wildcard

Unless Elias wants Mayo with the O's strictly for his bat it seems he has a ways to go to win a 3B/1B job in the majors. He has 8 errors. 5 at 3B and 3 at 1B. Urias has 1 error and Westburg has none. Though errors don't tell everything about a player's defense it is an indicator. And we know Elias/Hyde value defense. I could see Mayo spending all or most of the season in AAA. How much he improves defensively will tell how ready he is for the majors IMO. He is too valuable to trade. They just need to determine where he fits best defensively.

For me Burnes, GRod, Bradish, Means and Kremer are starters. Wells, Irvin and Suarez are spot starters/relievers that can give the O's 3 to 4 innings when needed. I think Kimbrel needs a couple of days off between closer appearances. The other two games Irvin, Suarez and at some point Wells can pitch the 7th through the 9th. Cano, Coulombe and Perez filling in relief innings.

Mayo is likely to have an adjustment period just like Adley, Gunnar and Westburg.

Seems like you forgot Holliday at 2nd with Westburg at 3B.

Crowded? How about the at bats would be almost nonexistent with Holliday at 2B and Westburg at 3B.

If I had bet on how Webb would have done with those matchups, I would have lost.

Where would the at bats be for both?

I hope O'Hearn plays a big role in the O's winning the World Series this season. But IMO there is a decision to be made between O'Hearn and Mayo this off season. O'Hearn will turn 31 in July. His option for 2025 is 7.5M. Mayo will be 23 next season. He will make the minimum salary. Elias probably has an opportunity to traded O'Hearn this off season for a good prospect. Holliday at 2B, Westburg at 3B, means there is not much room for Mayo at 3B. Instead he can be a 1B/DH/3B to get his at bats in 2025. I don't think Mayo has the speed to play the OF for the O's. MLB.com rates Mayo's speed as 40 (below average).

I have not heard much about what he is doing or not doing.

Its been 10 days on the IL. I hope Hays goes on rehab to Norfolk to get his bat going.

Orioles Magic, feel it happen!

I will double that. No, No.

None of us get to make the decisons about when Holliday, Mayo, Norby or Stowers are promoted to the majors. That decision is made by Elias. It appears that Elias does not think Mayo is ready defensively to play 3B for the O's. And DH/1B is clogged with players who can hit. I don't think Elias thinks Norby is going to be better at 2B than Westburg or Holliday. That is why Elias is trying to get playing time for Norby at corner outfield in AAA. Norby has started only 16 games at the outfield corners this season. And only started 54 games in the outfield corners in his major league career. Apparently Elias does not think he is ready to beat out Santander, Cowser or even Hays at LF or RF. One of the reason McKenna is on the roster is that he can backup CF. I don't think Norby has even played CF. So Norby continues to develop at AAA no matter how much he hits. Holliday appears to be the O's 2nd baseman of the future. He has a few things to work on in AAA in the near term. Stowers is stuck behind Santander, Cowser and Hays. If he has to beat one of them out he probably does not get promoted. His best shot is if someone get injured. Kjerstad got promoted but is not seeing much playing time in the majors. Probably has a lot to do with he players ahead of him. That plus his defense, rookie adjustment period and a gut of lefthanded hitting ahead of him. So we can wish and piss and moan all we want but its Elias that will make the decisions.

The addition of Bradish and Means moves Irvin and Suarez to the pen. And Wells will probably be added to the pen in a couple of weeks. All three of these pitchers add length to the pen. Instead on using three or four relievers in a game they can use one if that is what Hyde decided to do.

Hays is projected to be back within the week.