In Hyde’s ever-changing lineups, Urías proves his value to Orioles
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One of the many complaints that fans have with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is that he tinkers with the team’s lineup too much. Hyde does change the lineup nearly every game, using 144 different lineups in 162 regular-season games.
Only twice did Hyde use the same lineup in consecutive games, and during the season, never used his most frequent lineup in more than three games.
That’s not unusual. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt used 142 different lineups in 161 games.
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Many fans want to see the same players play each day. They often gripe that the Orioles should just allow some of their promising young players — Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo — to play every day.
Hyde played Gunnar Henderson in 159 games, Anthony Santander in 155, Colton Cowser in 153, Adley Rutschman in 148 and Cedric Mullins in 147.
Had Jordan Westburg not fractured his right hand on July 31st, it’s likely he would have played more than 150 games as well.
Though older fans fondly remember Earl Weaver, even with his wonderful 1970 World Series-winning team that featured Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Davey Johnson, Paul Blair, Don Buford and Mark Belanger, who each played at least 132 games, still used 106 different batting orders.
That’s the same number that New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone employed this season.
But Hyde does like to change his lineup. For the first five months of the season, he followed the left-handed hitting Henderson with Cowser, another left-handed hitter only once. He did relent in September when he elevated Mullins to second in the order.
Hyde doesn’t use a regular designated hitter and he tries to separate left-handers and right-handers in the order as much as he can and tries to find logical spots where he may pinch-hit later in the game.
One player who seemed to be overlooked earlier in the season was utility infielder Ramón Urías, who always batted seventh, eighth or ninth.
Fans questioned using a roster spot on Urías, but his value again became apparent later in the season.
While Hyde tries to find playing time for his bench players, younger players, in particular Kjerstad and Mayo, often didn’t play for several games in succession.
Because the Orioles were trying to break in Holliday at second base for some of April, Urías’ playing time was reduced.
Urías hit just .174 in 46 at-bats through April 30th. It’s hard to hit well without regular playing time, and with Holliday and Jorge Mateo platooning at second, there wasn’t much playing time for Urías while Holliday was up.
In the first half of the season, Urías hit just .233 with a .681 OPS.
After Mateo was injured and lost for the season on July 23rd, Urías began playing more often, and Westburg’s injury eight days later allowed him to play every game but one in August.
Urías hit five home runs and drove in 17 runs that month. Unfortunately, he sprained his right ankle on August 31st and missed three weeks.
Urías and Westburg returned on September 22nd, and in the second half of the season, he hit .278 with an .819 OPS.
He was acquired by the Orioles from the St. Louis Cardinals off waivers just before 2020 spring training began, and he’s played with the Orioles since August 20th, 2020. Only Mullins and Santander made their Orioles’ debut earlier than Urías.
Urías has made himself into a trustworthy player, using his 10-game trial in 2020 as a springboard. Once he returned from Triple-A Norfolk in June 2021, Urías never left.
In 2022, Urías’ career highlight was his surprising Gold Glove Award at third base to go along with his 16 home runs and 51 RBIs while playing a career-high 118 games.
After his power numbers plummeted in 2023, to four homers and 42 RBIs, Urías became eligible for arbitration, and with so many promising infielders, it seemed that perhaps the Orioles would move on from Urías.
Instead, they signed Urías for another year for $2.1 million, trading Joey Ortiz to Milwaukee to get their top starter, Corbin Burnes, and later dealing second base prospect Connor Norby to Miami for left-hander Trevor Rogers.
After the trades of Norby, Ortiz and prospects Darrel Hernaiz and César Prieto in 2023, the Orioles have a greater need for Urías. According to MLBTradeRumors.com. Urías could command a $3.1 million contract in 2025, and it would be a shock if the Orioles didn’t retain him.
Urías can do something no other Oriole can, play each of the four infield positions. Even if Holliday plays regularly at second base in 2025 and Henderson and Westburg are shortstop and third, the Orioles will need a utility player, and with all those trades there are no longer any major league-ready infielders in the farm system.
While Urías is hardly a glamorous or charismatic one, he’s a useful player, great to have when a regular needs a rest or when an injury occurs.
Hyde doesn’t write him in those lineups every day, but when he does, knows that there will be a dependable player on the field.
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