Baltimore Orioles Roster Moves Ahead of Huge Series Versus Red Sox
The latest Baltimore Orioles news includes an update on Mark Trumbo‘s injury and Orioles roster moves ahead of their gigantic series against the Boston Red Sox.
The Baltimore Orioles enter Fenway Park for the first time in 2018 as they open a four-game series against the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox.
Entering Friday’s series opener, the Orioles sit five and a half games back from the Red Sox, who is fresh off a series win Thursday night versus rival New York Yankees.
Chris Tillman and his disturbing 8.68 ERA will take the mound for the series opener on Friday night.
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On the other side, the Red Sox will throw Eduardo Rodriguez and his 7.36 ERA to face the Orioles inconsistent offensive. In his career against the Orioles, Rodriquez holds a 3-5 record with a mildly high 4.67 ERA.
Donnie Hart Joins Orioles Roster in Boston, Vielma Recalled
According to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, the Orioles have added southpaw reliever Donnie Hart to their roster ahead of their monumental series in Boston.
Down in Triple-A Norfolk, Hart hasn’t allowed an earned run in 3.2 innings pitched. As a result, the Orioles now have two lefty options in their bullpen.
Many moving pieces on the Orioles roster includes utility player Engelb Vielma recalled as the O’s bench resets to a four-man show.
Mark Trumbo Injury Update
Orioles’ Mark Trumbo remains on the 10-day DL with a Grade 2 quadriceps strain. Per Baseball-Reference.com, Trumbo’s player injury news was updated April 11 and indicates Trumbo requires three-to-four weeks to recover.
Manager Buck Showalter attempted to downplay Trumbo’s setback by telling BaltimoreBaseball.com’s Dan Connolly Trumbo’s injury update is “Not a setback so to speak.”
Showalter went into further detail with Connolly by saying:
"He just felt like last night he just didn’t feel like pushing it. He still wasn’t quite comfortable with that. I’m proud that he felt comfortable telling us, because you don’t want that setback that pushes it way back."
Trumbo has yet to play in 2018 and struggled throughout Orioles spring training by hitting .130 with 10 strikeouts in 23 at-bats.
The Orioles Debut of Alex Cobb
The highly-anticipated Orioles debut of starting pitcher Alex Cobb comes Saturday in Fenway as he makes his first start of the 2018 season.
The Orioles signed Cobb to a four-year deal worth $57 million on March 20. Since then, Cobb has made a series of starts at extended spring training in his preparation for his first start of the season.
As stated from the start, the Orioles weren’t going to rush Cobb into the starting rotation and that’s exactly what they did:
Cobb’s baseball activities since signing his contract with the O’s include:
April 14: To make Orioles debut Saturday, April 14 vs. Red Sox
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Per MASNSports.com’s Roch Kubatko, Cobb holds a career 3.43 ERA versus the Red Sox, along with a 3.15 ERA at Fenway Park over seven starts.
After Cobb, the Orioles rotation turns back over to ace Dylan Bundy for Game 3 and Andrew Cashner to on Monday’s early 11:00 a.m. ET start time for the Boston Marathon.