- The Orioles announced earlier today that they have activated first baseman Ryan Mountcastle from the injured list, with outfielder Ryan McKenna optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Mountcastle’s return is great news for the AL East-leading Orioles, as the first baseman has slashed .269/.327/.453 in 459 trips to the plate this season. He figures to join a deep 1B/DH mix that already includes Ryan O’Hearn and Anthony Santander ahead of Baltimore’s impending postseason run.
Orioles Rumors
Brooks Robinson Passes Away
Orioles icon and Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson passed away at the age of 86, according to an announcement from the team and Robinson’s family — “An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball.”
Tributes have poured in from all around the baseball world, including from fellow Baltimore legend Jim Palmer. Speaking with MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, Palmer described his former teammate as a “great player, great guy on the field, great guy off. Respectful, kind. And you don’t meet too many guys like that. Brooks was a genuine person. There was no acting….Just salt of the earth and one of the great guys. And everywhere I’d go, they would say, ’Yeah, we had Brooks here a couple years ago.’ And he’s a tough act to follow because he was so good and so nice and so warm. You never forget his smile.”
Commissioner Rob Manfred cited both Robinson’s outstanding work on and off the field, calling the former third baseman “a model of excellence, durability, loyalty and winning baseball for the Orioles. After his playing career, he continued to make contributions to the game by working with the MLB Players Alumni Association. I will always remember Brooks as a true gentleman who represented our game extraordinarily well on and off the field all his life. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Brooks’ family, his many friends across our game, and Orioles fans everywhere.”
MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark likewise highlighted how Robinson’s “impact transcended the field — as a prominent voice in the early days of the MLBPA and a relentless advocate for his fellow players and through his work with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. His humanity, kindness, integrity, and commitment will long endure.”
Robinson signed with the Orioles on a $4K guaranteed contract in 1955, just one year after the club has moved to Baltimore after previously playing as the St. Louis Browns. In essence, signing Robinson was the symbolic beginning of this new era of Baltimore baseball, as he became the face of the franchise over 23 seasons.
It took a few years for Robinson to really establish himself as an everyday player, in part because of injuries and because the O’s already had a prominent name in George Kell (himself a Hall of Famer) playing third base. Finally getting healthy and moving into a regular role at third base in 1960, Robinson immediately became not just an Orioles fixture but one of the league’s best players, finishing third in AL MVP voting.
The 1960 season started two prominent streaks for Robinson, as he was both elected to the All-Star Games (MLB played two Midsummer Classics per season from 1959-1962) and won the AL Gold Glove at third base. Robinson proceeded to get elected to the All-Star team every season until 1974, and won the Gold Glove every season from 1960-75.
The 16 Gold Gloves won by Robinson are the most of any position player in baseball history, with pitchers Greg Maddux (18) and Jim Kaat (16) the only players anywhere on the diamond to match Robinson in defensive recognition. Widely regarded as the best defensive third baseman and perhaps the best defensive player at any position in baseball history, Robinson wowed peers and fans with his glovework, to the point of being known as the “Human Vacuum Cleaner” for his ability to scoop up grounders anywhere within his wide range.
Robinson’s defensive prowess was obviously a known commodity by 1970, but that year’s World Series was perhaps the biggest showcase possible for the star third baseman. He was an all-around wrecking crew for the Orioles, hitting .429/.429/.810 in 21 plate appearances during the Series and robbing the Reds of multiple hits in the field. Most famously, Robinson made an incredible play to throw out Lee May during Game 1 that still stands as one of the best defensive efforts in Series history. Unsurprisingly, Robinson was named World Series MVP as the Orioles defeated the Reds in five games.
With such stars as Robinson, Palmer, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, and many others, the Orioles were regular contenders for most of the star third baseman’s career. Robinson had a career .303/.323/.462 slash line in postseason play, playing on four AL pennant winners and two World Series championship teams (1966, 1970).
For his career as a whole, Robinson hit .267/.322/.401 over 11782 plate appearances and 2896 career games, all with the Orioles. His long tenure with the O’s has naturally put him near the top of the franchise’s all-time leaderboard in most categories, with Robinson often ranking second to another long-time infield staple in Cal Ripken Jr.
As noted as Manfred and Clark, Robinson was a force in the founding of the MLB Players Alumni Association, which became one of Robinson’s key focuses after his retirement. Robinson briefly worked as an Orioles broadcaster after stepping away from the game, and he received a first-ballot induction into Cooperstown in 1983.
We at MLB Trade Rumors share our condolences with the rest of baseball in mourning the loss of one of the sport’s greats, and we pass on our best wishes to Robinson’s family, friends, and many fans.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
AL Injury Notes: Bautista, Mountcastle, Correa, McGuire, Sandoval
Félix Bautista is inching closer to his return, but his status for the postseason remains up in the air. Manager Brandon Hyde recently spoke to reporters (including Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun) about his star closer, suggesting that the right-hander is running out of time to get back on the mound. It’s not that Bautista has suffered a setback, but he just hasn’t progressed quickly enough to give Hyde much confidence that he can return for the playoffs.
It’s a disappointing development for the Orioles, who are set to embark on their first postseason run since 2016. The 28-year-old has emerged as one of the most dominant relief arms in the game, with a 1.85 ERA across his first two seasons in the majors.
In happier news, Ryan Mountcastle is nearing his return to Baltimore’s lineup. As Ruiz reports, the first baseman took batting practice before this evening’s game against the Nationals. Hyde suggested he could be reinstated tomorrow; if not, he should be back on the field sometime this week.
Here’s some more news from around the American League…
- The Twins expect Carlos Correa will be ready to play in the AL Wild Card series, and indeed, it’s possible he could be back by the final series of the regular season. Manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune) that the star shortstop could rejoin the team this weekend in Colorado. Correa has been playing through plantar fasciitis for most of the year, and the question is not whether his injury has healed, but simply if he has rested enough to be able to manage the pain throughout the playoffs. The Gold Glove winner has been taking groundballs in recent days, and he claims to be feeling better.
- Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire left tonight’s game against the Rays with a left thumb contusion. It’s not a particularly serious diagnosis, but still, it’s not impossible this marks the end of McGuire’s season. The lefty batter hit .271/.314/.365 in 69 games as a backup catcher for Boston. He will be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.
- The Angels have placed starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval on the 15-day IL. To replace him on the active roster, they have recalled Kolton Ingram from Triple-A Salt Lake. Sandoval exited his start last night against the Rangers with tightness in his right oblique, and the injury has proven to be serious enough to end his season six days early. This marks Ingram’s third fleeting call-up of the 2023 season; in 4 1/3 innings for the big league club, he has given up five runs on seven hits. However, his numbers are much better in the minors, where the 26-year-old boasts a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings pitched.
Big Hype Prospects: Caminero, Langford, Holliday, Carter, Marte
As the clock runs out on the 2023 season, we take a look at the Big Hype Prospects who have advanced their hype-levels to all new… levels.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Junior Caminero, 20, SS/3B, TBR (MLB)
(AA) 351 PA, 20 HR, 3 SB, .309/373/.548
The will they/won’t they dance with Caminero finally resolved. Despite foregoing a promotion to Triple-A, the Rays saw fit to inject an offensive weapon into their postseason repertoire. Part of me wonders how much gamesmanship went into leaving Caminero at Double-A, as if the Rays could convince their playoff rivals he wouldn’t be promoted, maybe they would scout him less? A player of his age and profile undoubtedly has exploitable weaknesses, so the deeper the Rays can get into the postseason before those weaknesses are discovered, the better. Caminero batted fifth in his first two MLB games, going 2-for-9 with a walk and producing impressive exit velocities on six batted balls. While small sample caveats apply, the beauty of exit velocity is instant gratification. A 112-mph EV immediately validates a hitter as possessing impressive pop. All the other stats, well, they need more time to mature into larger samples.
Wyatt Langford, 21, OF, TEX (AAA)
(4 levels) 200 PA, 10 HR, 12 SB, .360/.480/.677
With Caminero up, Langford is the next future superstar on the cusp of promotion. We discussed him last week prior to his promotion to Triple-A. Since then, he’s batted .368/.538/.526 in 26 plate appearances with MLB-level exit velocities. Round Rock has a three-game series remaining for the PCL Championship, and I suspect we’ll see Langford join the Rangers upon the conclusion of the series. Where he fits on the roster is less certain. Leody Taveras is a quality defender with a league-average bat, and Evan Carter has performed well in limited action. Langford likely represents a net upgrade on both outfielders, but it can be tough to justify changing something that’s working well. Now might be the wrong moment to mess with team chemistry.
Jackson Holliday, 19, SS, BAL (AAA)
(4 levels) 581 PA, 12 HR, 24 SB, .323/.442/.499
Like Langford, the Norfolk Tides have a championship series over the next three days. If Holliday is summoned to the Majors, it will likely follow these games. He’s had a longer stint in Triple-A, and after a slow start, he’s up to .267/.396/.400 in 91 plate appearances. His average quality of contact is better than a typical Major Leaguer, but his top-end EVs are poor. That’s no cause for concern. Holliday is a teenager. If anything, it might indicate that the Orioles are best served to play it slow rather than forcing an awkward situation with a last-minute promotion. Holliday might represent a modest upgrade over Adam Frazier and Jordan Westburg at second base. He certainly improves upon seldom-used benchman Ryan McKenna. Whether that’s sufficient cause for a promotion is a tough question to answer.
Evan Carter, 21, OF, TEX (MLB)
(CPX/AA/AAA) 513 PA, 12 HR, 25 SB, .288/.413/.450
Though he is deservedly a Top 10 prospect, Carter profiles differently than most of the top names. He’s one of the surest things in the minors. True stardom might be out of his grasp, especially in this rich era of uber-prospects. Then again, no era of baseball has offered players such tangible opportunity to transform their game. The high-floor, low-ceiling expectation is reinforced by a profile, build, and approach that screams “Brandon Nimmo clone.” Nimmo, of course, recently signed a nine-figure deal entering his age-30 season, hence everyone’s comfort ranking Carter highly. Still, nobody expects Nimmo to carry the Mets. He’s a rich man’s complementary piece. Carter seems destined for a similar role.
Carter is off to a hot start in the Majors. Improbably, he’s hit four home runs in 54 plate appearances as part of a .318/.426/.705 batting line. The dingers, in addition to a .400 BABIP, have served to carry his offensive line beyond even the wildest expectations. Look under the hood, and you’ll see Carter produces only modest quality of contact. He has a knack for barreling the ball, but those barrels aren’t impactful. Like Holliday, this is more of a “now” problem than a future concern. He’ll develop more pop as he ages.
Noelvi Marte, 21, 3B/SS, CIN (MLB)
(AA/AAA) 399 PA, 11 HR, 18 SB, .279/.358/.454
There are no questions about Marte’s exit velocities. They’re among the best in the game. Alas, a ball smashed into the ground is still a ground ball. He’s running a predictably high BABIP as the result of his worm murdering. He’s not producing any power numbers despite hitting the ball powerfully. We have every reason to anticipate growth from Marte in the coming years. What we’re seeing now is a fantastic platform for a quality Major Leaguer. At present, he’s roughly a replacement-level performer. He’s batting .293/.350/.380 (96 wRC+) in 100 plate appearances. If he can learn to generate any lift whatsoever, he’ll quickly morph into a dangerous hitter.
Three More
Orion Kerkering, PHI (22): Arguably the top pure relief prospect in the minors (excluding those being developed as starters), Kerkering features triple-digit gas. He lives off a filth-monster slider. After starting the season in Low-A, the right-hander made his big league debut on Sunday. He seems destined for high-leverage postseason innings.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, CIN (23): Since he has expended his rookie eligibility, this will be Encarnacion-Strand’s last appearance in this column. After an unimpressive August, CES has caught fire in September. Over the last 20 days, he’s batting .378/.429/.778 with six home runs in 49 plate appearances. Volatility will likely always be a part of his game.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC (21): Crow-Armstrong drew a trio of starts shortly after his promotion. He looked overmatched and has since been reduced to a pinch runner/defensive replacement role. I fully expect PCA to fill this same role in the postseason – assuming the Cubs hang onto a Wild Card slot.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.
Roric Harrison Passes Away
Former big leaguer Roric Harrison passed away last week at age 76. Harrison was a right-handed pitcher who posted a 4.24 ERA in 140 games with the Orioles, Braves, Indians, and Twins over parts of five MLB seasons from 1972-78, and also pitched for four other organizations at the minor league level during his 14-year career in pro baseball.
Harrison’s minor league career included an memorable season with Triple-A Rochester (then the Orioles’ top affiliate) in 1971 that saw him post a 2.81 ERA over 170 innings to help lead the Red Wings to the International League title. Though Harrison only pitched for the Wings for that one year, his big role in a championship season merited induction in the club’s Hall Of Fame in 2001.
Rochester Community Baseball Inc. CEO/COO Naomi Silver paid tribute in an official statement from the club: “It’s with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to Roric Harrison, a true legend in Red Wings history. His outstanding performance during the 1971 season remains unmatched and serves as a testament to his exceptional talent. Beyond his athletic prowess, Roric was an invaluable part of our community and will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family during this difficult time. His memory and legacy will remain an integral part of our franchise’s illustrious tapestry.”
Harrison spent the majority of his MLB career with the Braves, tossing 358 innings over 73 games with the team from 1973-75. His debut season with Baltimore in 1972 saw the righty post a 2.30 ERA in 94 frames, and also saw Harrison achieve a unique bit of trivia. 1972 was the last season before the American League adopted the DH, so Harrison became the last AL pitcher to hit a home run in a game before Bobby Witt Sr. achieved the feat during interleague play in 1997.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Harrison’s family and loved ones.
Ryan Mountcastle Nearing Return
- Orioles manager Brandon Hyde indicated to reporters (including MASN’s Roch Kubatko) yesterday that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is progressing well in his rehab from a shoulder injury that sidelined him just over a week ago. Mountcastle hasn’t returned to hitting yet but stood in the batter’s box to track pitches during injured closer Felix Bautista’s most recent bullpen session. Though Bautista’s timetable for return still appears to be up in the air, Mountcastle is expected to be ready to come off the injured list in time for Wednesday’s game against the Nationals. Mountcastle is hitting a respectable .269/.327/.453 in 459 trips to the plate this season and has been covered for by Ryan O’Hearn at first base in recent days.
MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Front Office Changes in Boston and New York, and the New Rays’ Stadium Agreement
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:
- MLBTR continues Previewing The Free Agent Class (1:30)
- The Mets hire David Stearns and the Red Sox fire Chaim Bloom (5:35)
- The Rays announced a new stadium agreement, which could pave the way for league expansion (14:00)
Plus, we answer your questions, including:
- Why would the Nationals prevent Stephen Strasburg from retiring? (21:25)
- Will the prospect promotion incentives affect the trajectory of Jackson Holliday or Jackson Chourio? (25:40)
- Should the Padres trade Juan Soto or hold for one more year? (29:10)
Check out our past episodes!
- Free Agent Class Preview: Catcher and First Base, Germán Márquez Extension and the Dodgers’ Rotation – listen here
- Waiver Claim Fallout, September Call-Ups and the Biggest Strength of Each Playoff Contender – listen here
- MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Shohei Ohtani’s Torn UCL, Free Agent Power Rankings and Stephen Strasburg to Retire – listen here
Orioles Place Ryan Mountcastle On Injured List
The Orioles have placed first baseman Ryan Mountcastle on the injured list and recalled outfielder Ryan McKenna from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move, manager Brandon Hyde announced to reporters (via Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner). The team’s formal announcement on the injury specifies Mountcastle’s injury as inflammation in the AC joint of his left shoulder.
Mountcastle has missed the past seven games due to discomfort in that shoulder, though stints on the injured list can only be backdated to a maximum of three days. As such, he’ll miss at least the next week. Hyde added that the O’s are hopeful Mountcastle will be able to return when first eligible, though that’ll obviously depend on how his ailing shoulder progresses.
Mountcastle, 26, has been a productive member of a stacked Baltimore lineup in 2023, hitting at a .269/.327/.453 clip with 18 home runs, 20 doubles and a triple in 459 trips to the plate. This will be his second IL stint of the season, as he also missed nearly a month earlier in the summer due to a bout with vertigo symptoms. Mountcastle had looked lost at the plate for a spell heading into that stint on the IL, but he’s been one of the Orioles’ top hitters since returning. In 198 plate appearances between the two IL stints, he’s posted a huge .327/.409/.497 with seven home runs, eight doubles, a 12.1% walk rate and a manageable 21.1% strikeout rate.
With Mountcastle shelved at least a week, the O’s will likely lean on Ryan O’Hearn at first base and outfielder Anthony Santander at designated hitter. Newly recalled top prospect Heston Kjerstad, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, could see time in right field, at first base or at designated hitter as well.
The Orioles have already clinched a postseason spot — their first since 2016 — so there’s little reason to rush Mountcastle back. That said, the team would surely prefer to get a look at him in a game setting, if possible, before determining its postseason roster. The obvious hope is that the downtime for Mountcastle will allow him to recover enough to reclaim his spot in the heart of the team’s batting order. Baltimore’s lineup is one of the deepest in the league, but potentially losing a bat of Mountcastle’s caliber would be a notable blow to any team’s offense. Mountcastle is also the team’s top performer against left-handed pitching; he’s torched southpaws with an absolutely mammoth .340/.396/.660 slash line in 2023.
Orioles Shift Jack Flaherty To Bullpen
The Orioles will at least temporarily be moving Jack Flaherty from the rotation to the bullpen, manager Brandon Hyde told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters. “It’s a move for today right now,” Hyde stressed, but the skipper is “really interested” in seeing how Flaherty operates as a reliever, “whether it could be a length guy, maybe it could be a right-on-right guy. We’re looking for that. We’re looking for right-on-right guys. I think it’s worth a shot to take a look.”
Baltimore been operating with a six-man rotation since John Means returned from the injured list last week, both as a way to ease Means back into action after his lengthy absence due to Tommy John surgery, and to give all of their starters some extra rest down the stretch. The O’s are in a stretch of 17 games in 17 days without an offday until September 25, so the addition of Means gave everyone some respite during this busy portion of the schedule. Of course, with the Orioles now bound for the postseason, the club also wants as many fresh arms as possible for what it hopes will be a deep playoff run.
Aside from just rotation usage, Flaherty’s role change is inevitably down to performance. The right-hander has a 7.11 ERA over seven starts and 31 2/3 innings since he was acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, falling well short of expectations after a solid performance over the first four months of the season. On the plus side, Flaherty hasn’t been much of a detriment to a rotation that seems to be getting better as the year as progressed — even without much help from Flaherty or the struggling Kyle Gibson, Baltimore starters have combined for a 4.00 ERA since August 1, the ninth-best mark in baseball in that span.
Heading into October, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer look like clear favorites to start postseason games. Means is still a wild card due to his lack of innings, but the former All-Star has looked pretty sharp in his two starts to date. With all this in mind, Flaherty might have been ticketed for a bullpen role in the playoff anyway, so this new move gives him some chance to adjust to the new role.
In the bigger picture, Flaherty’s upcoming free agent case hasn’t been helped by his struggles with the O’s, and his market might take a further hit with a lack of starts altogether for the rest of the season. However, Hyde said that Flaherty is open to working as a reliever, since “he’s a total team guy. [I’m] really, really impressed with his professionalism. Truly, he really just wants to help this team win somehow, and if he can do it in that way, we’ll see.”
Latest On Felix Bautista, Ryan Mountcastle
- Orioles closer Felix Bautista has been on the IL since late August with a UCL injury, though the club hasn’t given up hope on the 28-year-old returning this year. That hope is still alive today, as manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including Dan Connolly of Sportsnaut) this afternoon. Bautista threw a 20-25 pitch side session, which Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun was noted was his third consecutive day of throwing. Bautista was perhaps the most dominant reliever in the sport prior to going down with injury. In 61 innings of work this season, he’s posted a 1.48 ERA with an incredible 46.4% strikeout rate.
- Sticking with the Orioles, Hyde told reporters (including Jake Rill of MLB.com) that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness in recent days, tried swinging a bat yesterday but that “it didn’t go great.” Hyde added that he still doesn’t consider Mountcastle as a candidate to hit the injured list. Mountcastle has slashed .269/.327/.453 in 459 trips to the plate this season. The Orioles have been relying on Ryan O’Hearn at first base in Mountcastle’s absence.
