Feb 21, 2020; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Marcos Diplan (86) pitches during the spring training workout. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK–The Orioles made more changes to their bullpen on Wednesday, adding right-handers Marcos Díplan and Dusten Knight, who had their contracts purchased from Triple-A Norfolk.
Díplan and Knight replaced left-hander Alexander Wells, who was optioned to Norfolk after he allowed six runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings in the Orioles’ 13-1 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday night, and right-hander Shaun Anderson, who gave up the final four runs in the eighth inning. Anderson and infielder Domingo Leyba were designated for assignment.
Díplan, who was claimed on waivers from Detroit by the Orioles in December 2019 and later was outrighted to Norfolk, was 3-1 with a 4.12 ERA in 17 games with Norfolk. The 24-year-old pitched in last month’s Futures Game in Denver.
Knight, who was a 28th-round draft choice of San Francisco in the 2013 draft and also has pitched in the Minnesota organization, was 1-1 with a 1.30 ERA and seven saves in 17 games for Norfolk. The 30-year-old is known for celebrating saves with back flips.
“Honestly, I don’t know a whole lot about them,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I do know they were throwing the ball well in Triple-A. We’re giving guys opportunities to prove themselves in the big leagues. Diplan was in camp with us. I’ve seen him throw before. We’ve got a couple of fresh arms here, continuing the opportunity train.”
Wells was 1-2 with a 7.64 ERA in five games, three starts, and Anderson had a 9.00 ERA in seven games. Leyba, who was optioned to Norfolk on Monday, hit .154 with a home run and four RBIs in 21 games for the Orioles.
If Díplan and Knight appear in a game, they’ll be the 50th and 51st players used by the Orioles this season. The team record for most players used in a season is 58 in 2019.
Akin for Wells: Keegan Akin’s three one-hit innings in relief on Tuesday night helped put the left-hander back in the rotation.
“We’re going to slide Akin into Wells’ spot,” Hyde said. “We’re going to stay in turn. It allows guys to get an extra day of rest, which is needed for everybody. We’re going to stick with the five-man rotation.”
When Akin was placed on the Covid-19 injured list on July 21st, Wells replaced him in the rotation and pitched well in his first game, allowing three runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay.
“He had a nice start in Tampa,” Hyde said. “The last couple of starts have been tough. This [the Yankees] is a tough lineup to face, especially if you’re left-handed.
“You just have to have great command. Alex isn’t going to have overpowering stuff. He’s got to be able to really pitch on edges. He’s got to be able to speed guys up and slow them down and have plus-plus command. That’s what I’d like to see him work on in Triple-A.
“He got a taste of what this was about. Control is not the same as command. You have to be able to know where you’re throwing the baseball. It’s not as much about the walks as about locating.”
Notes: John Means, Spenser Watkins and Jorge López will pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the three-game series that begins on Friday. … Right-hander Tyler Wells, who’s on the 10-day injured list because of right wrist tendinitis, could return on Friday. Hyde said Wells was a little sore after throwing on Monday. … Double-A Bowie outfielder Kyle Stowers and Baysox right-hander Drew Rom were named the organization’s minor league players of the month for July.
Call for questions: I’ll be answering your Orioles questions later this week. Please leave them in the comment box or email them to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.
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Keegster, 3 innings of meaningless mop up gets you back in the rotation, good job!
Bad news for the Orioles starting rotation ....Akin back in the rotation, and Harvey pulled after only 63 pitches tonight indicating a likely physical problem ... Martin looking great in the field, but DJ Stewart is a defensive liability.
I feel like I’ve read multiple times now that Hyde, “I don’t know a whole lot about them…” when talking about a pitcher coming up from AAA. It makes it sound like he has no input on who comes up and if you don’t know much about them how do you know how to use them in a game?
Hyde also refers to upcoming changes as “we’re going to”do this or that. Never “I’m going to” do this or that, or “I decided” that this or that is going to happen. Just an observation that may be meaningless, but I thought it was striking. May mean that everything is collaborative or possibly that someone else has decided and “we” are going to do it.
You really need to take a look around all of MLB. The days of the manager running the show are going the way of the dinosaur. It is a collaborative effort between the front office and the manager. Baseball is evolving, albeit slowly, it is evolving. There is a saying in the fire service "100 years of tradition unimpeded by progress" This is very true of baseball as well.
He has very little input, he has stated that before. Stewart, and his Jose Canseco school of outfielding, another DDDD first round bust. Seen enough!
Keegan Akin ... pitcher or belly itcher?
Put me down for belly itcher.
Quite the belly to itch too, Boog!
Just looked at the box and saw that they brought Valdez?????!!!!! in with a lead???? That screams TANK!!!
Dude, he’s actually had decent #’s lately. His first pitch was a waist high center cut batting practice toss, though. Got smacked for a double. He lives on the corners and has to have some movement. If not, it’s “back back back”……
CPs where are you? We miss your voice of reason.
The delete button is mightier than the pen...go O’s...
Yeah that was my running joke/schtict from a couple years ago. Lots of guys used it. I had already been taken to the office for it this year, so you're not the 1st. Sorry for getting you in trouble.
Not a problem, googled it, nothing racist or derogatory, if anything it’s very complimentary...lol..oh well...go O’s...
I know I’m an old timer and have been watching baseball since I was 11 years old. My early baseball viewing was at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn NY in the late 40’s. One name I’ll never forget is that of Hugh Casey. He was known as “the Fireman” because he was one on the earlier pitchers who was designated as a relief pitcher. The nickname was put upon him because he’d be called in to “put out the fire” of an opposing team’s uprising. Here we are some 70 plus years later and I’m forced to witness a never ending parade of wanna-be pitchers come in and instead of “putting out the fire” they pour gasoline on it. The last two nights were absolutely absurd. The O’s have NO ONE that they can come in and “put out a fire”. The list of players they have paraded out this year is ridiculous and what makes it even worse is that most of them don’t but marginally qualify as a Major Leaguer. I’m embarrassed to admit I’m an Orioles fan. My grandson, a college pitcher, called tonight and laughed at me.
Ekim, Since you grew up in New York City, you cannot be expected to understand the sophisticated, state of the art strategy being pursued by Baltimore’s baseball brain-trust. Let me try to explain. We hired a GM who had a role to play in the successful rebuild of the Astros. The cognoscenti therefore assume it is axiomatic that Mr. Elias can and will recreate that success here. The success this year of our AA and A farm teams is allegedly proof that a contending team is coming. Criticism presumably comes from those who cannot comprehend that the Oriole rebuild will take time, perhaps a lot of time, and therefore infinite patience is called for. You correctly refer to the subpar talents of several players that have been “paraded out this year.” This allegedly is brilliant strategy, justified for at least two reasons. First, it is not a given that our prized prospects are at the threshold of being Major League-ready and can contribute this year. Secondly, we must strictly limit the signing of free agents to fill the talent void. Big-time rental stars would be a waste of money (probably true). Even worse, any free agent of any talent level would allegedly prevent or delay our “players of the future” from being promoted and becoming successful major leaguers. You should understand that the cagey interim personnel strategy is to depend largely on career minor leaguers and other teams’ castoffs–even if the results are predictably bad. Maybe if we sign enough of them, a few will blossom overnight in their new setting. This presumably explains why, earlier this year we acquired an infielder whose 2021 MLB batting average at the time was o.ooo, and why we repeatedly acquire pitchers with poor stats who have bounced from one minor league team to another, and who last a few days before being discarded. Wallowing in last place is presumably an acceptable price to be paid for what some see as a successful rebuild in progress. Some assure us that once the O’s are “competitive,” the owners will spend freely and massively on proven free agents and good times will follow. Will they open their wallets? No way to know. Will good times follow? Maybe. In any event, those who embrace and understand management’s strategy assure us that, at worst, a few more 100 loss seasons will net us a bounty of awesome talent. Maybe. As an old Dodger fan, you are familiar with the chant of “wait ’til next year.” Some of the commentators on this site suggest that the O’s turnaround is very close–perhaps starting as early as next year. I’m a pessimist who argues that our mantra more appropriately should be “wait for a year sometime in the (perhaps distant) future, and in the interim, keep the faith and avoid negativity.” But don’t buy into that. Join the optimists and be sufficiently well informed about what is happening that you no longer are “embarrassed” to be an Orioles fan. Please share this explanatory post with your rude, shortsighted grandson.
Rich, question: Do the Orioles ever plan on bringing Oriole Fanfest back?
hyde doesn't know much about a prospect who pitched in the futures game for us and another guy who has been killing it at aaa. I'm starting to worry about the elias/hyde combo