston left-hander Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 5.23).

Reds: Following a 4-15 record in their 2016 season series, the Reds will seek improved fortunes

vs. the Cubs in their first meeting during a three-game series that begins on Friday. First pitch at

Great American Ball Park is at 7:10 p.m. ET and will feature Tim Adleman making his second

appearance and first start of the season.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-kevin-gausman-hoping-to-find-his-

splitter-in-time-to-regain-form-against-boston-20170422-story.html

Orioles' Kevin Gausman hoping to find his splitter in time to

regain form against Red Sox

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 23, 2017

In a particularly uneven start to what is supposed to be a breakout campaign, Orioles right-

hander Kevin Gausman hasn’t had the benefit of his best secondary pitch much yet this season.

Gausman’s split-fingered fastball and changeup, which are interchangeable at times, have been

essentially missing from his arsenal. He’s barely throwing it half as often as the career rate of 20

percent that he has enjoyed up to this point, and when he does throw it, it hasn't been as

effective. Gausman attributes that to a few reasons.

“I think it’s a little bit of both,” he said. “I haven’t been facing as many lefties as I was last year,

and really, I just haven’t had as good of a feel for it this year.”

Overall, Gausman’s 7.23 ERA and 12 walks to go with 13 strikeouts belie a pitcher who doesn’t

have it quite all there so far. He said after he didn’t make it out of the third inning Tuesday in

Cincinnati that it was a mechanical problem with his hip opening up too early, and that’s making

all of his pitches less effective.

“It kind of goes back to what I said after my last start, just a little mechanically off, so when I did

throw it, it didn’t have the same action that it had in the past,” he said. “But I threw a great

bullpen and I think I’m on the right track. It’s definitely a pitch that I’m going to lean on a lot.

When I don’t have that pitch, it’s definitely challenging, especially against left-handed hitters.

Just more mechanically than anything. I think that’s why I’ve been a little bit off on it.”

The Boston Red Sox could offer some challenging left-handed batters in Jackie Bradley Jr.,

Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland on Sunday, and with switch-hitters, he could face as

many as seven lefties.

He’ll need that off-speed pitch to be in vintage form, and he’ll need that without having thrown it

often this year. Gausman typically shelves the pitch early in spring training to prevent blisters,

and only throws it late to build up some rough skin and prevent them as the season goes on. It’s

better for his long-term availability over the course of the season, even if it creates short-term

frustration.

"It’s just one of those things where I didn’t want it to [push it],” he said. “I wanted to throw it a

couple times and have that buildup I need to have it protect my finger. Some guys, they don't

care about that and you’ve seen some of them go on the DL for blister issues. I never want to be

one of those guys.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-minor-league-report-0423-

20170422-story.html

Orioles minor league report: Ryan Mountcastle hitting well

for Keys

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 23, 2017

Triple-A Norfolk

Top prospect Chance Sisco is showing the International League isn't too much for him so far,

batting .278/.381/.389 with four doubles and nine RBIs in his first 10 games this season. Sisco,

22, opened the season as the ninth-youngest player in the league, according to Baseball America,

and he's the youngest catcher in all of Triple-A. Only one major league catcher — 20-year-

old Luis Torrens of the San Diego Padres — is younger.

Double-A Bowie

Reliever Jesus Liranzo, whose explosive fastball led to the Orioles adding him to the 40-man

roster this past offseason, is off to a rocky start this year for Bowie. He walked eight and struck

out seven in seven innings over his first five appearances, allowing four runs on seven hits.

Liranzo, 22, constantly battles his command, and has had some difficult outings of late.

High-A Frederick

Ryan Mountcastle, one of the Orioles' 2015 first-round draft picks, has continued to show his

natural hitting ability in his Carolina League debut. The 20-year-old batted .321/.368/.509 with

two home runs and four doubles through 13 games entering Friday — and that's only good for

fourth best on the team behind Jomar Reyes (.358), Austin Hays (.339) and Stuart Levy (.323).

Low-A Delmarva

Outfielder Jake Ring, a 31st-round pick last year out of Missouri, is off to a hot start for the

Shorebirds. Ring, 22, won South Atlantic League Player of the Week honors last week and

batted .408/.463/.816 with 13 extra-base hits and 17 RBIs in his first 12 games of the season. By

contrast, he only had 10 extra-base hits all of last season.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-rookie-trey-mancini-impressing-the-

orioles-clubhouse-in-his-subtle-record-setting-start-20170422-story.html

Rookie Trey Mancini impressing Orioles clubhouse during

his subtle, record-setting start

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

It doesn’t feel like Orioles rookie Trey Mancini is setting records with every ball he swats over

the fence in his young career to him, either.

But with each passing game, Mancini seems to hit another statistical high point for debuting

major leaguers and cements himself as a vital cog in the Orioles lineup along with it.

With only 35 at-bats — about half as many as the team’s top regulars — Mancini leads the club

with five home runs and 11 RBIs to go with his .286/.324/.743 batting line. Combine that with

his three home runs in five games last season, and Mancini’s eight homers in his first 17 career

games ties him for a major league record in that category with Trevor Story and Carlos Delgado,

according to ESPN Stats and Info.

“It is kind of funny when you hear that, because it’s nothing that I think about, really,” Mancini

said. “People tell me and it seems like random numbers sometimes, but I’m very flattered as well

to have that record. It’s nothing I look too much into or nothing I’m going to get too big of a

head about. Baseball finds a way to humble you if you get a little too confident or think it’s

going well. I’ve had a couple games recently where I haven’t been great, and it happens, so you

kind of keep a level head and come to the park every day not knowing what to expect.”

Whether he’s in the lineup or not, or hitting game-changing homers or not, the way Mancini has

handled his early success is drawing a lot of praise.

“Trey, I can tell the veteran players respect the way that he carries himself,” manager Buck

Showalter said. “I think he's very humble. He's obviously been brought up well, that he knows

how hard this is to do and how the game can humble you. But I think that’s why people have, I

know his teammates have kind of really gotten on page with him because they like the way he

carries himself and handles the success he’s had in a short period.”

“I think the guys who have seen him play and been around him are not surprised that he’s been

able to contribute like this,” outfielder Mark Trumbo said. “The skills are definitely there, and I

think that as a younger player like that, it’s the opportunity. He’s getting the reps and he’s

putting up the numbers, and it’s been a huge benefit to us. I think it’s been a difference in a lot of

these ballgames. … It’s very special. With his work ethic and his determination, he’s going to

have a great year and just continue to get better and gain more knowledge.”

His success has come in a part-time role that has seen him start against left-handers, the

occasional righty, and Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright. Two of his five home runs

this season have come off Wright, including Saturday’s to tie the game at 2 in the fourth inning.

Combined with last year’s numbers, five of his first eight homers are against the Red Sox. Two

more came in last Sunday’s win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

That it has meant so much to the club means Mancini is meeting the one goal he set for himself

in September.

“My goal from the second I got called up, and even now, is you should know your role as a

rookie,” he said. “Everybody on this team leads by example and you just kind of follow along

and see how they go about their business. I’ve been trying to do that and just contribute to the

team. I know that’s the most important thing, performing and helping everybody win. That’s

what I’ve been trying to do and hopefully all the rest of that takes care of itself.”

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20170422-story.html

Back, back, back: In nod to Orioles and data, Adam Jones

positioning himself deeper

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

There was nothing ambiguous about this offseason's public conversation between Adam

Jones and Dan Duquette.

Jones, the team's All-Star center fielder and franchise face, said the team needed better defenders

to fix the team's glaring weakness on the outfield grass. Duquette, supported by data, said

the Orioles could improve if Jones simply shifted his positioning and lined up deeper.

Each man's desire was simple, and while some minor additions were made to satisfy Jones'

wishes in the form of Craig Gentry and Michael Bourn, Duquette's arrangement won out.

Jones, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, has joined an increasing number of center fielders

who are altering their positioning based on run-prevention data and lining up deeper in the field.

It's a move he has made in the interest of the team, even if this particular situation seems to

highlight the uneasy marriage that still exists between baseball traditionalists and the analytics

that are increasingly driving the game.

"Data tells you a story, and if you want it to tell you that story, it'll tell you that story," Jones

said. "I can 100 percent combat their claims and all that stuff, but then I'd be throwing people

under the bus and that's not my style. I just said, 'All right, whatever can make this team better,

whatever I can do to help, I don't care.' I'll sacrifice anything in this game besides my decency

and my spirit to win a game. That's one thing about me, I've always been a guy who will do

anything just for that 'W' that night. That's how I am right now."

Major League Baseball's Statcast program has been a boon for public data, though some statistics

aren't fully public yet. This week, MLB.com highlighted in an article that Jones was lining up, on

average, 17 feet deeper in 2017 than in 2016. Jones said the team's recommendation was 15 feet.

"He's playing, I think, about seven to 10 steps deeper," said first base coach Wayne Kirby, who

also coaches the Orioles outfielders. "It depends on the hitter. Actually, it helps him with his legs

a little bit. He's still able to get to a lot of balls."

Advanced statistics and past performance by comparable players motivated the change. In

2016, Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Folwer moved back in center field and improved his

defensive metrics, especially in ultimate zone runs per 150 games (UZR/150), significantly.

(UZR credits or debits a fielder with the expected runs off a particular batted ball, depending on

whether it is caught or not. UZR/150 is a rate statistic that makes it easier to compare differing

sample sizes.)

Though Jones' reputation paints him as one of the game's best defenders, and some numbers back

that up, they weren't kind to him in 2016.

Jones had a -9.9 UZR/150 in 2016, down from 8.7 and 8.1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. That

ranked 14th out of 17 qualifying center fielders. His defensive runs saved (DRS) fell from four in

2015 to -10 in 2016, which was 15th best.

His skills, his mindset and those around him previously dictated his positioning. Jones is loath to

give up bloop singles, and is supremely talented tracking back on balls toward the wall, which

explains his shallow positioning but still sometimes allowed the hardest-hit balls to land over his

head. Additionally, the Orioles often ask Jones to cover one direction or another for some of the

more limited defenders in the corners, and the statistical brunt of an outfield that rated overall as

the worst in both UZR/150 and DRS fell on Jones.

The comparison to Fowler isn't completely fair, as the Cubs defense and pitching staff are better

than the Orioles' overall. But a conversation with Duquette laid out the reasoning for this year's

change to him in spring training.

"He made an adjustment, and it makes sense," Duquette said. "You're just playing percentage

baseball, right? If the ball gets over your head but stays in the ballpark and you don't catch it, it's

extra bases. The value of the extra bases in terms of the other team scoring runs is greater than

the singles that might fall in in front of you. So, it helps everybody."

Said Jones: "I think they were able to break down the numbers and let me know what certain

balls, if they landed — I finally got to understand what defensive runs saved is. But say you

allow a double. From a double, it only takes one single to score. If you play back, you take away

the doubles and they don't mind if you allow three singles for them to score. I'm not the brightest

person in the world, but I understand that logic. It takes away a little bit of my feel, but I still add

my feel."

There's little public data to back up whether it's working out so far this year. FanGraphs hasn't

posted this year's UZR data yet. Jones has been credited with one DRS this year, and the outfield

as a whole is at -1, which is middle of the pack. Kirby said Jones playing deeper allows him to

maneuver the whole defense a lot more, while improving Jones' lateral range from side to side.

"The numbers reflect that we're playing better defense," Duquette said. "It's a small sample, but

the early returns are good. It's good for the team, good for Adam, good for our pitchers, good for

our won-loss record, good for our fans."

Jones said there have been "a couple [throwing] opportunities and I know if I was 10-15 feet

closer to where I normally play, I would have a better shot and probably would have gotten the

guys, but being a little deeper, it makes the throws a little bit longer."

But he's soldiering on in his new deep station, with his only real gripe being how the whole

process came about. Duquette was asked at FanFest about adding defenders in the outfield, and

offered up moving Jones in as a solution. Jones said that wouldn't work, and the story lingered

into spring training.

There, the two parties met, and Duquette explained the reasoning behind it.

"It was just an agreement that Dan understood that if I play back and the pitcher makes a good

pitch and he hits it off the end and I'm unable to get it coming in, he understands that it's OK for

that to be a hit," Jones said. "It won't be OK for me morally, due to the fact that that's just my

style of play, but understanding the story that they want these numbers to tell. I'm not an

insubordinate person. I do anything for my team to win. This is one of the steppingstones and

one of the adjustments that has to be made throughout the team in order to help us win. I just

have to get on board with it and do what I have to do to help these guys win a game."

Jones wanted to further his understanding of the numbers — and perhaps, he admits, push back a

little — but that was never afforded.

"They're the ones that read the data," Jones said. "I'm out there trying to do whatever I can to

catch that ball at any given opportunity. If they have the data, share it. We're here for the same

thing. I told Dan that I wasn't too thrilled on the way that happened, because I'm a professional

and it's not like I'm in my first or second year. …

"It wasn't to air anybody out, or them say I can't do this. It wasn't like an arbitration hearing. It

was more to say, 'Look, let's get on the same page, let's formulate a plan and execute a plan.' But

don't just blow me off. That right there didn't make me too happy."

In the end, Jones falls back on the same thing he has throughout his 10 years in Baltimore — he

wants to win a championship, even if that means melding the experience and insights on

positioning that he and Kirby have gleaned over decades in the game with new-wave numbers.

"Me and Kirb figured out we'll do anything for this team to win, because at the end of the day,

we like high-fiving," Jones said. "We're not selfish individuals. We like to win, and if this is how

they see the outfield getting better and helping us win, I'd be a fool not to at least try it."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-schmuck-column-0423-20170422-story.html

Schmuck: Machado-Pedroia 'controversy' not worthy of the

attention it's getting

By Peter Schmuck / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

Maybe Manny Machado has earned a little extra scrutiny whenever he's involved in a

controversial game situation … or maybe it's just that in the generally benign world of Major

League Baseball a good controversy is simply too hard to pass up.

Machado has a history, so it obviously was easy for some members of the New England media to

cast him as a villain after his hard slide Friday night knocked Boston Red Sox veteran Dustin

Pedroia out of the game and also out of Saturday night's lineup.

Everyone remembers the notorious bat-throwing incident against the Oakland Athletics that got

Machado suspended five games in 2014 and the fight last year with late Kansas City

Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura. Nothing that happened Friday night fits in that narrative, but

it's too easy to connect those dots in the internet age.

The incident caused a minor media frenzy in Boston, though Machado insisted he did not spike

Pedroia intentionally. And the replay clearly showed he was so concerned about his injured

opponent that he left the base and allowed himself to be tagged out while he tried to come to

Pedroia's aid.

It also prompted a predictably angry response from Red Sox manager John Farrell, whose team

was banged up to begin with. But Pedroia — the consummate gamer — seemed to take the

whole unfortunate situation pretty much in stride.

"I'm pissed we lost the game," Pedroia said Friday night. "My job is to get taken out and hang in

there and turn double plays. That's how you win games. I'm not mad. I'm mad we lost the game.

We didn't score any runs. That's what I'm mad about."

Pedroia, whose status is day-to-day, was asked again about his feelings Saturday and again

indicated he was not carrying a grudge.

"This isn't seventh grade, man. You know what I mean?" Pedroia said. "I just play baseball.

That's it. I care about our guys. I don't care about anybody else. So we just play the game."

Whether it all ended there remained to be seen. Many Red Sox players stayed at the dugout

railing at the end of Friday's game, staring bullets at the Orioles as they shook hands with each

other instead of the usual practice of picking up their equipment and heading to the visitors'

clubhouse. It did not go unnoticed.

Saturday night’s game featured a couple of hit batsmen – Jonathan Schoop for the Orioles and

Marco Hernandez for the Red Sox. But the closeness of the game in the late innings removed

suspicion that either was intentional. There was also a moment when Schoop slid under Red Sox

shortstop Xander Bogaerts, but the World Baseball Classic teammates popped up and hugged

after the play.

Machado did his best to make everything right after Friday’s game, texting Pedroia to see if he

was OK and telling reporters that he has great respect for the Red Sox star and would never want

to do anything to injure him.

But the reaction of the Red Sox at game's end rankled some of Machado's teammates, who

grumbled about it privately. And the calls for retaliation by some members of the Boston media

drew a sharp response from Orioles manager Buck Showalter during his pregame news

conference Saturday.

"Not real impressed with some people in the media calling for somebody to be thrown at,"

Showalter said. "I don't think that really fits their job description. But that's their choice, how

they choose to do their job. It's the world we live in."

Machado has grown up a lot since the bat-throwing incident. He appears much better able to

grasp the impact of his actions both on the field and off and reflected that in his conciliatory

postgame comments Friday night. Still, the proof may be in his reaction if something happens

that can be construed as payback before the end of the Red Sox series.

"I don't expect anything," Machado said Friday night. "I'm going to play baseball. What happens,

happens. It's called baseball. We play [between] the lines. They've got to protect their players.

They've got to do what they've got to do on their side. It's up to them."

Showalter pointed out that there always are two perspectives in this kind of situation. The

Orioles weren't too thrilled when Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval took out Jonathan

Schoop with a hard slide in 2015 and might have contributed to a knee injury that put him on the

shelf for 21/2 months.

"Understand, I look at things through Oriole glasses, orange and black," Showalter said. "They

look at it through theirs. I understand their feelings, but I also understand ours."

As for the possibility of retaliation, Showalter said that he no longer has time for the macho staff

that gets more players hurt.

"I'm in a job where, I have to, when things get emotional and things get like this, I have to step

back," he said. "I do have the safety of some human beings I have to think about. I've said many

times, when people talk about throwing [at hitters] and stuff, how are you going to feel when

you're standing at home plate and some guy got hit in the head and there's blood coming out of

his ears? Do you really feel that manly making that decision?"

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-buck-showalter-laments-another-tough-

stretch-out-of-the-lineup-for-hyun-soo-kim-20170422-story.html

Orioles' Buck Showalter laments another 'tough stretch' out

of the lineup for Hyun Soo Kim

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

The first month of this season for Hyun Soo Kim has been an improvement over

the Orioles outfielder’s April from 2016, when he got a scant 17 plate appearances and was

glued to the bench for games at a time. But not by much.

The left-handed-hitting Kim is in the middle of another extended absence from the Orioles

lineup, sitting on Saturday against knuckleballer Steven Wright and likely on the bench the

whole series with the Boston Red Sox throwing left-handers Drew Pomeranz on Friday and

Eduardo Rodriguez on Sunday.

Kim previously sat four straight games earlier this month, and has just 22 plate appearances on

the young season. Manager Buck Showalter insists Kim will have his time to play — the Orioles

face three right-handed pitchers against the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Monday — but said

there’s not much he can do to change the circumstances.

“We’re not going to change the construction of the roster,” Showalter said. “We’re pretty happy

with the way it’s kind of fit, especially when we get Joey [Rickard] back, we’re able to do a lot

of things we weren't able to do last year. That includes Kim.

“He’ll be there. He’ll have plenty of opportunities. I’m trying to look at the big picture here, and

I think he trusts us, too. But he’ll be ready. Anytime I’ve gone by the cage the last two days, he’s

working on some things that he doesn’t feel quite right about. You’ve got to remember what

went on in April last year. It took a while for him to kind of get going.”

Kim is having a slow start, perhaps owed to the inconsistent playing time, and is batting .238

with a .558 OPS. Last year, once he earned a long stretch of playing time, he showed the form

that made the Orioles target him out of South Korea to begin with. He hit .302/.382/.420 and

provided the team with on-base capability it lacked elsewhere.

And even as they’re mired in an uneven offensive stretch with nine runs in four games, Kim’s

patience seemingly isn’t as valued as the glove and speed of Craig Gentry in left field instead.

Showalter said earlier in the year that Gentry’s legs off the bench made the Orioles a more

dangerous and dynamic team, but he has opted to start him six times now — the same amount of

starts Kim has received.

The manager has continually chalked it up to circumstances. By the end of this series, the Orioles

will have faced eight left-handed starters and Wright twice, with seven traditional right-handed

opposing starters.

“That’s part of it,” Showalter said. “We’re also hitting a stretch here where the matchups play in

our favor one way versus the other. I’ve talked to him and I’ve seen him with the knuckleball.

Actually, Wright is almost a reverse-split guy, too. Obviously, we gain the defense and I’m

hoping Craig — he was on base three times last night -- he puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher,

something that we’d like to be able to do more. He made a heck of a play down there down the

left-field line. I know it’s kind of one of those things that doesn’t show up analytically.

“I think it’s more we’re just going through a period where the matchups are such, especially in

our division. Boston has got all these left-handers, we seem to catch [J.A.] Happ all the time, and

we caught a couple other ones. I know we’re getting ready to face three right-handers against

Tampa. This will pass. It’s April, and he’s going to get an opportunity to continue to make

contributions for us. But it’s a tough stretch for him.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-closer-zach-britton-improving-but-

set-to-see-hand-specialist-for-final-clearance-20170422-story.html

Orioles notes: Zach Britton improving, but set to see hand

specialist for final clearance

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

Orioles closer Zach Britton won’t play catch until Monday at the earliest, despite a clean MRI

that showed no problems in his left elbow and only inflammation in his forearm.

Britton, who went on the disabled list last Sunday with a left forearm strain, is waiting to see a

hand specialist who he said can come in and give the team possible ideas on strengthening the

area so the soreness he’s been dealing with doesn’t come back.

“I can throw without some of the hand doctors,” Britton said. “This is more of a strengthening

thing. It’s not getting permission to play catch from the doctor. It’s just another person that

maybe deals with forearms more often than our doctors do, just to see if there’s another way that

we can strengthen it so we don’t have an issue again."

Britton said that otherwise, the MRI he had Friday was “really good, and I was feeling good

every day."

“This kind of kept us on track,” he said. “I think I’ll talk with one of the doctors today. A hand

doctor is coming in. … But right now I feel good. I feel like I can play catch, but we want to wait

to actually talk to those doctors and let them look over that inflammation and see if there’s

anything we can do that we’re not doing to strengthen it. That’s really what we’re worried about,

not really treatment but what can we do for this not to come back?”

Britton had pitched six times in the first nine games of the year, converting five saves but

enduring some shaky outings en route to those, especially by his own high standard.

Manager Buck Showalter said the problem in Britton's forearm was coming from how his fingers

pressure the ball.

“That’s where he had a little discomfort,” Showalter said. “That’s all gone today. In fact, I talked

to him on the way down here. Once they clear all that, which we expect on Monday, I’m hoping

and Zach is expecting we’ll get him throwing. That's the last piece we have to cross over.”

Showalter said it could require one or two rehabilitation outings, with Britton saying he’d prefer

to have the uncertainty of his first outing in a setting that didn’t potentially put the rest of the

major league bullpen in a bind if it turned out he wasn’t ready.

Tillman shifted to Bowie: Right-hander Chris Tillman’s rehab start Saturday was shifted to

Double-A Bowie, as early rain forecasts made his planned start for High-A Frederick ominous.

The Keys’ matinee was rained out, so he pitched for the Baysox at at Harrisburg.

“Every day we can pick up with Chris to get him back, we’re going to take advantage of that,”

Showalter said.

Tillman allowed three runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking none. He

threw 58 pitches, 37 for strikes.

The next rehab start is scheduled for Thursday at Potomac for Frederick, and he’d stay lined up

to be pitching for the Orioles as early as May 2.

Santander still exists: Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander, who is on the DL with shoulder and

elbow injuries that lingered from spring training, is “improving,” Showalter said.

“I look at it every day,” Showalter said. “He’s throwing to bases now, and we’re hoping we’re

getting closer to him playing. I know that was one thing I’d asked Dan [Duquette] about when

we were looking for roster spots, about [using the 60-day disabled list] on him, but they think he

might be available before that. We’ll see if that’s still an option or not. He’s doing well.”

Santander must spend at least 90 days on the active roster to stick with the club this year, and DL

time doesn’t count. He also cannot be optioned to the minors under Rule 5 draft stipulations.

“He’s a good one,” Showalter said. “I’m going to tell you, it’s going to be a tough year to get

him through and get the 90 days, but we would really like to keep him.”

Around the horn: Outfielder Seth Smith (hamstring) is available to pinch hit, Showalter said,

though the Orioles want it to be a meaningful situation if they do use him since it would prevent

him from being able to have a possible disabled list trip backdated to Tuesday, when the

injury occurred. … Outfielder Joey Rickard (sprained finger) hit batting practice off the coaches

Saturday and will do so Sunday before possibly going out on a rehab assignment.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-red-sox-game-saturday-to-start-in-

rain-delay-20170422-story.html

Orioles-Red Sox game Saturday to start at about 7:30 p.m.

after rain delay

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

The Orioles’ scheduled game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday at Camden Yards will

begin in a delay, the team announced.

The game is expected to begin at about 7:30 p.m.

Before the game, manager Buck Showalter said he felt good about getting the game in,

considering the forecasts.

“Been talking about if we get rained out, when we’d play and stuff,” Showalter said. “But I feel

good right now from talking to them that we’ll get it in. We’re going to make every attempt. I

would love to get through April and May without any doubleheaders down the road.”

Boston returns to Camden Yards twice more this season — a four-game series from June 1-4

followed by a mutual day off June 5, and Sept. 18-20.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-on-deck-what-to-watch-saturday-

vs-red-sox-20170422-story.html

Orioles on deck: What to watch Saturday vs. Red Sox

By Josh Land / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

Orioles (11-4) vs. Red Sox (10-7)

Where: Camden Yards

First pitch: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MASN2, WJZ/105.7 FM

Starting pitchers: Orioles LHP Jayson Aquino (NR) vs. Red Sox RHP Steven Wright (1-1,

8.36 ERA)

What to watch

1. Another debut. One week after Alec Asher made his first start for the Orioles, lefty Jayson

Aquino gets his turn tonight against the Red Sox. Aquino, 24, was one of the pleasant surprises

of spring training with a 1.20 ERA. He didn't allow a run in three relief appearances with the

Orioles last year and pitched six scoreless innings in his most recent start at Triple-A. He has a

streak to uphold, as Orioles starting pitchers have put together a string of three straight games

pitching at least seven innings allowing one run or fewer.

2. Winning sans offense. The Orioles have won three straight games despite a lack of production.

They have scored two runs in each of the three wins, and haven't scored more than three since an

11-4 win on Sunday. The Orioles have scored more than three runs in back-to-back games only

once this season.

3. You again. Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright faces the Orioles for the second time this

season. And he'd rather forget the first meeting. The Orioles scored eight runs off him in 1 1/3

innings, matching the most runs scored off him in his career. Wright hasn't been the same

success story he was a year ago -- he has an 8.36 ERA through three starts, largely because of

that stinker against the Orioles.

Orioles lineup

LF Craig Gentry

CF Adam Jones

3B Manny Machado

RF Mark Trumbo

1B Chris Davis

DH Trey Mancini

2B Jonathan Schoop

SS J.J. Hardy

C Caleb Joseph

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-full-q-a-with-orioles-center-fielder-adam-

jones-on-the-decision-to-play-him-deeper-in-outfield-20170421-story.html

Full Q&A with Orioles center fielder Adam Jones on the

decision to play him deeper in outfield

By Jon Meoli / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

Early in spring training, when the Orioles took the field for their first workouts, Orioles center

fielder Adam Jones stood on the warning track and yelled in, "Is this deep enough?"

Where the All-Star and Gold Glove center fielder would set up in his regular domain had become

an oddly big story considering its scope. Jones wanted the team to add better defenders in the

corner outfield spots. Executive vice president Dan Duquette said Jones should abandon his

philosophy of playing shallow in favor of an analytically supported deeper positioning.

Jones is following that new philosophy this year, and in a 10-minute interview Friday, described

how the process played out to him. Our Sunday story features Jones, Duquette and first base

coach Wayne Kirby on what has gone into the transition.

Jones' comments, however, deserve full airing for the glimpse they provide at data's influence on

the game, a veteran player's understanding of that, and the divide that still exists between the two

disparate camps.

So it seems like you’re playing deeper this year, and talking to Wayne and Dan, they said it’s

something you realized benefits the Orioles as a whole and makes everyone around you and

yourself [better] and puts you all in a better position. I know there was a lot of public back-and-

forth between you and Dan, via us, about doing this in spring training. What were some of the

conversations like to get to where you guys are?

I think they were able to break down the numbers and let me know what certain balls, if they

landed — I finally got to understand what defensive runs saved is. But say you allow a double.

From a double, it takes one single to score. If you play back, you take away the doubles and they

don’t mind if you allow three singles for them to score. I’m not the brightest person in the world,

but I understand baseball and I understand that logic. It takes away a little bit of my feel, but I

still add my feel.

It was just an agreement that Dan understood that if I play back and the pitcher makes a good

pitch and he hits it off the end and I’m unable to get it coming in, he understands that it’s OK for

that to be a hit. It won’t be OK for me morally, due to the fact that that’s just my style of play.

But understanding the story that they want these numbers to tell, I’m not an insubordinate

person. I do anything for my team to win. This is one of the steppingstones and one of the

adjustments that has to be made throughout the team in order to help us win. I just have to get on

board with it and do what I have to do to help these guys win the game.

It seems like it boils down to you feeling comfortable in the setup versus your pride in wanting to

get to all these balls, but is it a matter of the longer you do it out there, the more comfortable

you’ll be?

I’m comfortable out there no matter what. I feel that I’m a little further — I feel that I’m further

back. Throwing guys out at the plate, I’ve had a couple opportunities and I know if I was 10-15

feet closer to where I normally play, I would have a better shot and probably would have gotten

the guys, but being a little deeper, it makes the throws a little bit longer. Everything is just a little

bit longer. These guys can run. They run bases well in the major leagues. I see that some guys

might be scoring more often on routine singles, but if they want me to move back, that’s the call

they made. I can say what I want — ‘I want to do this, do that.’ But if the people up there that are

making the decisions want me to play deeper — my only thing is, I try to tell them, show me.

Everyone in this game is [saying] ‘Do this, do that.’ Here’s my glove — go out and show me

what to do. That has still yet to transpire.

Is it just a communication thing when the conversation happened earlier? You said they showed

you the data and helped you understand a bit.

Data tells you a story, and if you want it to tell you that story, it’ll tell you that story. I can 100

percent combat their claims and all that stuff, but then I’d be throwing people under the bus and

that’s not my style. I just said, ‘All right, whatever can make this team better, whatever I can do

to help, I don’t care.’ I’ll sacrifice anything in this game besides my decency and my spirit to win

a game. That’s one thing about me, I’ve always been a guy who will do anything just for that 'W'

that night. That’s how I am right now.

Is that the next frontier as all of these numbers are publicly available, and all these numbers are

being generated in front offices that you don’t get to see, let alone us, the communication?

Meshing that? Wayne has been doing this his whole life and setting people up based on the

things he knows. You’ve been doing this your whole life.

I think that’s the biggest problem right now, the communication. You’ve got very intelligent

people reading numbers but not understanding the physical. Numbers tell a great story, but they

tell the story you want them to tell. Especially when you’re the one that’s offering the contracts,

and you’re the one who’s paying. When you’re paying, you can have the numbers tell you the

numbers whatever they want to tell you. I look at it like Wayne Kirby is 53 years old. He’s been

in professional baseball since 18 years old. He’s played on World Series teams, he’s been to the

playoffs, he’s played with some Hall of Famers. I would take his input when it comes to reading

a swing, reading the pitcher’s velocity, reading how the balls are coming off the bat. I would take

his expertise. But in today’s society, that right there has gone away. It’s, ‘Play right here. The

ball is supposed to be hit right here.’ Well, I don’t know if you think the pitcher is going to put

the ball exactly right in that exact spot. In today’s game, it doesn’t happen like that.

But I always say, are we here for the same thing? If we are, I think the information that we have

should be sent down to us. Because I understand that if your metrics are down, your WAR is

down, all these numbers that they quantify in order to justify paying your salary or your free

agency. If they just brought us all together and let us know, this is the data we’ve got, this is the

data we’ve got, so we can bring a championship. At the end of the day, if we win on the field,

everybody in that Warehouse and everybody in this organization gets a ring. I think that’s what

we’re ultimately here for. If we’re not, I don’t know what the hell we’re here for.

I’m not going to make this into a thing, but I want to make clear how this was communicated to

you. There obviously was a conversation. There was a conversation about this between, I don’t

know if was you, and the numbers people?

It was a conversation between me and Dan. I tried to have a conversation with all the analytical

people. That didn’t matriculate. I spoke with my agent, through my agent, to get that meeting to

happen. I think [manager] Buck [Showalter] knew about it. I know Kirby knew about it. But I

never got that chance to express myself to them, and them express themselves to me. They’re the

ones that read the data. I’m out there trying to do whatever I can to catch that ball at any given

opportunity. I think if they have the data, share it. If we’re here for the same thing, share it.

I told Dan that I wasn’t too thrilled on the way that happened, because I’m a professional and it’s

not like I’m in my first or second year. I’ve earned the respect of front offices throughout

baseball, other players throughout baseball, fans. I think that it’s in my ability, or in my realm to

be able to field such a meeting, just so we’re all on the same page. It wasn’t to air anybody out,

or them [to] say I can’t do this. It wasn’t like an arbitration hearing. It was more to say, ‘Look,

let’s get on the same page. Let’s formulate a plan and execute a plan’ But not just blow me off.

That right there didn’t make me too happy, as you being around me can see.

And I keep asking these follow-ups so we’re on the same page, because I don’t want to

misconstrue you on anything. This is all just kind of happening and now you’re playing the way

it’s been dictated? Were you basically told, this is what we’re doing?

They’re not going to just tell me what to do. That’s the beautiful part about this. No one, not

many people are just going to tell somebody what to do, especially someone who has been

around and accomplished some things in this game. But like I said, I am a person who will do

anything to win. If this, in their eyes, helps us win, then OK. The corner outfielders, have, I

think, adapted to it also. You can just talk about me, but everything’s a big picture when it comes

to the whole outfield. It’s not just the center fielder. Me and Kirb figured out we’ll do anything

for this team to win, because at the end of the day, we like high-fiving. We’re not selfish

individuals. We like to win, and if this is how they see the outfield getting better and helping us

win, I’d be a fool not to at least try it.

And just the brass tacks, Kirby said seven to 10 steps back? Was there a foot number, or general

ballpark?

The data that they got — first off, the data they got, they put just a dot. It was very bleak on the

actual positioning but I understood what they were saying. They want me to go 15 feet further. I

tried to say, ‘That’s very far back,’ and tried to find a happy medium. At the end of the day, I’m

going to do what I can to help this team win in any capacity. But at the same time, I’m going to

use my God-given ability and mentality of playing this game in the big leagues for 10 years to

my advantage, and obviously put that to use also. I’m not just going to say, these guys, just tell

me what to do. I’m not going to just buy into what they’re saying, because at the end of the day,

they can't physically go out there and show me, so I’m going to have to take over some of the

physical element involved with it.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck-blog/bal-will-red-sox-retaliate-for-orioles-third-

baseman-manny-machado-s-hard-slide-20170422-story.html

Will Red Sox retaliate for Orioles third baseman Manny

Machado's hard slide?

By Peter Schmuck / The Baltimore Sun

April 22, 2017

The hard slide by Manny Machado that knocked Dustin Pedroia out of Friday night's 2-0 loss to

the Orioles didn't sit well with the Boston Red Sox, but we'll have to wait at least until tonight's

game to find out if there will be any payback.

Machado insisted after the game that he spiked Pedroia unintentionally and texted him an

apology. He also cited his respect for and friendship with Pedroia as proof that he would not try

to hurt him.

Pedroia said late Friday night that he hadn't seen a replay of the collision and couldn't say

whether the slide was "dirty," but Boston manager John Farrell said that he felt that it was late

and illegal.

It's possible that everyone is right, which leaves open the possibility that Machado could feel the

wrath of the Red Sox sometime during the remaining two games of the series. But I'm guessing

that nothing is going to happen because the Red Sox are dealing with several injuries and

probably don't need to risk any more by sparking a brawl.

Still, the Red Sox are understandably sensitive to anything that would endanger Pedroia's left

knee, which was surgically repaired in October, and there is a recent history of tension between

the division rivals.

Guess we won't have to wait long to find out.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-red-sox-tensions-rise-after-manny-

machado-s-slide-into-second-injures-dustin-pedroia-20170421-story.html

Orioles-Red Sox tensions rise after Machado's slide into

second base injures Pedroia

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 21, 2017

Two clubhouses had very different opinions of third baseman Manny Machado’s slide into

second base that injured Dustin Pedroia in the eighth inning of the Orioles’ 2-0 win over

the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Camden Yards.

Inside a heated Red Sox clubhouse, manager John Farrell called foul, saying that Machado slide

attempt to break up a double play on Mark Trumbo’s ground ball to shortstop was an “extremely

late slide” that violated the slide rule enacted last year to protect middle infielders from injury

while attempting to turn double plays.

And in the Orioles clubhouse, Machado insisted that the contact with Pedroia – his right spike

lifted after hitting the front of the second base bag and hit the side of Pedroia’s surgically

repaired left knee – was unintentional, pointing to the video replay to prove his point.

“Look at the replay,” Machado said. “I tried to everything possible to be safe and get myself in a

good position. We know how good they are. You want that cushion. So, wasn’t intentional. I was

trying to get on the bag. If you see the replay, you see how my foot comes off the bag and hits

him in the calf.

Pedroia was helped off the field and will be re-evaluated Saturday.

“That probably could have been a whole lot worse from what we’re seeing right now in the

training room,” Farrell said. “It was an extremely late slide. The argument at the time was if the

rule is in place to protect the middle infielder, well then it didn’t work tonight. I know there’s a

component to the rule that says he has to deliberately and willfully attempt a double play. When

you’re cleaned out behind second base and the runner never held second base completely to me

the rule failed tonight.”

Machado, who attempted to grab Pedroia to cushion his fall as he awkwardly fell to the ground,

said he sent Pedroia a text message to check on him.

“I mean, once I hit the bag, I came up and instantly. [That’s] when I hit him,” Machado said.

“That was one of the reasons I was out because I went to go grab him. You don’t want that to

happen. I went and tried to grab him as soon as I can. I know I’m not going to help the situation.

The intention wasn’t there. You can just see it.

“I don’t want to wish bad upon nobody,” Machado added. “I don't want to go out there and hurt

someone. I know what it is to be in that position. So, this early in the game, we are just trying to

do what we can for our team. I’m not going to change the way I play the game. I’m going to

keep playing hard and keep doing what I’m doing to try to help my team win. It wasn’t

intentional -- just look at the replay. You guys will see it. Me and Pedey go back. I would never

want to hurt a guy like that.”

Pedroia worried about the contact made with his left knee, which he received surgery on in this

past offseason.

"It's in the side of my [knee],” Pedroia said. “I just got caught in a weird position. I don't know

what hit the side of my knee. It pushed it in a little bit. Obviously I'm staying on my rehab stuff

and still getting my knee strong from that surgery. It was a different feeling. It worries you at

first."

"I feel all right. I just got some treatment. It feels better than when it happened, but I'm all right."

The new slide rule went into effect before last season on the heels of an incident in the 2015

postseason when Chase Utley’s hard slide into second base resulted in New York Mets

shortstop Ruben Tejada's breaking his leg.

The rule defines illegal slides as those in which a runner doesn’t begin his slide before reaching

the base, is unable to reach the base with his hand or foot, isn’t able to remain on the base after

completion of the slide or changes the pathway of his slide to initiate contact with a fielder.

“I haven’t got a good look at it yet,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I’d have to look at

it. I don’t want to talk about something I don’t know a whole lot about. You guys would have to

tell me. I know it’s one of those things that’s really unfortunate. You don’t like to see those

things happen. Hopefully, Dustin’s OK.”

The Orioles challenged the call to claim that Pedroia didn’t remain on the bag, but the initial

fielder’s choice out stood. Farrell said he wanted interference to be called and asked for a

challenge, but was told he couldn’t because Pedroia didn’t initiate the turning the double play.

“We’re going to attempt a double play in almost every circumstance,” Farrell said. “But when

you’re blown up on the left-field side of the base, I’d like to see someone else turn that double

play. It was a late slide and when you slide past the base, and not hold continual contact, that’s a

violation of the rule.”

After the game, Pedroia – who said he hoped to play in Saturday -- said he hadn’t seen a replay

of the slide so he couldn’t answer whether he thought it was dirty. He seemed to be more upset

about the loss than the slide or any perceived malice by Machado.

"I'm pissed we lost the game,” Pedroia said. "My job is to get taken out and hang in there and

turn double plays. That's how you win games. I'm not mad. I'm mad we lost the game. We didn't

score any runs. That's what I'm mad about."

"I don't even know what the rule is. I've turned the best double play in the major leagues for 11

years. I don't need the [damn] rule, let's be honest. The rule is irrelevant. The rule is for people

with bad footwork, and that's it."

Machado said he wouldn’t be expecting any retaliation by the Red Sox this weekend in the final

two games of the series.

“I don’t expect anything,” Machado said. “I’m going to play baseball. What happens, happens.

It’s called baseball. We play behind the lines. They’ve got to protect their players. They’ve got to

do what they’ve got to do on their side. It’s up to them. I know what I’m going to do over here

on this side. I know what I’ve got behind me. It’s 25 guys plus the coaching staff on our side.

I’m not expecting anything. I’m going out there and trying to win more ballgames.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-red-sox-0422-20170421-13-story.html

Brad Brach again steps in seamlessly for injured Orioles

closer Zach Britton

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 21, 2017

You won't hear manager Buck Showalter officially anoint right-hander Brad Brach as

the Orioles' interim closer while Zach Britton is on the disabled list. But you also won't find

Showalter messing with success.

Brach has continued his commanding start to the season as the Orioles' primary setup man,

transitioning to the closer role with the same precision, converting saves on three straight night --

most recently the Orioles’ 2-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday — retiring all nine batters

he faced in the team’s past three games.

After those three scoreless innings, Brach has pitched nine scoreless relief innings this season,

allowing just one hit and striking out 12 while walking only three. Just four of the 30 batters he's

faced have reached base.

"I'm just going to keep it the way I've been pitching," Brach said before Friday’s game. "It's been

successful over the last few years. Whether it's the seventh, eighth or ninth, I'm not trying to

think about it. I'm just trying to get three outs as quick as possible and I'm just not worrying

about the number of innings I'm going out there to pitch."

This is Brach's first extended opportunity to serve as closer at the big league level. His last

opportunity to close games came in the minor leagues in 2011, when Brach recorded 34 saves at

Double-A and Triple-A levels in the San Diego Padres organization. He came up as a closer

throughout the minor leagues, posting 30 or more saves in his first three full professional

seasons, including 41 at the High-A level in 2010.

Still, he's never had the opportunity to close at the major league level until now. Brach's ascent to

an All-Star setup man is well-known, as he took the opportunity during Darren O'Day's injury-

marred 2016 season and ran with it. Before then he was mostly locked into multiple-inning

middle relief.

"You don't want to have this opportunity in this kind of situation, but it's nice having some of the

chances and to try it out, just because I really enjoyed closing in the minor leagues, just because

it was a lot of fun," Brach said. "I had a lot of opportunities in the minor leagues, and I was on

teams that won 100 games in the minor leagues. There were a lot of close games and I just kind

of thrived in that role and hopefully I can take the experience I've had and transfer it up here."

Closing games in the big leagues and the minors is obviously different, but Orioles manager

Buck Showalter said Brach is well-groomed for the opportunity.

"There's a process there, too," Showalter said. "Pitching the eighth inning in the American

League East on the road with a one-run lead, I wouldn't underestimate how you get your mettle

tested there. But there's another step. That was here in Cincinnati, now hopefully [this weekend]

it will be against Boston at Camden Yards. Then it will be on the road with a one-run lead."

After needing Brach to pitch multiple-inning outings last year — his 15 appearances over more

than one inning in the first half gave him nearly 50 innings at the All-Star break — but this

season all eight of his appearances have been just one inning.

He has thrown more than 16 pitches just once. He's faced more than three batters just twice.

"Getting three outs, it's the same type of thing," Brach said. "Just a little bit different in terms of

a pressure standpoint, but besides that it's all trying to keep it as basic as possible to get three

outs."

Brach has made closing look basic, retiring all nine batters he faced on 33 pitches. In his first

outing as closer Wednesday night, Brach needed just nine pitches to get through the inning. In

closing Thursday night's game in the 10th inning, he needed just 10. He closed out the Red Sox

on Friday on 14 pitches.

Brach usually pitches off his mid-90s fastball, mixing it with a slider and split-change. In his first

two outings as closer, he needed little more than his fastball. Twenty-four of his 33 pitches were

four-seamers, and 20 of those pitches were strikes, including six swings and misses.

He was the beneficiary of first-pitch pop-ups on the first batter he faced in both outings. Retiring

Adam Duvall on a first-pitch pop-up Wednesday helped Brach get some first-time ninth-inning

jitters out of his system. And the following night, he fooled Joey Votto with a changeup, getting

him to ground out to first on the first pitch of the inning.

In retiring the Red Sox in order on Friday, he had to work a little harder, inducing two ground

outs and a popup. He induced the final out on two pitches, dropping a slider for called strike one

and then getting an game-ending ground ball to third baseman Manny Machado.

"I just try not to think about it," Brach said. "I'm not going to lie. The first one the other night, I

had a little bit of nerves, but when Duvall popped up that first pitch, it kind of settled me down

and made me not think about it. [Thursday] night I felt a lot more comfortable."

Quick outs, exemplary fastball command, pitching ahead in the count and mixing his pitches has

been a good combination for Brach. But ultimately, Brach said, he'd just trying to keep the

standard that Britton has set going. At the time Britton went on the DL, he had converted 54

straight save opportunities, which is tied for second-most all time.

"Zach has just been so successful in the role, and I think everybody here knows how many he's

had in a row, so I don't want to be the one to blow that streak," Brach said. "So I was just going

out there and trying to get us the win. That's the biggest thing."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-on-deck-what-to-watch-friday-vs-

red-sox-plus-series-matchups-20170421-story.html

Orioles on deck: What to watch Friday vs. Red Sox, plus

series matchups

By Josh Land / The Baltimore Sun

April 21, 2017

Orioles (10-4) vs. Red Sox (10-6)

Where: Camden Yards

First pitch: 7:05 p.m.

TV/Radio: MASN2/105.7 FM

Starting pitchers: Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy (2-1, 1.86 ERA) vs. Red Sox LHP Drew

Pomeranz (1-0, 5.23 ERA)

Series matchup

Offense (MLB rank)

Runs per game: Orioles (4.29, 16th); Red Sox (4.31, 14th)

Average: Orioles (.242, 14th); Red Sox (.282, second)

Home runs: Orioles (20, t-fifth); Red Sox (7, 30th)

OPS: Orioles (.715, 16th); Red Sox (.734, eighth)

Pitching (MLB rank)

Team ERA: Orioles (3.71, 14th); Red Sox (3.69, 12th)

Starters' ERA: Orioles (3.84, 14th); Red Sox (4.45, 24th)

Bullpen ERA: Orioles (3.50, 12th); Red Sox (2.29, fourth)

Fielding (MLB rank)

Fielding percentage: Orioles (.985, 17th); Red Sox (.983, 14th)

Errors: Orioles (8, t-10th fewest); Red Sox (10, t-16th fewest)

UZR/150: Orioles (-3.2, 21st); Red Sox (4.3, sixth)

Defensive runs saved: Orioles (-25, t-24th); Red Sox (48, fourth)

What to watch

1. Appointment TV. Three quality starts in as many outings this season and the best ERA in the

Orioles rotation have made Dylan Bundy the starter to watch in the early going. Bundy pitched

six scoreless innings in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays his last time out. He faces the Red Sox

for the second time this season after they were the only team to beat him so far.

2. Manny, manny struggles. Manny Machado's slump has reached 10 games, with him hitting

.176/.271/.333 with two homers and eight RBIs through 14 games this season. Machado is

batting .135 in 10 games since his average was .286 during the Orioles' 4-0 start. However, he is

showing signs of coming out of it with hits in four of the past five games.

3. Take charge. The Orioles have an opportunity to assert themselves atop the American League

East as they get back to division play. The Orioles open their season with 24 of their first 27

games against AL East opponents, and play each of their next four series (13 games) in the

division. The Orioles hold a half-game lead over the New York Yankees and a one-game lead

over the Red Sox entering tonight. They don't play another game outside the AL East until May

5.

Orioles lineup

LF Craig Gentry

CF Adam Jones

3B Manny Machado

RF Mark Trumbo

1B Chris Davis

C Welington Castillo

DH Trey Mancini

2B Jonathan Schoop

SS J.J. Hardy

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-first-road-trip-of-season-full-of-

pleasant-surprises-20170420-story.html

Orioles' first road trip of season full of pleasant surprises

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 21, 2017

The Orioles arrived home after their first road trip of the season – a taxing three-city, nine-game

swing – atop the American League East with a majors-best 10-4 record as the division-

rival Boston Red Sox come to Camden Yards for a three-game set.

After three interleague games in Cincinnati, the Orioles get back to the division competition that

dominates their first five weeks of the season.

The Orioles finished 6-3 on the road trip, and the most impressive part of the trip might have

been the end, as they cooled down a hot-hitting Cincinnati club by taking two of three at Great

American Ball Park by winning a pair of pitchers' duels.

It’s only one road trip, but remember that last year’s team was three games under .500 on the

road, so this opening trip can build momentum.

“It will be a sleepy flight,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “It means we won more games

than we lost and we’re going home to some friendly faces. It’s been one of the longer trips in a

lot of ways. It just seems like early in the year to be gone this long.

“I think everybody’s looking forward to getting home, but it’s a quick turnaround. You’re going

to get in and get to bed at 4 o’clock in the morning, you’re going to turn around and figure out a

way to compete against one of the best teams in baseball. We played a hot team here and we got

out of here two of three because we pitched real well except for the first day.”

Five of the final seven games of the trip were decided by two runs or fewer, but the Orioles won

four of those games.

The Orioles have also had quality starts in six of their last seven games.

But the fact that the Orioles took two of three here in Cincinnati after scoring a total of seven

runs on the backs of right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez and lefty Wade Miley – the rotation’s two

biggest question marks coming into the season – is jaw-dropping.

Jimenez and Miley combined for 15 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run, posting the

Orioles’ two longest starts of this young season.

“That’s what we try to do," Miley said. "I think all of our starting pitchers. They try to get as

deep into a ballgame as they possibly can. I was able to get some early outs tonight, which

helped get me deeper in the ballgame. Sometimes it’s tough when hitters put up good at-bats. We

were able to maneuver and get pretty deep, and Ubie did a good job last night.”

It was also positive to see Brad Brach filling in well for injured closer Zach Britton – he closed

both wins in Cincinnati.

“Our pitching has been great, Ubaldo [on Wednesday] and Miley [Thursday], Brach coming in

getting some saves, Darren [O'Day], our bullpen, strong like always,” shortstop J.J. Hardy said.

“Just good pitching. That’s what it’s been like the past couple of days.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-reds-0421-20170420-story.html

Orioles' Miley sharp again with Joseph behind the plate

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

Orioles manager Buck Showalter insisted Thursday that pairing catcher Caleb Joseph with left-

hander Wade Miley for the third time to start this season was done mostly by coincidence, but

there’s no question the pairing is paying off.

Miley recorded the longest outing by an Orioles starter in this young season, holding the Reds to

one run over eight innings in the team’s 10-inning, 2-1 interleague series finale win against

Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park.

Miley allowed just two hits and tied his career high with 11 strikeouts.

With Joseph behind the plate in Miley’s first three starts this season, Miley has a 1.89 ERA,

allowing four runs over 19 innings, and held opponents to a .127 batting average. Over his past

two outings, Miley has 19 strikeouts and just two walks, a clear sign he’s been commanding and

locating his pitches.

“He’s making the ball go both ways and commanding the fastball is where it all starts and ends,”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ‘There wasn’t one pitch they could take out of the

repertoire.”

His success Thursday came from establishing his fastball command. He was able to locate the

pitch to all four quadrants of the plate throughout the game on a day when he wasn’t carrying as

good a breaking ball.

“I had pretty good fastball command, away, in,” Miley said. “I was able to move it around. … I

was able to go down and away, move it up and in. Caleb did an outstanding job game-planning. I

didn’t shake him one time. Everything was crisp. He just knew where we wanted to go and I was

able to execute.”

Joseph, who offensively is still looking for his first hit in 12 at bats, said he didn’t know whether

the pairing would continue but said he enjoys catching Miley, especially using his broad

spectrum of pitches.

“I think Wade has had a few weapons that he might not have explored in some time, and I feel

like we’ve been able to explore those in the last couple games without giving away all the trade

secrets,” Joseph said. “But he has the option of moving the ball all around with all of his pitches,

so when you can do that, the possibilities are infinite really, versus sticking to one set way of

doing it.”

On Thursday, Miley worked ahead of the Reds, throwing 18 of 26 first-pitch strikes by leaning

on his fastball but sprinkling in an occasional first-pitch curveball. He grew stronger as the game

went on, needing just 10 pitches in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Miley allowed just one hit after giving up a home run to Joey Votto with two outs in the fourth.

From there, he retired 12 of his final 14 batters, and seven of his final 11 outs came by strikeout.

“I think [it was] the game plan,” Miley said about establishing his fastball. “[I’ve] obviously

faced these guys in the past, and we looked over that and pounded them in a lot in the past. We

just kind of stayed away from that, stayed away from them, and we felt like they were leaning all

over, and we were able to pop them in. Executing the pitches is the main thing. I was able to

execute when we tried to go in. I got the call and it just worked out tonight.”

Miley and Joseph worked together just once last season after Miley came over in a trade-

deadline deal with the Seattle Mariners, pitching four scoreless innings of one-hit ball against the

Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 18 before leaving the game with cramping in his back. So there wasn’t

much of a track record of success.

“Two good-looking guys, you really can’t go wrong with that,” Joseph joked. “Obviously, Buck

[Showalter] has confidence in all of us to catch everyone, but I do enjoy catching Wade. I like

the way he works and having the weapons. I think it’s broadening what he can do on the mound.

There’s books out and with all the technology and all the information; you kind of get a sense of

how pitchers are and how they like to work."

Miley said he and Joseph built a good rapport in spring training and it’s carried over into the

season.

“Not to knock at Welington [Castillo],” Miley said. “I’ve thrown to him. He’s outstanding as

well. [There’s] something about Caleb from spring training. I don’t know what it was. I know he

works hard back there for me. We’ve got a good thing going right now. … As a pitcher you’ve

got a catcher back there working really hard for you, and you see that. You kind of build off of

that, build off the energy you see him giving, and you go from there.”

By comparison, Miley had a 6.66 ERA in 10 starts with former Orioles catcher Matt Wieters

behind the plate last season. Opponents hit .329 off Miley with Wieters catching, including all

seven homers the lefty allowed as an Oriole.

Miley struggled in his first eight starts with the Orioles last season, posting an 8.41 ERA, but this

season he’s looking much more like the confident pitcher who ended the season with a 1.93 ERA

in his last three starts of the season.

“I don’t think it’s anything groundbreaking of earth-shattering,” Joseph said. “I think it may just

be reminding him that he can do it. I think a lot of times when the pitcher feels the confidence

the catcher has in him and his pitches or the sequence or whatever, I think he can feed off that. I

think they can respond to that. That is a part of the job description is to know their personalities

and knowing how you can encourage them and motivate them. I think so far that’s been

something he has done.”

Showalter said pairing the two for a third straight time wasn’t by design and said Joseph starting

had more to do with giving new starter Castillo a day off after he was hit by a foul tip in his palm

Tuesday. Showalter also said he wants Castillo available to play this weekend with the Orioles

facing two left-handed starters against the Boston Red Sox on Friday and Saturday.

“I know [Miley] likes throwing to both of them,” Showalter said. “The big thing was [bench

coach] John [Russell] and I decided last night that we wanted to give Welington a day. He’s

caught like nine of the games on the road and we’d like to have him full speed tomorrow. Plus,

he’s a really good option off the bench, especially against left-handed pitching.”

Back in 2014, the Orioles paired catcher Nick Hundley with right-hander Chris Tillman, and

Tillman had a 2.78 ERA in 18 starts with Hundley behind the plate, holding opponents to a .227

batting average.

Showalter seemed slightly surprised about the trend when asked about it before the game, but

made clear that none of his pitchers would request one catcher over another. Showalter said he’d

never allow a pitcher to dictate the catcher he throws to and continued to laud Castillo’s ability

behind the plate.

“That’s not going to develop here,” Showalter said. “It just won’t happen. I won’t let it happen.

I’m not going to have a pitcher come in and tell me who they want to throw to and who they

don’t. That hasn’t happened, but I’ve seen it in the past with teams and that’s a recipe for

excuses. That’s not going to happen. Trust me. Plus, Welington does well.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-postgame-pies-coming-back-orioles-mum-

on-wednesday-s-celebration-20170420-story.html

Postgame pies coming back? Orioles mum on Wednesday's

celebration

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

Any notion that postgame pie celebrations have returned for good after Adam Jones delivered a

pie to the face of Ubaldo Jimenez following the Orioles’ 2-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on

Wednesday night should likely be quelled.

After tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday, Jimenez was the recipient of some sort of pie-

like dessert substance to the face – Jimenez thought it was some sort of strawberry or raspberry

pie – from Jones, whose popular postgame routine was squashed before last year by a club

mandate fearing that a player could get injured from the routine.

Jimenez said he liked it, saying it was the first pie he received in his major league career. But

Jones didn’t see it being a story – even though it occurred during Jimenez’s live postgame TV

interview -- and declined any other comment.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he didn’t know about the pie until he was told before

Thursday’s game. He was also surprised how the act might have overshadowed one of the

Orioles’ best pitching performances of the year, and said it would be handled internally.

“I don’t know all the details, but I guess I should look into it,” Showalter said. “… I’ll handle it.

We always do.”

Jones skirted the rules on Opening Day in 2016, getting catcher Matt Wieters in the face after his

walk-off single won the game. But otherwise, the pies had all but disappeared until Wednesday.

The Orioles initially embraced the pies, which were first shaving cream, then actual pies from

Baltimore-based Dangerously Delicious. There was even a

“pie-face” T-shirt giveaway three years ago, and Jones pied a fan in the stands after the Orioles

clinched the American League East title in 2014.

But the pie celebrations abruptly ended before last season, with Jones announcing on Twitter --

to the fan base's dismay -- that he was no longer allowed to pie players. He has only done it two

times since.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-left-hander-jayson-aquino-to-make-first-

major-league-start-on-saturday-against-boston-20170420-story.html

Orioles lefty Jayson Aquino to make first major league start

Saturday against Red Sox

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

The Orioles will tab left-hander Jayson Aquino to make his first major league start Saturday

against the Boston Red Sox, manager Buck Showalter announced before Thursday’s series finale

in Cincinnati.

Right-hander Alec Asher will be available out of the bullpen for Thursday’s game, providing a

right-handed long reliever to potentially turn the lineup around behind left-handed starter Wade

Miley.

Because of a day off next Thursday, the Orioles won’t need a fifth starter again for the remainder

of April.

The club’s decision to start Aquino is twofold. As a left-hander, he projects better against the

Red Sox lineup, and despite sending him down to Triple-A Norfolk to open the season, the

Orioles want to know whether he can contribute at the major league level after a strong spring

training.

Aquino has been a starter throughout his career in the minor leagues, but all three of his previous

major league appearances were in relief -- he combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings last season

with the Orioles.

Aquino was one of the last roster cuts before Opening Day after posting a 1.20 ERA over

15 Grapefruit League innings while holding opposing hitters to a .185 average. Aquino threw a

quality start in his most recent outing for Norfolk, allowing one unearned run in six innings

Friday. In two starts, Aquino has a 4.00 ERA, allowing 11 hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks

in nine innings.

He was a leading candidate for the club’s fifth rotation spot with right-hander Chris

Tillman starting the season on the disabled list. But the club went with Asher when the team

needed a fifth starter for the first time Saturday.

Showalter said putting Asher in the bullpen doesn’t eliminate him from future starting

opportunities.

Smith not improving

A decision on whether the Orioles will place Seth Smith on the 10-day disabled list is drawing

near after the outfielder was not in the starting lineup Thursday and Showalter said he had not

improved over the past day.

Smith left Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning with a strained right hamstring that he first felt in

his third at-bat of the game. It didn’t go away after playing the field in the bottom half of the

fifth.

“I think if there’s not some improvement between now and tomorrow, we’ll have to think about

making an adjustment,” Showalter said before Thursday’s game.

Around the horn

Outfielder Joey Rickard, currently on the DL with a sprained left middle finger, did soft toss

Thursday and could take live batting practice Friday. He will likely need a brief minor league

rehabilitation assignment before returning. … Right-hander Chris Tillman went through his

between-starts work day Thursday with no setback. He’s scheduled to make his second minor

league rehab start Saturday at High-A Frederick.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-on-deck-what-to-watch-thursday-

at-reds-20170420-story.html

Orioles on deck: What to watch Thursday at Reds

By Josh Land / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

Orioles (9-4) vs. Reds (9-6)

Where: Great American Ball Park

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

TV/Radio: MASN/105.7 FM

Starting pitchers: Orioles LHP Wade Miley (1-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. Reds RHP Scott Feldman (1-1,

2.87 ERA)

What to watch

1. Schoop streaking. Jonathan Schoop takes a seven-game hitting streak into tonight's game,

during which he's hitting .407/.393/.741 with five extra-base hits and seven RBIs. Quite a

turnaround from when he was batting .105 six games into the season.

2. Miley matters. Wade Miley has allowed three runs in 11 innings over his first two starts. The

question is whether he'll be in control or not. In his first outing, he walked seven. In his second,

he fanned eight while walking none. Which will it be tonight?

3. Road wrap-up. The Orioles conclude a nine-game road trip tonight having already secured a

winning record on the three-city swing. They're 5-3 on the trip to Boston, Toronto and Cincinnati

with a chance to make it a real impressive one by winning tonight. It's one of only three three-

city trips for the Orioles this season -- the other two are 10 games long -- and their last until

August.

Orioles lineup

LF Hyun Soo Kim

CF Adam Jones

3B Manny Machado

1B Chris Davis

RF Mark Trumbo

2B Jonathan Schoop

SS J.J. Hardy

C Caleb Joseph

LHP Wade Miley

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-having-right-hander-brad-brach-proving-

to-be-worth-every-penny-for-orioles-20170420-story.html

Right-hander Brad Brach proving to be worth every penny

for Orioles

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

It was just about two months ago when the Orioles believed they had a good enough arbitration

case against right-hander Brad Brach to take him to a hearing.

Brach went to a hearing and won, earning a $3.05 million salary for his second year of

arbitration eligibility. The Orioles had offered $2.525 million. Even though the Orioles lost that

case – a rarity for the team – it could turn out to be the best bargain on the roster.

Brach continues to trend upward, with the latest chapter coming Wednesday night, when he took

over ninth-inning duties for injured closer Zach Britton and made it look easy in the Orioles’ 2-0

victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Brach needed just nine pitches to close out a perfect ninth, including a three-pitch strikeout of

Eugenio Suarez for the second out of the inning. Eight of Brach’s nine pitches were strikes.

Brach insists that Orioles manager Buck Showalter hasn’t named an interim closer, saying he has

been told decisions on who gets the ball in the ninth will be made based on matchups and

situations. But as long as he’s available, he should be getting those opportunities.

He has been dominant, allowing just one hit over seven innings this season. He has allowed just

four base runners overall, opponents are batting a minuscule .048 against him and he has a WHIP

of 0.571.

Also, in seven outings this season – each lasting one-inning -- Brach struck out the side twice

and had two strikeouts two other times. He’s getting strikeouts and continuing the low walk rate

that helped make him successful in his All-Star 2016 season. His strikeout-to-walk ratio this

season is 3.67 and he has a 45.8 percent strikeout rate.

So now, paying Brach $3.05 million this season doesn’t seem that bad, whether it’s for him

pitching the eighth or the ninth inning, especially given the dollars being spent in free agency for

late-inning relievers. Having Brach serve as seamless insurance for Britton increases that value.

It’s obviously still early, and Brach hasn’t received regular closing opportunities since making 34

saves in 2011 pitching in the Double-A and Triple-A levels of the San Diego Padres system. but

those numbers show he’s ready to close in Britton’s absence.

At this point, Brach has little to lose in this situation. Make no mistake, Britton has no reason to

worry. He’s one of, if not the best closer in the game despite some early-season shakiness. But

Brach has the opportunity to raise his stock by showing he can close out games. He certainly has

the arsenal and the makeup.

And while that might mean the Orioles might have to continue to pay up again for Brach’s

services, they’re getting the results, at least until he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season,

the same year Britton can test free agency.

The Orioles win as well. Brach had three saves over the previous two seasons when Britton

wasn’t available. But imagine the weapon Showalter can have moving forward if he can trust

both Brach and Britton for the ninth inning on a game-by-game basis.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baltimore-sports-blog/bal-orioles-bring-back-postgame-pie-

after-ubaldo-jimenez-sweet-performance-20170420-story.html

Orioles' postgame pie returns, at least for one night, after

Jimenez's sweet performance

By Jonas Shaffer / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

Are the Orioles back on pie alert?

After a dominant 7 2/3 innings Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds in a 2-0 win,

Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez got more than a postgame interview with Mid-Atlantic Sports

Network's Jim Hunter and Mike Bordick.

He got some congratulatory calories in the face from Orioles center fielder, pie delivery man and

current scofflaw Adam Jones.

Mmmm. Is that strawberry?

The sweet sendoffs were "banned" before last season, with Jones citing safety concerns — yes,

seriously — only to make one grand reappearance after Matt Wieters' walk-off single on

Opening Day. (Orioles manager Buck Showalter called that in-the-face food a cake. Jones called

it a pie. We'll likely never know the truth.)

Questions still remain. Is this Jones' annual allotment of one pie? This being a road game, where

did he procure said pie? Were there other flavors available? Does Jimenez like strawberry-

flavored food? If this was a safety matter before, does Jones now have the proper certification to

perform more pie-in-the-face-ings? Did Showalter sign off on the pie thinking it was a cake?

This all boggles the mind. Then again, so does "Ubaldo Jimenez pitches scoreless gem to keep

Orioles in first place in AL East."

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225923386/struggling-gausman-tries-to-sweep-red-

sox/?topicId=26688732

Gausman out to rebound, sweep Red Sox

By Jeff Seidel / MLB.com

April 23, 2017

Orioles starter Kevin Gausman will be looking to get back on track in the finale of a three-game

weekend series with the Red Sox today, while Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez hopes to beat

the team that traded him away.

Gausman (1-1, 7.23 ERA) has gotten off to a slow start this season, and he lasted just 2 2/3

innings in his most recent outing, giving up eight runs on eight hits in a loss at Cincinnati on

Tuesday. The righty has struggled in three of his first four starts.

A former Orioles prospect, Rodriguez (0-1, 5.23) came to the Red Sox in the Andrew Miller

trade three years ago, and he's allowed seven runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two starts. The lefty

also threw a scoreless inning in one relief appearance.

The Red Sox also are hoping to get Dustin Pedroia back in the starting lineup. He hurt his left

knee/ankle late in Friday's game when Manny Machado slid into him at second base. Manager

John Farrell called it a day-to-day situation.

• Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi will be back in the starting lineup Sunday, according to

Farrell. The outfielder had played every inning of every game through Friday, and Farrell gave

him a break Saturday.

• Left fielder Craig Gentry could get another start for the Orioles with a left-hander going for

Boston. Gentry is starting to bounce back from a slow start at the plate, and he's showing the

speed and defense the Orioles wanted when they acquired him.

• Shortstop Xander Bogaerts made it back to the lineup for Boston on Saturday despite battling a

sore thumb. He missed the series opener Friday, and with Pedroia out, the Sox need him in there.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225973782/orioles-jayson-aquino-impresses-in-audition/

Aquino impresses in audition, gives O's depth

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Jayson Aquino was picked for Saturday's start because of an impressive spring,

and as manager Buck Showalter aptly put it, the Orioles needed to see what they had in the

young left-hander.

If Saturday is any indication, the O's have another solid starting option. Aquino held Boston to

two runs -- both of which came on Jackie Bradley Jr.'s homer -- over six innings in his first

career start, picking up the win in the 4-2 victory.

"I think you saw some of the things that we liked about him. He doesn't lack for ... I don't want to

say 'confidence.' He's one of those guys who says, 'Here's mine and see what you can do with it.

I'm not going to pick around,'" Showalter said of Aquino, who pitched to a 1.20 ERA in six

games (one start) this spring. "I wish I could come up with a better phrase, but there's just a

personality to his pitching."

Acquired from St. Louis in exchange for cash considerations last April, Aquino started at

Double-A Bowie and was promoted to Triple-A in August. He was summoned by the Orioles as

part of September's roster expansion and made his second career appearance -- and first with the

O's -- on Sept. 12.

Showalter admitted he wasn't overly impressed with what he saw from Aquino in September, but

he kept an open mind heading into camp. The 24-year-old lefty pitched well enough to earn a

start at the end of spring, and on Saturday, Aquino took another step forward with another

opportunity.

"I feel very happy," Aquino said through interpreter Ramon Alarcon. "It's an incredible feeling

what I'm feeling right now. I just tried to make my pitches. I was just following the lead of my

catcher [Caleb Joseph]. Thank God everything went well."

When Aquino will get another chance is less certain. The O's don't need a fifth starter until May

2, and that could be rehabbing starter Chris Tillman's spot. Baltimore will have to decide what to

do with Aquino and Alec Asher, who is currently in the bullpen and made his own impressive

spot start in Toronto. For now, a much-maligned Baltimore rotation may have too many good

options.

"I like, right now, where we sit depth-wise," Showalter said. "It's a really good problem to have.

One we haven't had around here too much."

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225893188/orioles-zach-britton-could-throw-next-week/

Britton to see hand doc, could throw after that

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Orioles closer Zach Britton will see a hand specialist on Monday, and he could

resume throwing after that, as manager Buck Showalter called it the final step for the left-hander

in his rehab from a left forearm strain.

Britton's MRI exam on his left elbow and forearm came back with no significant issues on

Friday, and the O's want him to see a specialist just so they can avoid having this forearm issue

crop up again. Britton's elbow structurally looks great, and the discomfort he was having, which

is now gone, is more related to his grip and is why he had trouble finishing his pitches early on

this season.

Britton said Saturday he feels good and is ready to get back to throwing.

Outfielder Joey Rickard (finger) had a good day taking coaches' batting practice on Saturday,

and he will do the same on Sunday before starting a rehab assignment.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225904014/orioles-chris-tillman-makes-second-rehab-

start/

Tillman makes second rehab start

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Orioles starter Chris Tillman went 3 2/3 innings in his second rehab start on

Saturday night, allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts against Double-A

Harrisburg.

Tillman was originally slated to pitch for the O's Class A Frederick affiliate, but with ominous

weather, the team opted to keep him with Double-A Bowie, where Tillman made his first rehab

start. It was a smart move as the Frederick game was rained out.

Tillman, who threw 58 pitches (37 strikes), is slated to start again on Thursday for Frederick,

who will be playing at Potomac. The O's don't need a fifth starter until May 2, and they are

hoping Tillman -- rehabbing from a right shoulder injury -- will be able to slot in then.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225711690/dylan-bundy-using-cutter-to-great-effect/

Increased cutter use helping Bundy excel

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 22, 2017

BALTIMORE -- There were many moments last season that almost screamed for Dylan

Bundy to throw his cutter. But that wasn't the plan.

Because no matter how devastating the extra pitch was to Bundy's arsenal, having the right-

hander -- who had Tommy John surgery in 2013 -- healthy enough to throw it for an entire big

league season was most important. Nights like Friday showed why, as Bundy turned in his fourth

consecutive quality outing, tossing seven-plus scoreless innings in the Orioles' 2-0 win over the

Red Sox.

"We could tell he gained a lot of confidence from last year and felt good physically," Orioles

manager Buck Showalter said of Bundy, who has a 1.37 ERA in his first full season as a starter.

"There were a lot of things in his favor to get off to a good start. He really came into camp in

good shape and arm felt really good, and he's taken it and run with it so far."

The fourth overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Bundy's ascent has been critical to the Orioles' early-

season success. And adding the cutter back into his repertoire is one of the things that has helped

make him so effective.

Last season according to Statcast™, Bundy used his four-seam fastball about 61 percent of the

time, with his changeup and curveball filling in the rest. So far this year, Bundy has used his

fastball about 40 percent, while his cutter is his second favorite pitch at 27 percent. It's been

highly effective, with batters swinging and missing at it about a third of the time.

On Friday, he only used the pitch 21 times (out of 108 pitches) as the Red Sox stacked the lineup

with lefties. And while it only garnered three swings and misses, Bundy got five called strikes

and Boston was 1-for-6 when putting the cutter in play, according to Statcast™.

"He's developed a couple of secondary pitches from a year ago," said Red Sox manager John

Farrell, whose club had six hits and a walk against the righty. "The changeup and cutter have

been used more extensively this year. He's a quality pitcher."

Bundy admitted he wasn't at his best on Friday, working out of several tough spots. But perhaps

that's what makes his early start so impressive, the sign of a young pitcher figuring things out

and finding a way to get it done.

"Really, I just had to use all my pitches tonight," Bundy said. "It was a tough one. I got some

double-play balls that my defense helped me out on and got me out of some jams. I think that

was really the key to the game."

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225746492/brad-brach-sharp-as-zach-brittons-

replacement/

Brach delivering in ninth with Britton out

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 21, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Brad Brach converted his third save in as many days in Friday's 2-0 win over

the Red Sox, as the right-hander has filled in for lefty closer Zach Britton without missing a beat.

Britton, who had an MRI on his elbow/forearm come back with no issues on Friday, was placed

on the disabled list on Sunday and will keep progressing along. As for using Brach for the third

consecutive day, which is something he typically avoids, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said:

"He threw nine pitches yesterday and 10 pitches the day before, so he felt good. We checked on

him. We're having to do some things differently in the bullpen. Try to stay away from Darren

[O'Day] and him too much together. We're going to have to do some things with Donnie [Hart]

and Mychal [Givens] to get through this period. They took advantage of an opportunity and got

some key outs. I think a lot of it had to do with the way Brad went through the two innings the

last two days, and he felt really good today."

Hart and Givens helped the O's get through a scoreless eighth and will help bridge to Brach and

O'Day without Britton.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225438054/pomeranz-bundy-to-duel-at-camden-

yards/?topicId=26688732

Bundy eyes fourth straight quality start

Ian Browne / MLB.com

April 21, 2017

When the Red Sox kick off a three-game series at Camden Yards against the Orioles on Friday

night, manager John Farrell should have his full allotment of position players in the starting

lineup for the first time since Opening Day.

Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. will be activated from the disabled list after being out since

April 9 with a right knee sprain.

The series between American League East rivals should be a good early-season test for both

squads, who are battling for the top spot in the division. The opener pits two talented starters

against each other, as righty Dylan Bundy (2-1, 1.86 ERA) takes the ball for Baltimore and lefty

Drew Pomeranz (1-0, 5.23 ERA) draws the assignment for Boston.

With Bradley's return, the Red Sox are finally over a stretch that included a combination of

injuries, bereavement and several players sidelined with the flu. David Price and Tyler

Thornburg remain out on the pitching side, but Boston is back to full strength offensively.

"I think you're always of the thought that you'd like to play better or show more consistent signs

in different areas of your team," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "But getting back to full

strength is a positive, and we're not back there yet given David Price's situation, Tyler

Thornburg's situation, so I like the way we've gone out and shown a lot of resilience in a number

of these games with coming back. Still, we've got areas we need to shore up and continue to

improve upon."

Things to know about this game

• One thing the Orioles are very aware of entering this series: Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts

was ridiculous at Camden Yards this past season, slashing .514/.609/1.162 with eight homers and

15 RBIs in 10 games. The eight homers in a season are the record by a visiting player at Camden

Yards, which opened in 1992.

• Bundy could be poised for a breakout season, as he's 3-for-3 in quality starts thus far. Bundy

has 17 strikeouts and just three walks. In four career starts against the Red Sox, Bundy is 1-3

with a 6.86 ERA. However, he held his own in his only start against them so far this season,

allowing three hits over 6 1/3 innings.

• Pomeranz was powerful but not particularly effective his most recent time out, striking out 10

over 4 1/3 innings but also giving up five runs and two homers. He was sharp against the Orioles

while winning his first start of the season on April 11, holding them to four hits and a run over

six innings.

• Part of Mitch Moreland's remarkable power surge to begin 2017 -- he leads MLB with 11

doubles -- can be found in his barreled ball rate. The first baseman has barreled seven of his 43

batted balls put in play this season for a 16.3 percent rate that is nearly double his average from

the past two seasons (9.9 percent).

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/225526924/orioles-wade-miley-strikes-out-11-in-8-

innings/

8 Miley: Lefty keeps O's rotation hot with gem

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

The Orioles left a rainy Cincinnati on Thursday night with a series win, a 6-3 road trip and --

perhaps most importantly -- two fantastic starts from Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley for a

Baltimore team in dire need of them.

Miley went eight sensational innings in the O's 2-1, 10-inning win over the Reds on Thursday

night, the longest outing by a Baltimore starter this year and one that kept the rotation rolling.

"It was the game plan," Miley said of an outing that followed Jimenez's 7 2/3 scoreless innings in

Wednesday's win. "[I've] faced these guys in the past. We looked over that. We pounded in in the

past. We stayed away from them tonight. When [we] felt they were leaning over, we were able to

pop them in.

"I was able to execute when I went in."

In his best start since coming to the Orioles last year, Miley retired the first 11 before Joey

Votto hit a solo homer with two outs into the fourth inning. The lefty would allow just one more

hit, matching his career-high with 11 strikeouts in a masterful 101-pitch outing.

"He was sneaky because his arm was short," Reds outfielder Scott Schebler said. "It was actually

pretty sneaky, and then he mixed in pitches well. He just commanded down and away, all day

long. If you can do that, you're going to be pretty successful."

Miley struck out the first batter of the game and never looked back, shutting down a previously

hot Reds offense and giving the O's a big lift. Coupled with Jimenez's gem on Wednesday,

Baltimore -- which hopes to get back starter Chris Tillman next month -- and its much-maligned

rotation is looking much better as of late.

"That's what we try to do," Miley said. "All our starting pitchers try to go out and get as deep

into a ballgame as we can. We were able to get some early outs and get deeper into the

ballgame."

Miley, who struggled with command in his first start of the season, has turned in back-to-back

quality outings and has a 1.89 ERA in three starts this season. Working at his typical fast pace,

Miley pounded the strike zone and issued just one walk before turning the ball over to the

bullpen.

"The last two times he's been out there, [he's been] amazing," said J.J. Hardy, who drove in the

game-winning run. "He's fun to play behind. There's times when I don't feel like I'm ready and

he's getting to pitch. He throws strikes, mixes it up. Those hitters don't take too many swings.

He's been great.

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/04/20/225522472

Chris Davis snapped his bat over his knee and trees are

crying everywhere

By Matt Monagan / The Baltimore Sun

April 20, 2017

Chris Davis is a large, strong man -- which helps in his ability to hit balls a really long way.

That's a positive result. That's good. We like dingers.

But being a man of such a large, strong nature also works in a different way when he strikes out.

Like in the bottom of the seventh of Thursday's Reds-Orioles game, when he went down

swinging and put his bat on the eternal disabled list:

Although it's the first such occurence of the 2017 season, it's definitely been done before.

One man comes to mind.

The O's ended up winning, 2-1, and fortunately, no other bats were harmed in the process.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/225514420/double-play-ruled-lineout-for-reds-vs-os/

O's, Davis avoid quirky DP vs. Reds

By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

CINCINNATI -- For a minute during the fourth inning of a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Orioles, it

looked like the Reds had a unique double play. But, not quite.

With Manny Machado on first base and one out, the Reds employed a right-side shift against

lefty-hitting Chris Davis. On a first-pitch fastball from Scott Feldman, Davis sharply lined a ball

to third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who was stationed between first and second base.

Suarez first appeared to drop the ball and alertly fired to Zack Cozart at second base for a force

play. With Machado thinking Suarez caught the ball, he scrambled back to first base. Cozart

threw to first base in an attempt to get Davis while Machado was on the ground.

No call was immediately indicated from the umpires and both managers -- Cincinnati's Bryan

Price and Baltimore's Buck Showalter -- emerged from their dugouts for clarification. All four

umpires met for several moments in the middle of the infield to confer on the call.

It was ruled a putout of Davis by Suarez, who dropped the ball on the transfer out of his glove.

Machado, who had returned to the dugout, was ordered back on the field to first base.

"They said you have to play it out like it's a line drive that was caught," Price said. "So, the thing

is, that ball then went to second base and it was returned to first. When it was returned to first, I

knew that Davis hadn't gotten to first base yet. But I didn't know if Machado had gotten back to

first base on the return throw.

"I know when we were checking things, when they said, 'Hey, we're going to treat it as a lineout.'

Machado was back at first base. I wanted to verify [that] with our replay people, but I'm out on

the field. I'm trying to communicate with our dugout. Now, I already know that Davis is out,

what I wanted to know was if Machado was on the base when the ball was returned to Joey.

Eventually, I found out that he was."

Machado, who had returned to the dugout, was ordered back on the field to first base.

"They got it right," Showalter said. "I can't speak for Pricy. But they called it a catch. Coming

out of it to throw to first base, he dropped it."

Defense would erase Machado on the next play, however. When Mark Trumbo hit a two-out

single to right field, Machado tried to advance to third base. Scott Schebler made a nice one-hop

throw to get him for the third out.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/225504362/orioles-may-place-seth-smith-on-disabled-list/

Injured hammy could land Smith on DL

By John Fay / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

CINCINNATI -- Outfielder Seth Smith may not have dodged the disabled list yet.

Smith was out of the Orioles' lineup on Thursday against the Reds for the second straight game

with a tender right hamstring.

"He's about the same," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

Is that good or bad?

"It's not any worse," Showalter said. "Half full or half empty. I think if there's not some

improvement between [Friday] and [Saturday], we'll have to think about making a move."

Smith said before Thursday's game that he didn't know if he'd be available, but he saw progress.

"We're still working through it," Smith said. "It's better today than it was yesterday."

Outfielder Joey Rickard (left middle finger strain) is eligible to come off the DL. He's

progressing, but it's unlikely that he would be activated if Smith goes on the DL in the next two

days.

"Joey hit flips, which means the ball was moving toward him and not stationary," Showalter said.

"He threw again. Throwing's not going to be an issue. I think he feels like he could do that right

now.

"The plan is to go to coaches' BP either Friday or Saturday. If he responds well to that, we're in

pretty good shape. It makes it a lot more imminent."

Showalter is still looking at a short Minor League rehab for Rickard.

"I think that's a one- or two-game thing," Showalter said. "We'll see how the coaches' BP goes

and the next day."

Tillman set for Saturday

Right-hander Chris Tillman will make his second rehab start on Saturday.

"He had his work day [Thursday]," Showalter said. "It went well. Normal stiffness that you have

between starts."

Piegate

Adam Jones hit starter Ubaldo Jimenez with a pie after the Orioles' 2-0 win Wednesday. The

Orioles banned such celebrations for safety reasons this spring.

Showalter did not know about it until Thursday afternoon. He was amused when told it had

become a big deal in Baltimore.

"They're actually talking about it?" Showalter said. "If that overshadowed the game Ubaldo

pitched, that's scary."

Showalter added: "I'll handle it. We always do."

No personal catcher

Caleb Joseph caught Wade Miley Thursday night, just as he had in Miley's two other starts.

"Not by design," Showalter said. "[Bench coach John Russell] and I decided last night that we

wanted to give Welington [Castillo] the day. We'd like to have him full speed [on Friday], plus

he gives a really good option off the bench, especially against left-handed pitching."

Showalter won't go with a personal catcher for any starter.

"That's not going to develop here," he said. "Somebody's not going to come and tell me who they

want to throw to. It hasn't happened here, but I've seen it happen in the past. That's an excuse. It's

not going to happen. Trust me."

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/225392080/ubaldo-jimenez-has-strong-outing-for-first-win/

Jimenez finds success in first win of season

By John Fay / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

CINCINNATI -- After Ubaldo Jimenez went 4 1/3 innings and allowed five runs in each of his

first two starts, he knew he needed to get better in a hurry.

"There was no doubt I needed a start like this," Jimenez said. "I needed to be there for my team. I

was able to do that tonight."

Jimenez found himself Wednesday night and pitched the Orioles to a 2-0 victory over the Reds at

Great American Ball Park. Jimenez went 7 2/3 shutout innings, while allowing two hits, walking

four and striking out three. The difference from the first two starts?

"I was able to get on top of the ball and make it sink," Jimenez said, "instead of being flat and

like it was my first two games."

He did not allow a hit after the second inning.

"He filled up the bottom of the zone tonight," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He had his

secondary pitches working for him. Welington Castillo worked well with him.

"His tempo was good. A lot of ground balls and pretty good plays. The guys behind him were

engaged in the game. He knows all this. It's just being able to execute it."

The Orioles needed a deep outing after Kevin Gausman lasted only 2 2/3 innings on Tuesday

night. Jimenez worked a 1-2-3, 11-pitch first.

"It's always good when you start hitting the zone right away and get quick outs," Jimenez said.

The Reds loaded the bases against him with two outs in the second, but Jimenez got pitcher Amir

Garrett to bounce out to end the threat.

Jimenez only allowed two baserunners in the third through seventh innings -- both on walks.

"Once I got in a groove, I was able to throw everything for strikes," Jimenez said.

A walk to Billy Hamilton in the eighth effectively ended Jimenez's night. Hamilton walked with

out and stole second. After he went to third on Jose Peraza's groundout, Showalter brought on

left-hander Donnie Hart to face Joey Votto. Hart got Votto foul out to left fielder Craig Gentry.

Jimenez, the 34-year-old right-hander, is in the final year of his four-year, $50 million contract.

He was 8-12 with a 5.44 ERA overall last year. The Orioles, of course, are hoping for better, and

Wednesday was a good sign.

"That's about as good as you'll see him in his delivery," Showalter said. "His velocity has come

earlier than it has the last three years. That bodes well. The only thing he was working on is

being more consistent in the delivery. It's an ongoing challenge for him."

Jimenez improved to 4-0 against the Reds with a 2.51 ERA.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/225038752/orioles-adam-jones-playing-deeper-center-field/

Jones playing deeper in center field

By Mike Petriello / MLB.com

April 20, 2017

Back in February, the state of Baltimore's outfield defense became a topic of discussion after

longtime center fielder Adam Jones and executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette each

made their thoughts on the situation known. Jones rightly pointed out that while Mark

Trumbo and Seth Smith would help the offense, neither were considered strong outfield

defenders. Duquette replied that there were perhaps some things the current outfielders could

do to improve their defensive efficiency.

We tried to take all of that together and find some ways the Orioles could improve their outfield

defense, ultimately deciding that since it was too late in the offseason to move Jones to a corner

or find a starting-caliber defense-first outfielder, the best course of action might be to push the

notoriously shallow playing Jones back a little further. Given that Jones is entering his 10th

season as the starting center fielder in Baltimore, it's a suggestion that's been floating around for

years, but it's never led to on-field changes.

Until this year, that is. While it's still early, Jones is one of 34 center fielders who have been on

the field for at least 500 pitches in each of the past two seasons -- and no one who has been on

the same team for both seasons has taken a bigger leap backwards than he has.

Biggest changes in center-field depth in 2016-17

+17 feet -- Jones, Orioles

+17 feet -- Carlos Gomez, Rangers

+15 feet -- Rajai Davis, A's

+11 feet -- Denard Span, Giants

+11 feet -- Tyler Naquin, Indians

+11 feet -- Lorenzo Cain, Royals

(minimum 500 pitches on field in both years, all data through Monday's games)

That's saying that Jones averaged 309 feet last year, and has now moved back to 324 feet, the

11th deepest of 38 center fielders with 500 tracked pitches in 2017. Here's what that looks like in

visual form, with the dots representing the starting points for Jones on each pitch:

Gomez and Davis each spent at least part of 2016 with a different club than they're on now, and

that's important to note, because we're looking just at raw depth from home plate without

accounting for the depth of home ballpark, though that's on the roadmap for this year. Still, this

looks like something of a small league-wide trend. In 2015, all Major League outfielders

averaged 312 feet from home, which went to 316 feet in 2016 and 317 feet so far this year.

"The number guys are smarter than the players," Jones told MLB.com when asked about the

change this week. "It's weird playing a little deeper, but that's the way our front office wants me

to play. I'm not insubordinate. I will do what they ask and sacrifice in other areas. That's what

they see in the data."

We talked a lot last year about how much that helped Dexter Fowler, who moved back 20 feet on

the recommendation of the Cubs and suddenly, in his age-30 season, was viewed more favorably

by advanced defensive metrics than he had been in years. It's not that he was necessarily a better

defender, it's that he was put in position to be a better defender. Meanwhile, the Pirates

moved Andrew McCutchen in by 10 feet, it backfired terribly, and he was moved off the position

entirely before Starling Marte was suspended. Now, it's not as simple as "deeper is better," of

course, because that's only two examples, and a team like Arizona played very deep as well, yet

had some of the weakest outfield defense in the game.

That said, we had an inkling this might happen for Jones, didn't we? If you remember back to the

spring, his amazing catch to rob Baltimore teammate Manny Machado in the World Baseball

Classic wasn't just the enduring moment of the tournament, it's something we're going to see

replayed on highlight reels for years to come. But as we noted at the time, Jones was playing 14

feet deeper than his 2016 average for that play -- deep enough that it might have been the

difference between getting there and not. We have 664 tracked balls since 2015 where Jones was

the first to touch it, and his positioning on that play was deeper than 97 percent of them.

As you can see here, the 2017 starting points on balls Jones is getting to (both outs, and hits

where he was the first to touch it) are well deeper than they were in the previous two seasons.

And this is mostly a Jones-specific change. While the Orioles' left fielders have moved back by

one foot (from 298 to 299) and the right fielders have gone back three feet (295 to 298), neither

corner has moved back nearly as far as their long-time center fielder has.

Now for all that, the question really comes down to this: Is it working? Does it make the O's

outfield defense better? The answer to that, to be perfectly honest, is that it's too soon to say.

This is more of an "early trend to watch" than it is a concrete statement of success or failure.

Still, we can at least point to some interesting early signs. Let's show you two videos of very

similar batted balls, one from this year and one from last year, with extremely different results.

In one particular game last September, Jones was positioned 303 feet away from home plate

with Richie Shaffer up to bat. Shaffer crushed the ball a projected 393 feet away to the warning

track, and Jones was unable to track it down, allowing the Rays to break a 2-2 tie in what would

become a 5-2 Tampa Bay victory.

Now, let's see a play from earlier this month against the Blue Jays, when Kevin Pillar hit a

similarly-angled ball a projected 398 feet away, also to the warning track. While the ball did

have about a half-second more hang time, the big difference here is that Jones was positioned

330 feet deep. So instead of having to run 90 feet to try to track down the ball as he'd been

unable to do against Shaffer, he needed to run only 68 feet for Pillar. Not only did Jones manage

to get there, he made it look so easy that he blew a bubble while hauling it in.

When we look at the type of ball we've termed "Barrels," the high-value batted balls that

generally fall for a hit more than 80 percent of the time with a slugging percentage near 3.000,

we can see that in 2016, the Orioles allowed the eighth-highest slugging percentage last year, and

now they're allowing the fifth-lowest slugging percentage this year. What that's saying is that at

least in the early going, those extremely dangerous batted balls aren't hurting Baltimore as much

as they did last year.

Of course, Catch Probability shows that the Orioles' outfield are getting to the seventh-fewest

number of balls of any team, collecting just 80 percent of chances. And our brand-new "Sprint

Speed" metric, which measures how fast an outfielder runs in feet per second over his fastest

one-second window, suggests the same. Jones's sprint speed mark is 27.2 feet per second, almost

exactly league average. Smith, Trumbo and Hyun Soo Kim all came in between 25-26 feet per

second, well below average. As Jones said, this is not a particularly athletic outfield.

"I've always played to my comfort, my knowledge of hitters, my knowledge of the counts, my

knowledge from being out there for a lot of innings, seeing a lot of hitters, a lot tendencies," said

Jones. "But I understand data. They feel my defensive metrics will get better if I back up."

It worked for Fowler, another notoriously shallow center fielder. It doesn't work for everyone.

Still, for Jones and the Orioles, this step back seems like a step forward, at least very early in the

season.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/britton-cleared-to-throw-on-monday-and-

other-notes.html

Britton cleared to throw on Monday (and other notes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 23, 2017

Orioles closer Zach Britton will play catch from 90 feet on Monday in his latest progression from

a strained left forearm.

Britton’s condition has improve to the point where he no longer feels discomfort, and an MRI on

his elbow and arm didn’t reveal any structural damage.

The Orioles scheduled an appointment on Monday with a hand specialist as the “final piece,” in

manager Buck Showalter’s words, before Britton is cleared to throw.

Britton may pitch in a couple of rehab games before the Orioles activate him. He’s been idle

since April 14.

Outfielder Joey Rickard is hitting again today and could go on a rehab assignment as early as

Monday. It depends how his left middle finger responds to consecutive days in the cage.

“It’s gone really well,” he said. “The next day it’s progressing, so I’m just going to keep doing

what I can without pain and hopefully I’ll be out there soon.

“We’ll see how everything reacts to the batting practice and everything that I took yesterday and

today, but definitely on the right path.”

Richard’s rehab assignment figures to be brief, perhaps no more than two games.

“I’m not sure, but it shouldn’t be too long given the short time that I’ve been out,” he said. “I

wouldn’t think more than a couple days, one or two days.”

Rickard has been on the DL since April 9, when he sprained the finger while attempting to steal

second base.

“I didn’t have any way of knowing, but it’s definitely gone probably a little quicker than I hoped

for,” he said. “The training room has done a really good job. I feel almost as good as new.”

Chris Tillman remains scheduled to make his next rehab start Thursday for Single-A Frederick.

He’ll travel to Potomac for the game.

Tillman’s shoulder feels good after last night’s start in Harrisburg. He experienced a slight

increase in velocity, according to Showalter, after topping out at 90 mph Monday evening in

Bowie.

Outfielder Seth Smith told Showalter that his hamstring feels “pretty good.”

“He’s available to do some things,” Showalter said.

With the new 10-day disabled list, an assignment can be backdated only three days. Today marks

the fifth day that Smith has been sidelined and the Orioles are hoping they can dodge the DL.

Showalter said Edwin Jackson is “moving toward” joining Triple-A Norfolk. We may get his

schedule later today.

Left-hander Jayson Aquino remains on the 25-man roster. The Orioles considered optioning him

following last night’s start, but the forecast Tuesday isn’t promising and they have an off-day

Thursday.

Reports are showing that playing the outfield has been challenging for Pedro Alvarez down in

Norfolk. Showalter noted that Alvarez is working hard at it. However, there’s no way that

Alvarez is ready to play the position at the major league level and his opt-out date arrives next

month.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Trey Mancini is the first player with eight home runs

among his first 15 career hits since the Blue Jays’ Carlos Delgado in 1994. Delgado’s eighth

homer was his 13th hit.

For the Red Sox

Xander Bogaerts SS

Andrew Benintendi LF

Mookie Betts RF

Hanley Ramirez DH

Mitch Moreland 1B

Jackie Bradley Jr. CF

Christian Vazquez C

Pablo Sandoval 3B

Marco Hernandez 2B

Eduardo Rodriguez LHP

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/orioles-lineup-vs-red-sox-22.html

Orioles lineup vs. Red Sox

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 23, 2017

Craig Gentry remains in left field today and Trey Mancini is the designated hitter as

the Orioles attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Red Sox.

This is the standard lineup with a left-hander on the mound: former Orioles minor leaguer

Eduardo Rodriguez. Same goes for knuckleballers.

For the Orioles

Craig Gentry LF

Adam Jones CF

Manny Machado 3B

Mark Trumbo RF

Chris Davis 1B

Trey Mancini DH

Welington Castillo C

Jonathan Schoop 2B

J.J. Hardy SS

Kevin Gausman RHP

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/edwin-jackson-making-progress-in-

extended-spring-training.html

Edwin Jackson making progress in extended spring training

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 23, 2017

The Orioles currently are set at long relief with right-hander Alec Asher and left-hander Vidal

Nuno in the bullpen. Jayson Aquino made his first major league start last night and is waiting to

find out whether he stays or goes.

Edwin Jackson is positioning himself as a possibility for next-man-up status this summer. The

14-year veteran is throwing at extended spring training while getting in pitching shape and,

according to manager Buck Showalter, had “a really good outing.”

“Keep an eye on him,” Showalter said.

I was told a few days ago that Jackson might be two or three weeks away from reporting to

Triple-A Norfolk, but I’d never be married to a timeline. Imagine the paperwork and the stares

from an unaccepting society.

Showalter has Jackson’s schedule and said he’d pass it along this morning.

Jackson’s contract includes a June 1 opt-out clause. The Orioles are on the clock.

Showalter seems intrigued by the idea of Jackson working in long relief. New pitching coach

Roger McDowell worked with Jackson for a few months in 2015 with the Braves and offered a

nice endorsement.

Jackson mostly was an eighth-inning guy with the Braves after they signed him as a free agent

on Aug. 14, 2015. He worked 2 1/3 innings once, in his first game, and twice completed two

innings among his 24 appearances.

An expensive bust with the Cubs, who signed him to a four-year, $52 million contract on Jan. 2,

2013, Jackson went 2-2 with a 2.92 ERA and 0.932 WHIP in 24 2/3 innings with the Braves.

Jackson’s only 33. You’d expect him to be older, considering he’s pitched for 11 teams.

The Red Sox are starting left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez today, which keeps Trey Mancini in the

lineup in the outfield or as the designated hitter. His eight home runs in 17 career games tie him

with Carlos Delgado and Trevor Story for the most in major league history.

Jonathan Schoop has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, batting .389 (14-for-36) with four

home runs, nine RBIs and seven runs scored.

The Orioles bullpen has turned in four consecutive scoreless appearances over 8 1/3 innings.

Aquino was the first Orioles pitcher to win his first career start since Mike Wright on May 17,

2015 against the Angels.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/mancini-and-schoop-go-back-to-back-

aquino-gets-first-win.html

Mancini and Schoop homer, Aquino gets first win (with

quotes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 22, 2017

The Orioles took a little longer tonight to figure out knuckleballer Steven Wright. Three innings

without a run. The flutter pitch had them flummoxed.

All was right with the Orioles in the fourth. Chris Davis doubled, Trey

Mancini homered, Jonathan Schoop homered and Wright had a flashback and an early start on

the postgame spread.

The Orioles scored four runs in the inning, with Adam Jones contributing a two-out RBI single

after Caleb Joseph doubled and Craig Gentry reached on an infield hit, and the Orioles defeated

the Red Sox 4-2 before an announced crowd of 35,457 at Camden Yards.

The Orioles have hit back-to-back home runs twice this month. They also did it on April 12.

Also Mancini and Schoop. Also against Wright.

It’s a small baseball world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.

Mancini has hit eight home runs in 17 games, tying the major league record.

Jayson Aquino earned his first major league win and left-hander Donnie Hart came within a

strike of his first save. More on that later.

Wright served up four home runs over 1 1/3 innings in his first start against the Orioles, who

tagged him for eight runs. Tonight was an improvement. That’s all he could take out of it.

Manny Machado made it through the night without sliding or taking a fastball to the flesh.

Wright never got close to him in two at-bats, when Machado grounded a single into left field and

grounded to third. Heath Hembree replaced Wright after Jones’ RBI single and struck out

Machado with the count full.

Machado popped up Hembree’s first pitch leading off the seventh.

Donnie Ross Jr. drilled Schoop on the left thigh in the eighth inning. No fair hitting Machado’s

best friend!

Schoop slid into Team Netherlands teammate Xander Bogaerts on the ensuing double play. They

hugged. Peace in our time.

Left-hander Jayson Aquino picked up his first major league win in his first start. He allowed two

runs and six hits in six innings, with three walks, two strikeouts, a home run and a wild pitch.

Aquino threw 99 pitches, the last resulting in a ground ball from Marco Hernandez that stranded

runners on the corners with the Orioles ahead 4-2.

The Orioles rotation has compiled a 0.94 ERA in the last four games.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had one at-bat against Aquino in September and singled. He singled in the first

inning tonight and hit a two-run homer in the third after Bogaerts singled to give Boston a 2-0

lead.

Aquino put a runner on base in every inning. Chris Young walked in the second and singled and

stole a base in the fourth. Hernandez led off the fifth with a single and Bradley walked with one

out. Mitch Moreland led off the sixth with a walk and moved up on a wild pitch, and Pablo

Sandoval reached on an infield hit with two outs.

Bradley must have Aquino’s number. Comes in handy if you need to text an apology. But

enough about Machado and Dustin Pedroia.

Mychal Givens retired all six batters he faced, striking out two and fielding two balls hit back to

him. Hart was called upon to work the ninth with Brad Brach unavailable and retired the first two

batters before hitting Hernandez on a 1-2 count. So close to a save in his 29th major league

game.

Darren O’Day threw one pitch, Bogaerts lined softly to Schoop and the game was over.

Joseph was 0-for-12 before his single in the third inning, a ball punched up the first base line and

past the bag. He doubled to right-center field in the fourth and coasted into second base as fans

screamed for the triple.

Joseph decided to tackle the hardest part of the cycle later in the night.

The Orioles improved to 12-4, the best record in baseball. They’ve won four in a row.

Manager Buck Showalter on Aquino’s outing: “Good. I thought Caleb did a good job with him

maneuvering him through that. I think you saw some of the things that we liked about him. He

doesn’t lack for ... I don’t want to say confidence. He’s one of those guys who says, ‘Here’s

mine and see what you can do with it. I’m not going to pick around.’

“I wish I could come up with a better phrase, but there’s just a personality to his pitching. He’s

got a good hand and it’s a cold night, too. Guys were having trouble gripping the baseball.

Everybody but, that’s one advantage a knuckleballer might have.

“Mychal was big for us going through that part of the order. But Aquino was good. Athletic guy.

Mychal made a couple plays that looked like an ex-shortstop. He is.”

On whether Aquino looked like same guy who impressed in spring training: “Keep in mind

that’s a really good club. They’re obviously minus (Dustin) Pedroia, but you’re getting

everybody’s best shot up here. Actually struggled more with left-handed hitters, it seemed like.

He had a changeup he got hurt on and a slider to Bradley. But I’m glad you keep an open mind

because what I saw on a quick look last year didn’t match up with what we saw in the spring.

“You kind of lean on what your guys who have seen him consistently down below say. So I was

glad to see what everybody was talking about.”

On Mancini: “Trey, the veteran players respect how he carries himself. They think he’s very

humble. He’s obviously been brought up well. He knows how hard this is to do and how the

game can humble you. His teammates have gotten on the same page with him because they like

the way he carries and handles the success he’s had in a short period.”

On Wright: “Go figure. He’s going to get it going. This guy, for a while they were talking Cy

Young with him. We’ve seen the best of him and we’ve been fortunate to catch him before he’s

really got it going. It started out early, you see those weak fly balls off the end of the bat, it

doesn’t usually bode well for you. But it seemed like he may have lost the feel for it a little bit

for that inning.”

On having more pitching options: “You kind of shuffle the deck if certain things aren’t working.

Dan (Duquette) is good at that. I like right now where we sit depth-wise. Chris (Tillman) had a

good, healthy outing, said it was the best he’s felt. We watched it up until the third inning. Those

are things, we’ve got to hold the fort down through that. There’s opportunities to create some

things.

“Now, we don’t really need a fifth starter until the second of May. So, we’ve got to decide what

we’re going to do with guys like Aquino and (Alec) Asher. It’s a really good problem to have.

One we haven’t had around here too much. “

On Tilman’s rehab start: “He threw 58 (pitches), was supposed to throw no more than 60-ish.

I’m sure I’ll talk to Dean Albany and Gary Kendall a little bit and see what they thought. Chris

will be here tomorrow. He actually called and said, ‘Should I come back to the locker room?’

Said, ‘No. See you here in the morning.’ “

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/game-status-bourn-tillman-britton-joseph-

on-aquino.html

Game status, Bourn, Tillman, Joseph on Aquino (O’s up 4-2)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 22, 2017

Tonight’s game is expected to start at approximately 7:30 p.m. following a brief delay caused by

a light rain at Camden Yards.

Outfielder Michael Bourn, who broke the ring finger on his right hand two months ago, will play

in his first extended spring training game on Tuesday in Sarasota.

Bourn has been working out after signing a restructured minor league deal with the Orioles.

Chris Tillman has thrown three innings for Double-A Bowie in Harrisburg and allowed three

runs and four hits, including a solo home run by Zach Collier in the second. He’s walked none

and struck out three.

Tillman has thrown 49 pitches and likely will work one more inning.

I wrote earlier today that Zach Britton could start throwing on Monday after being examined by a

hand specialist. An MRI on his right elbow and forearm were good and Britton no longer is

bothered by any discomfort.

Britton admitted that he was “a little nervous” about the MRI.

“The forearm actually looked pretty good, too,” he said. “Just maybe a little inflammation in

there. But overall the reports were really good. It’s feeling good every day and this will kind of

keep us on track.

“Right now, I feel good. I feel like I could play catch, but they want to make sure they talk to

those doctors and let them look over the inflammation and see if there’s anything we’re not

doing to strengthen it. That’s really all we’re worried about. Not treating it, but more what can

we do for this not to come back. But I’m feeling pretty good.”

Jayson Aquino is waiting to make his first major league start. And to find out whether he stays

with the Orioles or is optioned following the game. They’re always massaging the 25-man roster,

and Thursday’s off-day could bring an adjustment to the rotation.

“He basically won the job when Chris went down this spring,” said manager Buck Showalter.

“We liked the matchup better with (Alec) Asher in Toronto and we might like it potentially ...

We’ve got to find out about both of them. We don’t need a fifth starter until May 2, which could

be Chris Tillman if you do the math of the starts. I really didn’t want to have this day kind of

come and go without getting a feel for what we have with Jayson.

“The one thing we like about him is this guy ain’t scared. He’s got some personality that we

didn’t see last year. I really like the personality of his pitching, if that makes any sense. He’s got

a little personality when he’s pitching.

“He’s going to have to command the fastball and the changeup’s going to have to be a pitch for

him. If he can’t command the fastball, the changeup doesn’t work too good.

He’s got a good hand. See if it works tonight. And what do you do after the game. Keep him,

send him out? And if you send him out, who do you bring up?

“I’m not going to go up to him and say, ‘Hey, regardless of how you pitch, you’re going out.’

That doesn’t make any sense. I’d like to keep him. I know Alec’s pretty excited about not being

sent back out. We liked his background as a relief pitcher and we weren’t sure if we were going

to get through those games where we could pitch Aquino. Fortunately, we got some good starts.”

Caleb Joseph will be behind the plate. Maybe he’s the personal catcher to the left-handed starters

and not just Wade Miley.

Joseph caught Aquino in a spring training game against the Yankees in Tampa and in a few

bullpen sessions.

“I know what he brings,” Joseph said. “I haven’t caught him a lot, but just those three innings

and they still had quite a few of their guys in, so kind of learning what he does against the

bigger-name players versus the No. 87s. Three innings was enough to understand the idea of how

he likes to go about it. And obviously we’ll look at their advance reports on lefties and try to

combine what he brings and what the scouting reports say and come up with a good game plan.

“Hopefully, it’s just about execution. First start in the big leagues, there’s probably going to be a

little nerves and jitters, so you’ve got to try your best to be proactive as a catcher. If you see

something, maybe slow it down for him and encourage him a little bit more. Stuff like that. I

know what he brings. He had a really nice spring and that was against a lot of major leaguers,

too, so we’re looking forward to his contribution tonight.”

Aquino now carries a breaking ball that has increased his stature in the organization.

“A really tight spinning breaking ball,” Joseph said. “Really helps him with right-handers.

Similar to Miley with the darting action. He can work the ball all over the place and he works

pretty fast. As soon as he gets the sign, he gets going. He has a fast-tempo windup and I like that

about him.”

Update: Tillman threw 58 pitches in 3 2/3 innings and allowed three runs and five hits, walked

none and struck out three.

Update II: Orioles pitchers had allowed one run in the last 35 innings before Aquino served up a

two-run shot to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the third that gave Boston a 2-0 lead. The ball landed on

Eutaw Street, the 89th in the ballpark’s history.

Aquino hung a slider and Bradley crushed it, making him 3-for-3 lifetime against the left-hander.

Update III: Trey Mancini hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Jonathan Schoop followed with a

home run to give the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Steven Wright is done after 3 2/3 innings.

Mancini and Schoop also went back-to-back against Wright on April 12.

Adam Jones added a two-out RBI single to make it 4-2.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/showalter-on-machadopedroia-kim-and-

more.html

Showalter on Machado/Pedroia, Kim and more

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 22, 2017

The tarp remains on the field and a light rain is falling at Camden Yards. Manager Buck

Showalter sounded confident that the Orioles and Red Sox will play tonight. Every effort will be

made to avoid the season’s first postponement.

Dustin Pedroia isn’t in the Red Sox’s lineup after Manny Machado slid into the back of his left

knee last night and sparked a huge controversy over the intent and the interpretation of the

double play rule.

Almost forgotten was a 2-0 victory that improved the Orioles’ record to 11-4, the best in

baseball.

Machado texted Pedroia after the game and insisted that he wasn’t trying to inflict harm. Pedroia

seems to be more understanding about it than his teammates.

“He just said he hopes I’m OK. I just said, ‘Thanks for reaching out,’” Pedroia said.

“I don’t have an issue with anything. My job’s to play baseball and win. This isn’t seventh grade,

man. You know what I mean? I just play baseball. That’s it. I care about our guys. I don’t care

about anybody else. So we just play the game.”

Asked whether he thought it was a dirty play, Pedroia replied, “I’m not the baseball police, man.

I’ve got three kids. I don’t have time for that.”

I’m starting to like this guy.

Showalter really wants to avoid the topic, but it’s impossible the following day.

“I understand I look at things through Orioles glasses, orange and black, and they look through ...

I understand their feelings, but I do understand ours,” Showalter said.

“I didn’t realize for sure until afterward that Manny was safe at second and was out when he

tried to keep Pedroia from ... he knew he made contact with him. I was talking to him some

about it after the game and what he saw.

“Not real impressed with some people in the media calling for somebody to be thrown at. I don’t

think that really fits their job description. That’s their choice, how they choose to do their job.

That’s the world we live in. I know there’s a lot of respect from both teams for each other. Very

much like when Jon (Schoop) got hit the year before by (Pablo) Sandoval. It was a good, hard

slide. Some people looked at it differently. We didn’t. It’s unfortunate. Jon kind of learned a

lesson in some ways. A lot of times it has something to do with the feed, too.

“I don’t go around casting blame on stuff. I’m in a job where I have do, things get emotional and

things get like this, I have to step back because I do have the safety of some human beings that I

have to think about. I said many times with people talking about throwing stuff, how are you

going to feel when you’re standing at home plate and some guy’s got hit in the head and blood’s

coming out of his ears. You really feel that manly making that decision. Is that really smart?

“I try to step back sometimes and I’m not always good at it. Like last night, if they hadn’t let us

go to replay after standing out there at second base with their back to me for 45 seconds, I’d have

had an issue with that.”

Showalter understands why the Red Sox were angry. It looks bad when a player slides through

the bag, spikes up, and plants them into an opponent’s leg. But there was no intent from

Machado to injure Pedroia.

“If I was looking at it through their eyes, yeah, I understand how you might look at it differently.

I do. I respect that,” Showalter said.

“We’ve had that happen with our players. It’s part of the reason why some of the rules came into

play. I think he was actually playing for the out there. Hopefully, he’ll be playing today or

tomorrow. It’s good for baseball for him to be out there. He’s a good man.”

Showalter agreed that the controversy wouldn’t have reached this point if a different player slid

into Pedroia.

“Honestly, probably not,” he said. “Maybe not the emotional part of it or the drama part of it.”

Hyun Soo Kim is on the bench again tonight because the Red Sox are starting knuckleballer

Steven Wright, and he’s likely to sit again on Sunday with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez

providing the opposition.

“We’re hitting a stretch here where the matchups play in our favor one way versus the other,”

Showalter said. “I’ve talked to him and I’ve seen him with the knuckleball.

Wright’s almost a reverse splits guy, too. We gain the defense. Craig (Gentry) was on base three

times last night. He puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher, something that we’d like to be able to do

more.

“We’re just going through a period where the matchups are such, especially in our division.

Boston has all these left-handers and we seem to catch (J.A.) Happ all the time and we caught a

couple other ones. But I know we’re getting ready to face three right-handers against Tampa, so

this will pass. It’s April and he’s going to get an opportunity to continue to make contributions to

us. But it’s a tough stretch for him.

“We’re able to do a lot of things we weren’t able to do last year and that includes Kim. He’ll be

there. He’ll have plenty of opportunities. I’m trying to look at the big picture here. And he trusts

us with it, too. He’ll be ready. I go by the cage the last two days and he’s working on some

things that he doesn’t feel quite right about. You’ve got to remember what went on in April last

year. It took a while for him to get going.”

Here’s more from Showalter:

On Joey Rickard’s batting practice session: “That went real well. Very encouraging. I know he’s

upbeat about it. He’ll do that again tomorrow.”

On why Zach Britton is seeing a hand specialist Monday: “It’s more about the pressure on the

ball is where he had a little discomfort. That’s all gone. I talked to him on the way down here.

Once they clear all that, which we’re expecting on Monday and Zach’s expecting it, then we’ll

get him throwing. That’s the last piece we have to cross over.”

On Seth Smith: “Seth is about the same as yesterday. I think he’s available to pinch-hit, but we

want to be careful and make sure it’s real meaningful before we lose the possibility of those

backdate days. Just trying to see if we can get through it.”

On Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander: “He’s throwing to bases. I look at it every day. We’re

hoping we’re getting closer to him playing. He’s doing well. He’s a good one. It’s going to be a

tough year to get him through and get the 90 days. We’d really like to keep him.”

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/04/britton-ready-to-resume-throwing-on-

monday-and-other-notes.html

Britton ready to resume throwing on Monday (and other

notes)

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com

April 22, 2017

Orioles closer Zach Britton could start throwing again on Monday after seeing a hand specialist

in the morning.

Britton said his arm feels great and he was happy with the results of the MRI. He no longer has

any discomfort in his forearm and wants to throw today, but the Orioles will make him wait a

few more days.

Chris Tillman’s next rehab start after tonight will be Thursday with Single-A Frederick at

Potomac. The Orioles won’t need a fifth starter again until May 2, and Tillman could fill that

role.

Outfielder Joey Rickard took live batting practice today after hitting soft toss and didn’t feel any

discomfort in his left middle finger. He’ll take BP again on Sunday and start an injury rehab

assignment the following day that may only last a couple of games.

Outfielder Seth Smith is available to pinch-hit tonight, but he still has some tightness in his right

hamstring.

Outfielder Michael Bourn is close to playing in extended spring training games as he recovers

from a broken right ring finger. He’s working out in Sarasota.

Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander, on the disabled list with a sore elbow, is throwing to all bases at

extended spring training and is close to playing.

The Orioles really want to keep him in the organization, but will be challenged to get him into

enough games to remove his Rule 5 status. They discussed moving him to the 60-day disabled

list to create a spot on the 40-man, but believe he will be ready to play before that period expires.

Pitcher Steve Johnson, currently at extended spring training, will report to Triple-A Norfolk on

Tuesday.

Showalter sounded confident that the game will be played tonight. The Orioles will do

everything possible to avoid a postponement.

Showalter is annoyed that some members of the Boston media suggested third baseman Manny

Machado should be hit as retaliation for last night’s slide into Red Sox second baseman Dustin

Pedroia. He also noted, as have so many others, that there’s little controversy if Machado wasn’t

the player involved.