BALTIMORE- What happened? The Orioles made two trades on Friday, adding to their starting pitching and bullpen, and then watched an eighth-inning rally turn into a deflating loss, their ninth in 13 games, 6-4 to the San Diego Padres.
Earlier in the day, the Orioles obtained right-handed starter Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays for three prospects — right-hander Jackson Baumeister, outfielder Matthew Etzel and infielder/outfielder Mac Horvath.
They also traded outfielder Austin Hays to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
More moves are possible before the Tuesday 6 p.m. trade deadline and might seem to be in order for a team that’s 12-17 since June 21st.
The Orioles are still two games ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East, but they know change is needed.
“I think as a club, we’re trying to push through this,” Jordan Westburg said. “We’re kind of open to anybody and everybody that can help us. We know how we’re playing right now. We know it’s not the way we’re capable of playing. It’s going to take this whole clubhouse to turn this thing around.
“It’s exciting to have a couple of new faces in the clubhouse. Hopefully, they can help us along the way.”
Oriole starter Grayson Rodriguez said the slide is part of a marathon season.
“I think all teams have these stretches,” he said. “I think there’s ups and downs. It’s a really long season. I really can’t say exactly what it is.”
Dominguez pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing two hits in his Orioles debut.
“I’m happy to be here. It’s a new family for me and my family,” he said. “I feel really good. I feel really happy, happy to be with a team that’s going to compete. Happy to help.
“The good thing about the trade is that it’s really close from Philly to right here,” he said. “I would like to see the Phillies back in the World Series.”
Dominguez’s ERA is 4.62, and his season has been a trying one.
“It’s been up and down,” he said. “It’s part of the game. I feel healthy. I believe in myself, and I know I can do it for myself, my family and the team.”
What’s going on with Kimbrel? Closer Craig Kimbrel allowed Jurickson Profar’s second two-run home run, which broke a 4-4 tie in the ninth. It was his second rough outing in as many days. He allowed three runs, two unearned, on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning in a 7-6 Orioles win in 10 innings in Miami on Thursday.
Earlier this season, Kimbrel went through a challenging stretch and manager Brandon Hyde removed him from the closer’s role. These outings aren’t the same.
“No, it’s a little different,” Hyde said. “Balls are kind of thigh-high, middle part of the plate. He gets ahead of Profar with a base open and then just leaves one in the middle part of the plate. That’s what he’s done the past few days.”
Even though Kimbrel threw 28 pitches on Thursday, there was no hesitation on Hyde’s part to use him again.
“No, wanted to get him back out,’ he said. “Honestly, for us, he’s actually thrown — when he has too much time off, there’s a little bit of rust there. I think he wanted to get back out there tonight.”
Kimbrel is always waiting at his locker after a bad outing, and he knew the questions were coming.
“He put a good swing on that pitch,” Kimbrel said about Profar’s homer. “Obviously, it wasn’t a good pitch because he hit it. It wasn’t down the middle.
“The last two days I haven’t gone out there and done the job. I let the team down. I’m really disappointed in that. We played a good game today. We fought back in it, made it close. It’s my job to come in there to keep it rolling, make it exciting. I wasn’t able to do that.”
Kimbrel has the support of his teammates.
“You’re going to have your ups and you’re going to have your downs,” Westburg said. “This game is very, very hard. I’m sure he’s beating himself up a little bit. We have his back. We trust him. We know what kind of pitcher and closer he is, what’s made him so good for so many years. I have full confidence that he’s going to come out of it and help us down the stretch.”
How did Rodriguez throw? Grayson Rodriguez allowed two runs on seven hits in five-plus innings and was removed after he allowed Profar’s first two-run home run, which tied the game at 2.
“He was at 90-something pitches, leadoff hit and a homer,” Hyde said. “I was going to bring in somebody that inning anyway. I’d rather do it without traffic. We just didn’t play very good defense that inning, unfortunately.”
After Rodriguez left, the Padres scored two more runs. Gunnar Henderson’s errant throw led to one and leftfielder Heston Kjerstad couldn’t catch Xander Bogaerts’ double, a ball that he had trouble tracking and then hit off his glove.
“Tough play. It’s a long way to go,” Hyde said. “I don’t know if he got turned around a little bit, but there’s a lot to deal with there. You’re not used to running that far back behind you and then with the wall, track, I can’t answer for him, it just looked like he got caught up a little bit. He almost made the play, but a tough play.”
“I know they’re a pretty good contact-hitting team,” Rodriguez said. “Really just trying to get ahead and put the ball in play. Wish I would have been in the strike zone just a little bit more. I think we got sporadic there at times.”
He allowed seven hits and struck out seven without walking a batter.
“I wish I would have done a little bit better of a job tonight in the sixth inning,” Rodriguez said. “That’s where it started with me. If I go out there in the sixth, I think it’s a totally different ballgame.”
What did the Orioles think of the trade for Eflin? Hyde is looking forward to Eflin’s addition.
“Very excited. Zach’s somebody we’ve seen a lot and I’ve heard unbelievable things about him,” Hyde said. “Postseason tested. He’s a true professional. Everybody talks about how great of a guy he is and what he can bring to the clubhouse and our pitching staff, and we’re looking for pitching and it’s nice to add a quality starter like Zach.”
Dominguez played with Eflin for four years with the Phillies.
“When I was driving here, my wife called me, and said, ‘they traded Eflin, too.’ One of the greatest guys I’ve ever seen before. Nice human … I’m happy he was traded here, too.”
Rodriguez is looking forward to having Eflin on the staff. Eflin, 30, who’s under contract with a $18 million salary in 2025, is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts with the Rays.
“He’s thrown well against us,” Rodriguez said. “It’s going to be pretty relieving having him on our team. Honestly, I think he’s a really great guy. You see what he does on the field. He’s going to make our rotation a heck of a lot better. Really excited to get to know him as a person and see him wearing the black and orange for us.”
What did the Orioles think of the Hays trade? Hays first played with the Orioles in September 2017, and he was quite popular.
Hays was with the Orioles during Hyde’s entire tenure with the Orioles.
“Nobody played harder. Nobody played more hurt,” Hyde said. “He was incredible in the clubhouse, unbelievable in the community … These types of things happen.
“You give a guy a hug and shake a guy’s hand that you’ve been with for a long time and you hope that you get a chance to manage him again. He’s been an absolute pleasure to be with for quite a few years.”
Catcher James McCann, who’s been traded twice, said that trades are often difficult for outsiders to grasp.
“That’s a side of the business that a lot of fans don’t understand, a lot of people who are not in the clubhouse don’t quite understand from the standpoint that Haysy is like a brother,” McCann said. “This is one of those times in the calendar year that guys are constantly refreshing Twitter feeds, MLBTradeRumors and wherever else you get your news
“It’s fun for the baseball fan and each player. I don’t think there’s anyone in this clubhouse that doesn’t enjoy the game and enjoy keeping up with things. It’s also exciting to know what potentials there are for helping to bolster our run to the postseason and beyond.”
Colton Cowser considered Hays a mentor.
“Taught me a whole lot, a lot on defense, how to play this left field,” Cowser said. “He’s someone that we’re truly going to miss in this clubhouse. He was a really good leader and we wish him the best.”
Westburg’s locker was next to Hays.
“I got to spend the better part of a year in The Show right next to him,” Westburg said. “Sad to see him go. I think he embodied what we tried to be about as an organization, as a team — gritty, determined, head down, pushed through whatever’s coming his way kind of ballplayer.”
What does it mean? Eflin’s acquisition should help the Orioles. They didn’t have to surrender any of their prized prospects. It wouldn’t be surprising if they acquired another back-end starter, late-inning reliever and maybe another right-handed bat.
What’s the word? “To lose someone like that who we’re all close, it’s tough.”-Hyde on the trade of Hays
What’s the stat of the day? 48. Dominguez and Pache are the 47th and 48th players used by the Orioles this season. Last year, they used 50.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Third baseman Coby Mayo hit his 20th home run in Triple-A Norfolk’s 4-3 loss to Jacksonville in the first game of a doubleheader. Leftfielder Billy Cook had both of the Tides’ hits in their 5-1 loss in the second game, including his 11th home run.
Alex Pham (3-3) allowed four runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings in Double-A Bowie’s 7-0 loss to Akron. The Baysox had just two hits.
Leftfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. drove in two runs in High-A Aberdeen’s 6-5 loss to Jersey Shore.
Starter Braxton Bragg pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two hits in Single-A Delmarva’s 5-0 loss to Fredericksburg. The Shorebirds had just two hits.
What’s next? Dean Kremer (4-6, 4.43) will face Michael King (8-6, 3.28) on Saturday at 4:05 p.m.
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