BALTIMORE—Pitcher Keegan Akin and rightfielder Anthony Santander have been cleared by Major League Baseball to rejoin the Orioles, though neither has been activated. Akin and Santander were placed on the Covid-19 injured list on July 21st.
“Both are going to go through a workout today,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Akin’s going to throw a side, We’re going to evaluate both of them after today. Tony’s going to take [batting practice]. He’s going to run around a little bit, do some defensive stuff, and we’ll then decide on both guys the next couple of days.
“We want to get them on the field. It’s been a week. Get them on the field, get them moving around and then see how their legs are and make a decision on them.”
Akin was set to start on the 21st, but the Orioles announced that Akin and Santander were going on the injured list less than two hours before the game.
The left-hander is 0-5 with an 8.10 ERA and hasn’t pitched since July 16th. Santander, who missed a month earlier this season because of a sprained left ankle, is hitting .231 with six home runs and 26 RBIs.
“You can’t do a whole lot. Taking a week off and then ramping back up to play right away isn’t realistic,” Hyde said. “From a health standpoint, you want to make sure they’re moving around and healthy, get Tony to run the bases as well as take some live batting practice and get ready to play.”
Akin could return to the rotation, go to the bullpen or to Triple-A Norfolk.
“After the side [session], we’re going to re-evaluate what we’re doing,” Hyde said. “We haven’t made any decision on that yet.”
Akin isn’t scheduled to start in the four-game series in Detroit that starts Thursday.
“We’re going to see how he comes back from his ‘pen,” Hyde said. “Either juggle the rotation or put him in the ‘pen. We’ll figure something up.”
Santander’s stats in 2021 haven’t been what the Orioles were expecting.,
“That’s why it was disappointing,” Hyde said. “I felt like right before that, the last few days, he was running around differently [after recovering from the sprained ankle]. I saw more bat speed. His ankle starting feeling better, and this happened. Hopefully a little more rest, even though he’s had no at-bats for seven days, that sets you back, too.
“Hopefully, he can finish strong and the week rest can do him good, heal up the ankle a little bit more. He says he feels good. We’ll see how it goes.”
Trade talk quiet: There was no news on possible Oriole moves as Friday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline approaches. Their opponent, the Miami Marlins, were busy. They sent outfielder Starling Marte to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Jesús Luzardo and reliever Yimi Garcia to Houston.
Starling played against the Orioles on Tuesday night. Garcia did not pitch.
Minor league update: Adley Rutschman had a two-run home run, his16th, and leftfielder Kyle Stowers had three hits in Double-A Bowie’s 5-2 loss to Richmond.
Gray Fenter started and allowed a run on one hit in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out five.
Coming up: The Orioles play four games in Detroit beginning Thursday. Alexander Wells (1-0, 4.35 ERA) will face Casey Mize (5-5, 3.63) on Thursday. Matt Harvey (5-10, 6.65) will face Tank Skubal (6-9, 4.43) on Friday. John Means (4-3, 2.94) will face Matt Manning (2-3, 6.00) on Saturday. Spenser Watkins (2-1, 3.10) will face Tyler Alexander (1-1, 4.80) on Sunday. Thursday’s and Friday’s games begin at 7:10 p.m. Saturday’s starts at 6:10 p.m. Sunday’s game time is 1:10 p.m.
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Just plain stupid to not be vaccinated. Look at Vermont, 93% of population 12 or older has had at least the first one. ICU's in the state have very few, if any Covid patients.
Thank you for your great and awesome opinion on vaccinations Buzz...you are firmly in the corner of the politically correct, understanding everyone's different circumstances...you sir are the man!
Buzz isn't politically correct -- he's scientifically correct.
If it’s not baseball let’s not drudge it up again...go O’s...
Well said CalsPals
For young atheletes in their prime let’s look at the data - 99.998% of recovery vs taking an untested non FDA approved vaccine.
Akin's performance this season is off the charts bad --- an 8.19 ERA, and a 1.800 WHIP ... no way he should be returned to the starting rotation -- send him either to the bullpen or to AAA.
WELCOME BACK TONY! Grab a bat kid.
First inning .... nice start.
Our shortstop can't catch a ground ball after taking ONE whole step to his left ... follow that up with with Mullins channeling DJ Stewart while attempting to catch a fly ball against the wall .... result ... 2 earned runs charged to Lopez when neither of these men should have ever even reached base.
Yet I've been told that the official scorers would never give home cooking calls.
I wonder if Blair and Belanger are watching this team from above?
Stewart looked great in the field in the top of the third, horrific angle...were just a defensive juggernaut tonight...:)....lol...go O’s...
Ken, neither play was scored an error, and neither comes close to one. I have copied the relevant scoring rules from the rule book.
"The official scorer shall charge an outfielder with an error
if such outfielder allows a fly ball to drop to the ground if, in the official scorer’s judgment, an outfielder
at that position making ordinary effort would have caught such fly ball."
If Mullins caught that ball, it would have been an excellent play.
For Urias' play: "Slow handling of the ball that does not involve mechanical misplay
shall not be construed as an error."
Just because a play isn't made, you can't charge an error. A poor play isn't necessarily an error.
Rich,I would agree that Mullins play wasn't an error, but IMO, it's a play that certainly should have been made at this level. We've seen that play made routinely too many times against the Camden fences. Of course, many players would not have covered enough ground to get there in time as Mullins did and can. He's a exceptional defensive center fielder.
As far a Uria, that ball was scorched..granted...but all he had to do was take one step to get to the ball. The ball went directly under his glove. IMO...that WAS an error. Maybe it's just me, but Urias looks much better when going to his right than going into the hole. For as as as he is, he doesn't seem to cover much ground going to his left?
Ask Mullins if he thinks he should’ve caught that ball?...betting he says yes...go O’s...
Ray, most excellent fielders think they should catch every ball. As you should know, as a former baseball coach, that’s not the definition of an error.
Just my opinion, it hit off his glove, very catchable...go O’s...
Ken, on Urias’ play, some of us did think that could have been an error.
On the Mullins’ play, you’re so used to seeing him make those excellent and routine plays, too. But it’s the play that’s being evaluated, not the player.
If player X who’s not a superior centerfielder is not charged with an error, an excellent centerfielder shouldn’t be, either.
I already agreed that the Mullins play was NOT an error. But he was there in time and I think he simply misjudged the jump (he probably didn't have to) and let the wall scare him a bit. No, it wasn't an error. My original point was that 2 1st inning miscues go against the pitchers ERA, when in retrospect, they shouldn't.
Akin to get back to Norfolk!
Thanks for bringing Hess in...go O’s...
Eshelman looking very “Sigh” like...go O’s...
I’m thrilled to report that in their last 10 games the O’s are 7-3. Only Boston, Yankees, Houston, KC and Milwaukee can match that. No one has been better.
I counted three former O’s that came in to pitch for Miami, the one I didn’t want to see we scored on, funny game, ESPN said O’s won against a depleted Miami pitching staff, I don’t think Mattingly used it well as opposed to depleted, too many one inning outings for them...7-3 is awesome, keep it up...:)....go O’s...
If you're pitching guys let go by the O's, you're depleted.
2 of the 3 I saw weren’t released by the O’s, one was traded & one was a waiver claim...go O’s...
Rich…Is there anyone in the pipeline looking like an everyday 2nd baseman? Seems to be a revolving door position so far.
We’ll see Jonathan tonight, classy guy, not playing badly for Detroit...go O’s...
Of course, he’s not starting tonight...:)...lol...go O’s...
Sorry, DH....go O’s...
Two of them, Joey Ortiz and Terrin Vavra at Bowie, are hurt. Ortiz is out for the season, Vavra should be back in a couple of weeks.