About an hour before the start of Wednesday’s game in Minnesota against the Twins, the Orioles optioned right-hander Dean Kremer, who turned in another short start on Tuesday night, to Triple-A Norfolk.
It’s the second time this season that Kremer, who is 0-5 with a 6.87 ERA in nine starts, has been sent down.
Kremer’s turn in the rotation would have been Sunday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. His place will be taken by Keegan Akin, who worked three innings in relief in Tuesday’s 7-4 loss, the Orioles’ eighth straight defeat.
“We felt it was more for Dean’s development to go down and continue to work on the quality of his pitches,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Dean’s a major league starter. He has four major league pitches. Now, it’s about being comfortable and executing them. He’s pitched in so much traffic his last couple of starts, especially. It’s a high pitch count early on in the game. He’s pitching with runners on base constantly.
“You’re seeing a lot of overexertion, overcooking a lot of pitches. We want him to go down there and really work on those four pitches, the command of the four.”
The Orioles also placed outfielder Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday because of a strained left hamstring and recalled outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk.
Kremer’s place on the roster will be taken by relief pitcher Dillon Tate, who will meet the team in Chicago on Thursday. Tate, who’s on the 10-day injured list because of a strained left hamstring, threw a perfect inning for Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday night on just nine pitches.
Ryan Mountcastle, who suffered a bruised left hand when he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game, is unavailable for Wednesday’s game.
“We’re just playing short today,” Hyde said.
Holt remains on leave: Orioles pitching coach Chris Holt remains on personal leave. Holt has been away from the club for several weeks. Assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes, who is normally in the bullpen, has been filling in for Holt. Catching instructor Tim Cossins is in the bullpen. There’s no timetable for Holt’s return.
“I’m hoping soon,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said on a video conference call on Wednesday. “This isn’t a planned thing, and life happens in everything. We accommodate people when that happens, and he’s obviously very committed to this team, so it’s very important, to say the least, that he be where is.
“Hopefully, he’ll be back soon. He’s been working very hard remotely and staying plugged in. We have a great pitching coach in Darren Holmes, who’s been keeping things going. We have two pitching coaches on the staff for a reason. It’ll be nice to get Chris back soon.”
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I’m guessing that being or posing as a major league team they should have someone who is in charge of stretching, kind of damage control to your body, the O’s seem to have way more than their fair share of these types of injuries...go O’s...
I’m glad to see some of the young guns getting pro experience, even if that means getting on the Norfolk shuttle a few times. The MLB experience should make them better down the road. (Fingers crossed). There are LOTS of jobs to be had in Baltimore if they can figure it out. Can’t wait until 2025 gets here.
That’s true. Failure on a personal level is not final, if it drives you harder to be successful. I wonder what Kremer’s record (or the rest of the staff for that matter) would be if we actually were scoring runs for him.
Love to hear those comments.
Looking at the Orioles upcoming schedule, Kremer wasn’t sent down because of a day off. The next day off is June 3. His turn would have been May 31, and Akin gets that start. The day off on the 3rd is probably why they flipped flopped Harvey and Means. Means gets the extra rest on the 3rd. Makes sense to give Means more rest, since he’s the only one going deep in his starts. Observation about the schedule-who makes it out? The Orioles go 16 days without a day off from May18-June 2. Then they get 3 days off from June 3-10. Then they play 20 straight days. I realize it’s tough to make a schedule to satisfy 30 different teams, but a little better balance between the off days shouldn’t be that hard
John, if you look at the story revision that's up now, you'll see some quotes from Brandon Hyde on Dean Kremer.
Thanks and Kremer’s next start would have been Sunday the 30th. For some reason I keep thinking today is Thursday
Sending Kramer down again. Is it about time to question this constant shuffling of pitchers? It sure as hell doesn't seem to do anybody any good.
God knows I've been one bemoaning the fact that this staff is awful, and we need to find better ... but it's not like they're replacing Kremer in the rotation with anything new. His spot on the 25 man is being taken by Dillon Tate, and his spot in the rotation is being filled by Claude/Clay/Whoever Akin for crying out loud?
How about constantly shuffling dog turds they give somebody like Bauman or Mattson a look-see? Otherwise, ride out Kremer! Let him take his lumps this year while Mikey doesnt' care. Maybe he'd be ready next.
Constantly rotating Lowther, Akin & Kremer is a bit stale.
One more note ...but our pitching coach, Holt, that has been MIA for whatever reason .... it's almost as it's having the Jimi Hendrix / Janis Joplin effect. In essence, it's making him into something bigger than life, and bigger than he really is. This poor pitching is not because he's not around whispering golden nuggets in their ears ... this poor pitching is due 85% to a lack of talent.
One more suggestion ... maybe try inserting Valdez into the starting rotation? Just sayin ...errrr....grasping at straws.
Boog, agree or not, I look forward to your posts. I can feel the passion. You even got in a classic rock star groupie metaphor this go round.
I ageee I really look forward to BRRs comments. They’re even getting snarkier (if that’s even a word)
"We’re just playing short today,” Hyde said.
Newsflash Brandon......... it's like this most days.
They finally get a well pitched game by someone other than Means and they get 5 hits and 2 runs. Why do I feel like if they scored 8 today they’d have given up 9? It’s just the way it’s been the last couple weeks.
I’m starting to believe a little bit in Lopez. I believe if they’d just start giving him a little run support he’d start winning some games. Most games he’s been very competitive until the 5th and I really believe that some of his problems getting past that inning are simply putting pressure on himself to be perfect simply because it’s usually a close low scoring game and there’s no margin for error and that’s a tough way to pitch. I’m certainly more impressed with him than any other starter not named Means.
Jorge Lopez is the second best starter on this team right now ... which really tells you something.