BALTIMORE -- The Orioles made a flurry of roster moves prior to their 4-2 win over the White Sox on Saturday, placing first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day IL and recalling MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 overall prospect Coby Mayo. They also selected outfielder Jordyn Adams’ contract from Triple-A Norfolk. To make room for Adams on the 40-man roster, catcher Chadwick Tromp was designated for assignment.
Mountcastle became the 12th player the Orioles currently have on the IL. The previous day, outfielder Cedric Mullins landed on the IL -- mere hours before Mountcastle exited with right hamstring discomfort that was later diagnosed as a strain. Neither the cause nor the severity of the strain are yet known.
“MRI this morning, don’t know the severity just yet,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “We’ll go from there. … Optimistic -- hopeful is probably the better word. Just hopeful that it’s not too bad, but we’ll probably find out more later today or tomorrow.”
Mountcastle has hit .246 this year after a slow start to the season, but he’d been heating up. He’d posted a .302/.338/.381 slash line over his past 15 games prior to getting injured. As the Orioles battle back from their own rough start, losing his bat -- and glove -- from the lineup will be a big hit.
It is the the second Major League stint of the year for Mayo (O’s No. 2 prospect) and his fourth overall (two last season). And while those previous three callups haven’t exactly gone Mayo’s way (a career .094 average in 21 big league games), he’s looking forward to what he hopes will be more of an extended stay in the Majors -- at least for now.
“I think any player will tell you, it’s definitely more comfortable when you’re playing every day,” Mayo said. “But obviously those things are out of your control. You have to come in here and make your opportunities worth it when you get those, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
The O’s expect Mayo to get a fair share of time at first base, though he was the starting DH on Saturday and went 1-for-3 with an RBI single -- his first big league RBI, which led to a benches-clearing incident.
Mayo will also see time at third base, but a lot will depend on how quickly third baseman Jordan Westburg (left hamstring strain) returns from his rehab assignment at Norfolk.
“We’ll figure that out as we go,” Mansolino said. “I definitely see him playing some first base. … I think it’s important to balance development and trying to win the game that night.”
Adams, meanwhile, will be used more as a pinch-hitter and late-inning defensive sub -- as he did on Saturday, entering at center field in the ninth inning for his O’s debut -- to provide much-needed depth in the outfield as 80% of the O’s Opening Day outfielders are currently on the IL.
Colton Cowser has made five rehab starts between High-A Aberdeen and Triple-A so far. Tyler O’Neill is working out and hitting with the team, but hasn’t had much time to get fielding work in. As such, O’Neill will travel with the club to Seattle to continue working out and rehabbing, and hopes to get more practice reps there.
No matter what happens, the O’s are attempting to remain hopeful. Baseball is a long season, and they’re barely a third of the way through the campaign.
“There’s no sympathy in this game,” Mansolino said. “And it’s kind of a hard line to draw. But I promise you, as many games as we’ve won here in Baltimore the past two years, the other 29 teams do not feel sorry for us.”