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BALTIMORE- What’s happened? How bad was Sunday for the Orioles? They gave up 24 runs—the most since they lost, 30-3, to Texas on August 22nd, 2007.
Two position players — infielder Jorge Mateo and catcher Gary Sánchez — combined to allow nine runs in the eighth and ninth inning.
It was the first time the Orioles used multiple position players to pitch since June 26th, 1978 when Larry Harlow and Elrod Hendricks pitched in a 24-10 loss at Toronto.
Austin Wynns, who caught three seasons for the Orioles, had a career high six hits and six RBIs. Another former Oriole, Austin Hays, had four hits.
The debacle began when Oriole starter Charlie Morton allowed seven runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings, his fifth straight losing start in a 24-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds before 19,053 at Oriole Park on Sunday.
“It’s one of those games where you try to keep letting the at-bats go,” centerfielder Cedric Mullins said. “Anything’s possible, but when you’re in a game like that, it’s not fun to play in.”
Morton’s ERA is an awful 10.89, and the Orioles’ rotation’s is 6.11.
“I’ve been with Charlie for five starts,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He’s got a track record of having a really good career and right now he’s having a tough time. The command’s not … he walked a bunch today. He just had a tough time getting through. On a day we really desperately needed some innings, that was a challenge.”
The Orioles are 9-12, and finish their longest homestand of the year 4-4.
They’re left wondering if there are any other options left for starters.
“Look at our starts this series,” Hyde said. “We didn’t get through the fourth the first game. Four innings. 3 1/3, something, and … 2 1/3. You’re just not going to be able to win games that way. You’re going to win once in a while because you’re going to outscore teams, but that’s not how you win Major League Baseball games.”
Potential starters Chayce McDermott and Trevor Rogers, both on the 15-day injured list, haven’t pitched in a minor league game yet. Starting pitcher Zach Eflin, who’s on the injured list with a right lat strain, threw from 120 feet on Sunday.
“I feel like it’s just at the point kind of ramping up, start throwing bullpens soon and get back out there,” Eflin said. “But everything feels great. I feel healthy. I feel normal. Just ready to go.”
It probably will be a few weeks until Eflin is ready to return.
Kyle Gibson started for High-A Aberdeen on Sunday and threw 78 pitches, allowing two runs. He walked two and struck out five. Gibson will be ready to take a turn in the Orioles’ rotation as early as Friday.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who homered in the seven-run third, made a spectacular catch on Jackson Holliday’s liner in the third. Hays had eight hits in his return to Camden Yards.
Relief pitcher Cody Poteet, who was brought up from Triple-A Norfolk after Saturday starter Brandon Young was sent to the Tides, allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings. Cionel Pérez gave up three runs in the seventh before Mateo and Sánchez.
Even with a day off on Monday, Hyde wanted to avoid Yennier Cano, Seranthony Domínguez and Gregory Soto.
“I’m hoping Poteet could give us three to four innings. If that’s the case and we’re in the game, I had a few guys that I would use, but when the game got way out of hand, I didn’t want to use Seranthony, Cano, Soto,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it’s embarrassing. It’s not what you want to do on Easter Sunday in front of your home crowd. You want to compete.”
The Orioles’ first run came in the second when Jordan Westburg doubled. After De La Cruz snared Holliday’s liner, Ramón Urías reached on an error, enabling Westburg to score.
Hyde said that Heston Kjerstad, who suffered a bruised right elbow when he was hit by a pitch in Saturday’s game, could have played if needed.
“I was trying to stay away from him today, which I did,” Hyde said. “It’s just really, really sore, but he took some swings early and if we got into a spot where maybe we needed, a big spot there in the game, I was going to consider using him. But that spot didn’t come up.”
Can Morton be salvaged? Morton has had an excellent career, entering the season with 138 career wins, but the 41-year-old right-hander is having an awful time trying to win his 139th.
“I think it’s more letting the team down,” said Morton, who lacks command of his pitches, particularly his curveball. “I’ve gone through enough failure. I’ve gone through enough searching, wondering about it, but it’s letting your teammates down. It’s letting your coaches down and the fans down. That’s something that you really never get over. For me, that’s the most frustrating part. It’s not the failure, getting beat. I think it’s the effect that it has on other people that you care about. That’s the hardest thing.”
Hyde doesn’t believe it’s a physical issue.
“We haven’t heard if anything’s bothering him,” he said. “I haven’t talked to him since the outing, but he’s just struggling.”
Morton, who was signed to a one-year, $15 million contract, will continue to try.
“Do I still think I can pitch well? Yeah. It’s just, some of the things that are going wrong right now, just throwing strikes,” Morton said. “Making decent pitches consistently. Getting into a rhythm, some momentum. That’s the issue. But, yeah, I don’t doubt the fact I can get it right.
“It’s just, how quickly can I get it done? Cause like I said, I’ve failed plenty. I’ve failed tons of times. I’ve felt this way a lot. I’ve felt like I was in a bad spot or I wasn’t getting my job done, I was letting people down. I’ve felt that before, more than enough. I know that about myself, inherently, that I can do it. It’s just really frustrating.”
What’s going on with Adley Rutschman? Rutschman entered the game in an 0-for-19 slump. He filed to left in the first before singling in the the third. Rutschman hit his fourth home run in the eighth.
Assistant hitting coach Tommy Joseph defended Rutschman before the game.
‘His at-bats are elite. They’re some of the best in baseball,” Joseph said. “His OPS is .630 right now? His expected OPS is close to .930. It’s just a lot of bad luck. He’s a really, really good player. Arguably, one of the best catchers in baseball, if not the bet catcher in baseball. His at-bats are great. There’s nothing wrong with Adley Rutschman. Everyone’s very aware that Adley’s doing great. He’s very aware of it.”
What does it mean? Mullins says morale remains positive, even after one of the most embarrassing losses in team history.
“I’d say overall good,” Mullins said. “Of course, it has the ability to sway just with the momentum between each day. I see a bunch of guys coming in with a positive attitude. That’s all I really want to see day in and day out to give us the best chance out there.”
What’s the word? “Just want it to be over as fast as possible.”-Hyde about the loss.
What’s the stat of the game? The Orioles allowed 25 hits for the fourth time in franchise history, and the first since August 10th, 2019.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? After Gibson’s start, three Aberdeen relievers combined to hold Brooklyn to one hit in the IronBirds’ 4-2 win over Brooklyn. Second baseman Griff O’Ferrall and designated hitter Jake Cunningham homered.
Levi Wells pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking out four, earning his second save in Double-A Chesapeake’s 5-2 win over Erie.
Single-A Delmarva had just three hits in an 8-0 loss to Carolina. The Shorebirds are 4-11.
Triple-A Norfolk’s game in Omaha was rained out.
What’s next? After an offday on Monday, the Orioles visit the Washington Nationals for three games. Dean Kremer (2-2, 6.41) will pitche for the Orioles on Tuesday night at 6:45. The Nationals have yet to name their starter.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com
