Even because the Orioles got here again earlier than falling behind once more late to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the main focus will probably be on that fourth inning, when left-hander John Means was final on the mound earlier than an unceremonious departure that may drive fear all through Baltimore.
Means cruised by way of the fourth inning, needing simply 12 pitches to retire the facet so as. But halfway by way of the house half of that inning, right-hander Joey Krehbiel popped up within the bullpen, regardless of Means sitting at 51 pitches.
And when the fifth inning opened, there Krehbiel was, changing Means on the mound after Baltimore’s most dependable starter allowed two runs in his second begin of the season. Means withdrew after he felt left forearm tightness, the staff introduced, a difficult replace for a staff with little consistency and few locations to show for stable beginning pitching.
Without Means, the Orioles’ bullpen as soon as once more held their very own and the offense confirmed a spurt of life. But after the Orioles tied the sport at 2 with a pair of runs within the backside of the eighth inning, the Brewers answered with two within the ninth, leaving Milwaukee with a 4-2 win and a sequence victory.
The rating was secondary for the Orioles, nevertheless, with Means exiting early overshadowing the staff’s fifth loss in six video games this season. At least externally, Means wasn’t overly involved with the early departure. He mentioned he skilled related tightness throughout Friday’s season opener towards the Tampa Bay Rays, stemming from a curveball earlier than spreading to the remainder of his arsenal.
In the third inning Wednesday, one other curveball tripped the forearm tightness once more, one thing he mentioned he’s by no means handled earlier than in his profession.
“I felt it throughout the week, but it progressively got better throughout the week and then felt great the first two innings,” Means mentioned. “And then felt it on one pitch and kind of kept feeling it and battling through it. But it wasn’t tingly fingers or anything like that. It was just the forearm.”
Means will bear additional testing Thursday, when the Orioles have an off day earlier than the New York Yankees arrive for a three-game sequence at Camden Yards. The 28-year-old ace mentioned he’ll obtain an MRI “at some point in the next day or so, just to make sure” there isn’t a bigger problem at play. He hopes to get again to throwing within the subsequent few days, casting doubt over a right away return to the mound.
“I’m not going to rush to anything until we know what results come back, know what the results are tomorrow,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “Staying positive with it and optimistic and hopefully it’s just a little bit of tightness he felt in the forearm and we’ll see.”
Means was anticipated to push past what he produced in his first begin, when he wanted 84 pitches to get by way of 4 frames. Hyde has been cautious of pushing his beginning pitchers too lengthy, contemplating the shortened spring coaching build-up time.
There wasn’t an apparent indication of an harm or lack of stamina and Means retired his last seven batters. According to MLB Statcast, Means’ common fastball was 92.8 mph towards the Rays final week and dropped to 91.6 Wednesday.
Means labored shortly by way of the primary inning of motion however bumped into hassle within the second with a one-out stroll to second baseman Keston Hiura, leaving a fastball properly out of the zone on a full rely. With two outs, Means left a slider hanging over the plate, and first baseman Rowdy Tellez blasted it to the deepest a part of middle subject to drive within the first run of the sport.
And then third baseman Mike Brosseau prolonged his profession tally towards Means to 6-for-12 with seven RBIs when his single drove residence Tellez, who additionally had an RBI double within the ninth. But Means settled in from there, needing 9 pitches to retire the facet within the third and 12 within the fourth, even because the tightness started.
Any absence for Means would depart Baltimore’s rotation in disarray. When Means missed practically two months final season with a left shoulder pressure, the remaining members of the rotation posted a 7.63 ERA.
“It’s frustrating, for sure,” Means mentioned. “Wanted to get rolling and wanted to start the season strong. It’s a long season and we’ll get this out of the way, get going. Still confident I’m able to go.”
Strikeouts pile up
Catcher Anthony Bemboom singled within the third inning and took second on a wild pitch, establishing an opportunity to interrupt by way of towards right-hander Corbin Burnes. But middle fielder Cedric Mullins flew out and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle struck out, persevering with a dreadful streak to start the season.
Mountcastle’s swing and miss turned the Orioles’ twenty sixth of 28 strikeouts with runners in scoring place this season. Strikeouts 27 and 28 got here from Mullins and Ramón Urías, who got here to the plate within the eighth with an opportunity to present the Orioles a lead.
The staff is hitting 5-for-55 in these conditions this season, with greater than half of these at-bats ending in a strikeout.
“We’re getting a little anxious,” Urías mentioned.
But the strikeouts transcend conditions with runners in scoring place. Entering Wednesday, no MLB staff had struck out greater than Baltimore, a membership boasting a 28.4% chase charge on balls out of the zone, in keeping with MLB Statcast, the tenth worst charge in baseball.
And by the point Wednesday got here to a detailed, the Orioles had struck out 68 instances in six video games. The earlier document for many strikeouts by a staff over the primary six video games of the season got here final yr, when Baltimore struck out 77 instances.
Base coaches absent
First base coach Anthony Sanders and third base coach Tony Mansolino missed the sport because of sickness, Hyde mentioned pregame. Wednesday marked the second straight recreation Sanders had missed. In their place had been José Hernández at first and Fredi Gonzalez at third.
Hyde, citing the membership’s coverage, declined to elaborate additional on the diseases.
A comeback and a departure
As the Orioles handled the priority surrounding Means’ harm, two prospects at Triple-A Norfolk confronted diverging programs.
Outfielder Yusniel Diaz landed on the injured checklist Wednesday with a hamstring pressure suffered the evening earlier than, the newest in a sequence of accidents which have prevented Diaz from discovering his strategy to the massive leagues. Earlier this month, Diaz mentioned by way of a staff interpreter that he’s “trying to manage health,” however he tweaked his hamstring as he ran down the road to first base.
Diaz has had a number of lower-body accidents since arriving as a part of the Manny Machado commerce with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018.
For outfielder Kyle Stowers, although, Wednesday marked a return to recreation motion eight days after bruising his hand on successful by pitch through the Triple-A season opener. Stowers is the Orioles’ No. 7 prospect, in keeping with Baseball America.
In his return to the Triple-A lineup, Stowers completed 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and two walks.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com