Rich Dubroff

Orioles keep Mancini, Severino out of lineup; Mullins’ improvement; Minor league playoff update

BALTIMORE—Trey Mancini was scratched as the Orioles’ designated hitter for Wednesday night after being in the original lineup. Mancini, who missed three games last week because of a sore oblique, left Tuesday night’s game after one at-bat because of right abdominal soreness.

“He took swings in the cage, and he still felt it,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re not going to push him on this. The right thing to do is to give him another day or two and evaluate it every single day. We’re not going to throw him out there if it still pulls a little bit, a sensitive area there in the oblique. Hopefully, he’ll be in there in the next day or two.”

Catcher Pedro Severino left Tuesday’s game after he jogged to first base on a double-play ball in the sixth inning because of upper leg/groin soreness. He’s also not in the lineup. Austin Wynns will catch.

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“Severino’s a little bit better today, still a little bit sore,” Hyde said. “He’s day-to-day right now, but a little improved from last night.”

The Orioles don’t have a third catcher on either the 26-man or 40-man roster. If they need to add one, Nick Ciuffo, who has made several trips with the team as part of the taxi squad, would probably be the choice as an additional catcher. A 40-man move would have to be made to add Ciuffo.

Hyde said a move was under consideration.

“I think if he wasn’t feeling any better,” Hyde said. “It was something we discussed last night if it was worse today or if it hadn’t improved, but it did. Right now, we’re staying with Sevy.”

Pat Valaika, who’s starting at shortstop, is the emergency catcher.

Mullins impresses Long: Cedric Mullins is one home run and two stolen bases away from becoming the first Oriole to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases. Hitting coach Don Long has been impressed with Mullins’ growth.

“For him to go from switch-hitting to just hitting from one side of the plate and what he’s been able to do, particularly against left-handed pitching because he hadn’t had that look for a long time, he’s so steady in his routine,” Long said. “He’s so steady in his approach. He’s a guy whose confidence really doesn’t waver from game to game.

“He doesn’t run to the bench and check the iPad the next inning to see if the umpire made a bad call on him or what he did wrong. He just knows what he wants to accomplish with his at-bat.”

Long says that Mullins’ power doesn’t surprise him.

“You never try to limit anybody,” Long said. “Certainly you know, he had the strength to do it … You could certainly see it in there. I didn’t necessarily think and put him in the book for having the ability to do that in-game. It’s something that’s developed over time, but he certainly had the raw power and strength to do that. The fact that he’s been able to do it in the game is something that emerges over time.”

Minor league playoff update: The Bowie Baysox, winners of nine straight, are in second place in Double-A Northeast, a half-game ahead of Somerset. The top two teams advance to the playoffs

The Baysox play Altoona on Wednesday night. Graysron Rodriguez will get the start.

Low-A Delmarva’s playoff hopes ended on Tuesday night. The Shorebirds and Low-A Aberdeen’s seasons end on Sunday.

Triple-A Norfolk’s season continues through October 3rd.

 

Rich Dubroff

Rich Dubroff grew up in Brooklyn as a fan of New York teams, but after he moved to Baltimore, quickly adopted the Orioles and Colts. After nearly two decades as a freelancer assisting on Orioles coverage for several outlets, principally The Capital in Annapolis and The Carroll County Times, Dubroff began covering the team fulltime in 2011. He spent five years at Comcast SportsNet’s website and for the last two seasons, wrote for PressBoxonline.com, Dubroff lives in Baltimore with his wife of more than 30 years, Susan.

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  • At the game at Hbg. last week GR was taken out after 3 innings. Word was it was because he’s on a 110 inning limit and he was at 98 and they wanted him to have 2 more starts. If they make the playoffs will he pitch in them or if he’s at his 110 will his season be over?

    • The Orioles got Vavra, Nevin and Mishael Deson in exchange for Givens. Deson is only 19 and was the Florida Gulf Coast League player of the month. Vavra could be the Orioles 2B of the future. Givens is a free agent in a month. So that trade worked out well for the Orioles

    • ClayDal, I get what you’re saying. I really do. But, and this is just my opinion, unless and until ANY of those guys become successful at the major league level, then the deal works out good for the O’s. Otherwise, it’s trading a very reliable reliever for 3 guys and still saving money. As Bumble bee said, we certainly could’ve used him this year. And spare me the “so what would a few more wins have meant this year?” That’s a losers attitude. I’ll apologize if you took this personal. It truly wasn’t meant that way.

    • The key is Givens is a free agent after this year. So you sacrifice one guaranteed year of Givens for 3 prospects who can help you long term. It’s Rebuilding 101

    • Boog
      Givens is a free agent after this year. How does he help the Orioles next year? If Givens leaves as a free agent, you come away empty handed. You got 3 prospects for someone who would be gone in a month. Regardless of whether any of them make it, you have to get what you can for Givens before he leaves

    • Simple … you pay the man like he deserves to be paid. Other than Nevins few games, none of
      These guys have even made the team yet.

      • Boog, You want to pay a high performance player enough money that he does not leave for free agency? What's wrong with you? That would devastate the Great Rebuild. Seriously, it's sad and reprehensible that this sensible personnel strategy is a far out, improbable, and controversial suggestion in today's Birdland.

    • Yep, meanwhile Means looking like, well he has since coming off the IR, a # 4/5 pitcher on most teams…bummed…go O’s…

    • Your opinion, I’m looking at performance….5.09 & 5.61 era since AS break, not a 1/2 starter…go O’s…

    • It’s a 4.72 ERA since the All-Star break, and if you look at his game-by-game, you’ll find that in his last five starts you’ll find that he allowed two runs in four of them, and three runs in the other, and with better run support and a better bullpen could have won each of them.

      I find it amusing that someone who regularly watches the games and is so knowledgeable about the team and who often decries the softness of contemporary athletes fails to acknowledge a pitcher who is truly an excellent one.

      Means never makes excuses. In fact, in his postgame assessments, he invariably criticizes himself needlessly. He never complains about the lack of run support or a bad bullpen, yet you dismiss him as a fourth or fifth starter on most teams.

      Most teams would love to have Means, who exemplifies the traits that you seemingly long for in players, but fail to recognize.

      If the Orioles made him available, he’d be highly coveted.

      • Amen Rich!

        John Means is BY FAR the most valuable and best player on this Orioles Team. I continue to be impressed with his humility and decency. HE is the one who should be complaining about being stuck on team that hits inconsistently, defends inconsistently and bullpen melts down most every time they do inherit a lead.

        What I most admire about John Means as a player is that he personally took it upon himself to receive additional training, techniques and Strategies to become a stronger and much more effective ML pitcher...he MADE himself a better pitcher through grit and determination.

        Now let me ask the rest of my fellow posters here...who can we point to as someone else who has grabbed the bull by the horns and done this to better themself?

        It sure as hell isn't Yusniel Diaz or Hunter Harvey---who until very recently were far wealthier than John Means ever was.. That's right--I said it!

    • It’s not all about wins, remember deGroms 10-9 Cy Young yr, it’s ok to have different opinions…go O’s…

    • Look at my post, said I was bummed, fan of Means, not team mvp, that would be AS Mullins, who apparently did something different in the off season to improve himself, I’m not here to argue, just made a statement based on ANALYTICS since AS game…or do the numbers not tell everything?…lol…go O’s…

  • What is up with McKenna and the tar'rd up batting helmet? Does he actually think he's made it or something? Does he realize this isn't exactly Boston he's playing for? Who in the H.E.Double-Hockeysticks does he think he is ...Machado?

    Bad enough a clown like Manny got away with it ... but really ... a busher like McKenna? This is where a coach worth his salt would step in nip that crap in the bud.

    C'mon McKenna grow up...show some class. You're on the worst team in baseball. Act like it.

    • Speaking of McKenna. Is that his soul purpose in life to step in the box determined to work out a base on balls? Well it apparently never works.

    • I’ll just ask it flat out - why is the tar on the helmet such a salient or divisive thing?

      I mean, I immediately noticed McKenna’s helmet, and thought that it was odd, but why does the tar create a reaction?

      Is this a violation of baseball etiquette? Breaking another unwritten “rule”?

      What does it signify?

  • Nester friggin Cortes, what a fat, little fluke! Making Fringe scrubs look like Cy Young, "the Oriole way" 2021!

    • Buzz, your “fat little fluke” just pitched a heck of a game. Used various arm slots and angles, was constantly ahead in the count, sneaky quick fastballs with crisp location, wicked cutter and busted guys inside ahead in the count. That’s good pitching, buddy.
      Why don’t you try to be SLIGHTLY analytical in your comments instead of blurting out the default grade school crap demeaning people because of their appearance? Results is what matters. The guy brings intensity and just pitched a great game- a game his team desperately needs to win.
      I hate the yanks, but realize skill when I see it.

      • Will be out of the league in a year and a half, we saw the real Cortes here, 2 GRAND SLAMS! in less than 8 innings!

  • No point in commenting… it’s all been said before… and will be said again before the season is over… unfortunately… just saying…

  • Nice to see all the accolades for Mullins but I don't know if anyone's noticed he's getting blown away at the plate lately. Bite the bullet boys-put Trey on the 10 day IL. You're strapping the bench and wearing him down with this day to day approach. And as for Tyler Wells--please add a strikeout or two to your arsenal. This pitching to contact will make you a 4th starter in the rotation instead of the supposed closer.

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