interloper

Well the Orioles certainly don't seem to be in any rush to change much about his swing. Looks the same to me, so I'm curious what adjustments they are having him make.

Hard pass.

Yeah this is the concern. You can't really argue with the overall numbers, but it's worrying how little he is getting guys to swing and miss. Is that guy still in there? Maybe, but it seems not consistently at the very least.

Like how are you guessing in that moment? You have to react with 2 strikes, not guess, especially in that specific scenario. Mind-boggling.

In what way does "right now" imply that he will continue to be this good? It implies the opposite - that he's not usually this good so let's play him while he's doing well.

You're right, overall, and there's not really much room to complain. But I would like to see him turn it up a notch when he's not getting run support. He should be able to out-pitch Berrios and he didn't. It's hard to complain about his overall numbers, but I'm not sure why he can't figure out a way to crank it up there late in the game. You can't allow a hit to Vogelbach. He gave him a cookie and I don't quite get that pitch call.

Just looks like the guy from last year now. Getting some walks, but basically only fouling pitches off or taking them right down the middle. It's frustrating to watch. But it's not like anyone else was doing much better last night, Adley aside. But I have to admit in that late-game AB, wondering if they'd pinch hit Hays just to have a contact-oriented hitter at the plate to make sure they got that runner in from 3rd with 1 out. They didn't, and Cowser predictably did not make contact. It would have been a weird PH, certainly, but if it crossed my mind, it probably crossed Hyde's mind.

I have no problem with Mateo playing right now. He saved Burnes a lot of runs with a couple of excellent double plays last night. The #9 hitter is not the issue.

That was such a terrible pitch for the RBI single. 94 in the middle of the plate. What are we doing here.

Yeah. But that's kind of been every start for him this year. Very good pitcher, but he's not dominating out there and that's what we traded for. He should be blowing teams like the Jays away with ease.

Jays bullpen: one of the worst in the game. Our offensive approach: be super aggressive on their ace so that we don't chase him from the game and face their only 2 good bullpen pieces. Great plan out there guys. Jesus. Yes I'm just cranky and frustrated and yes things will be fine, but man, just a terrible gameplan last night.

Lot less miles on that body than late-30s AJ.

He only has 10 more ABs than Hays. 55 vs. 45. Hays missed 3 entire weeks. Gunnar has nearly 3 times as many ABs, as a comparison.

Sure, but the landscape could be a lot different than the last time he was DFA'd. Teams have injuries or different needs, etc. But yeah, it's most likely he accepts an assignment.

I would sort of love this for him. He'd be more than capable over there I think.

Maybe. I guess it depends on if his agent thinks they'll have enough offers to join another minor league team. And if not, the O's can just resign him.

I sure hope Holliday figures something out by the time Mateo turns into a pumpkin.

I will be surprised if he's not in a strict platoon.

Fun fact: McKenna now has the right to reject an assignment if unclaimed. From MLBTR: He went unclaimed on outright waivers at the end of March, and in doing so gained the right to reject any additional outright assignments for the remainder of his career. As such, if he clears waivers, he’ll have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency. Given the glut of outfield talent on the Baltimore roster, it’s possible he’d prefer to latch on with another organization that has far less depth and thus a better opportunity for him to get an earnest look at the big league level.

He's prettyyyyy Jay Gibbons-y out there, unfortunately.

I would be fine batting him in Mounty's spot in today's lineup.

It's almost like they were confirming that, yes, ok, neither of these guys are options in LF at home. And then just like that, Stowers is here as someone who CAN sorta play LF. It can't really be that though, because that's ridiculous.

I understood Kjerstad in LF because you might as well see what he looks like in Camden LF for the sake of gathering info. But O'Hearn in LF at home while everyone is healthy was pretty indefensible.

I also wonder this, but then again.. who are you replacing him with at the top?

Let me have my little joke.