Another happy Friday to you all, Birdland. What started off as quite the bummer of a week finished in grand fashion, as the O’s laid the smacketh down on the New York Yankees last night, 14-1, to salvage a series split in the Bronx and pull to 3-4 since we last went three up, three down.
Losing two of three at home to the Minnesota Twins thanks to some totally inept bats was disappointing, and those offensive struggles continued in the first two losses to the Yankees. That threw much of Birdland into a deep depression, as the ghosts of 2005 again began to haunt our dreams.
This team ain’t that team, of course, but we Orioles fans have deep trauma. Here’s to last night’s awakening jump-starting things into the weekend where we can get some revenge against the Twinkies headed into the All-Star break.
Three Up
Dean Kremer
We start with Mean Dean Kremer. Coming into Wednesday’s game, his team had lost four straight for the first time all season and was in desperate need of a stopper. Kremer stepped up huge, tossing seven innings of four-hit ball, allowing just a single earned run, striking out 10, and putting eight members of the NYY lineup on the Dean’s List (guys Kremer strikes out).
This was on the heels of an awful start against the Twins Friday night (3 IP, 7 ER), but because he gave his squad exactly what they needed at exactly the right time, we’re still going to call him UP this week. So far in 2023, Kremer has alternated bad and good months:
April: 6.67 ERA in 6 starts
May: 2.45 ERA in 5 starts
June: 5.91 ERA in 6 starts
So far in July, he has a 1.29 in one start. Let’s hope the pattern continues for the rest of the month.
Ryan O’Hearn
Ryan O’Hearn continues to make the most of his opportunity while Ryan Mountcastle remains in Norfolk, trying to find his swing again after a bout with vertigo. The Kansas City Royals castoff, widely panned as an addition by the fan base this offseason, posted a .368/.458/.632 line this week, with two doubles, a homer, seven driven in, three walks and a stolen base, good for a team-best 189 wRC+. All of that damage was done against the Yankees, against whom he went 7-for-16.
For the season, O’Hearn boasts a 144 wRC+ (.308/.357/.538, 9 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI) in 143 plate appearances. That wRC+ leads the team, though it’s just about half of a full-time load at this point in the year. At the very least, O’Hearn has earned himself a steady platoon role against right-handed pitching when (if?) Mountcastle returns.
Jordan Westburg
Jordan Westburg was third on the team in wRC+ (145) this week, behind O’Hearn and Anthony Santander, but had more RBI (4-0) and runs scored (5-0) than Tony, so we give the nod to the rookie. Westy hit .278/.381/.500, going 5-for-18 with two doubles and a triple, walking twice and not striking out at all.
Westburg is now batting .323/.417/.484 with six RBI, four walks, and a crucial game-winning HBP (Sunday against the Twins) since being called up two weeks ago, a time during which he also leads the O’s in wRC+ (155) and fWAR (0.5).
Way to be, Rook!
Honorable Mentions
Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Anthony Santander, Adley Rutschman, Kyle Bradish
Three Down
Cedric Mullins
It’s been tough sledding for Cedric Mullins since returning from the IL on June 24. Pitchers have indeed been able to escape him, as he’s batting just .182/.288/.250 (56 wRC+) without a home run, and, until the other night, with nary even a single extra-base hit.
However, Mullins was 3-for-8 with three doubles over the final two games in the Bronx, so is hopefully showing positive signs of regaining his stroke.
Danny Coulombe
A pleasant surprise all season, Danny Coulombe unfortunately had a large hand in the aforementioned fourth straight loss. On Tuesday night, he entered in relief of Yennier Cano in a tie ballgame. Facing lefty Anthony Rizzo (because Brandon Hyde remains a slave to L-L R-R matchups, regardless of a player’s individual splits), Coulombe allowed a single. Harrison Bader then came up and launched the decisive three-run home run.
In his other appearance this week, Coulombe pitched a clean inning. He still has a 2.79 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, and look at those Statcast numbers (!!!), so no real worries going forward. Give up an Earl Weaver Special in the eighth inning of a tie game though? You’re down.
Nick Vespi
There is a spot for Nick Vespi on this roster, should he choose to seize it. With Cionel Perez continuing to struggle, Vespi, who is absolutely lights out in AAA, is the natural candidate to replace him. The results at the MLB level just haven’t quite materialized yet.
In three appearances spanning 5.2 IP, Vespi allowed eight baserunners (7 H, 1 BB) and three earned runs, including a solo home run.
Now, there are some caveats here. Two of his earned runs ended up scoring with Bryan Baker on the hill, and one of those runners had been intentionally walked. Additionally, Vespi did strike out six batters in those 5.2 innings. But his ERA is still 4.76, and last year it was 4.10 in 26.1 IP. That’s not going to earn you anything more than a mop-up spot in 2023 bullpens.
I like Nick Vespi and want him to solidify a role in the Birds’ pen. Here’s to it clicking for him soon.
And here’s to the offensive onslaught continuing through a successful weekend in Minneapolis!
