May 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detail view of a Baltimore Orioles hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports The Baltimore Orioles, trying to get back into rhythm, will look to a newcomer for help.
Right-hander Chayce McDermott will make his major league debut as a starting pitcher Wednesday night when the Orioles face the host Miami Marlins.
“We have a lot of things to figure out at this point,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said of the impending roster move.
The Marlins won 6-3 on Tuesday in the first game of the three-game series.
“We just didn’t play well,” Hyde said. “We haven’t played our best baseball in a while. … We’ve got to play better.”
The Orioles are 3-7 in their last 10 games, including a 2-2 mark since the All-Star break.
“I liken it to baseball doing its job,” Baltimore center fielder Cedric Mullins said. “There’s always going to be times when you’re going to go through struggles, sometimes all at once. The fact that you’re playing tomorrow, you have to be prepared to go all out.”
The Marlins have alternated wins and losses in their last five games since the All-Star break. Facing the Orioles is a chance for Miami to prove something.
“They walk and strike,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “When you have a team that walks and strikes, no lead is really safe.”
The Marlins are looking to race against time to make it difficult for visiting opponents. They have won back-to-back games only twice in the past month.
“We came in the second half (of the season) to prove that this is not a vacation spot,” Miami Jazz outfielder Chisholm Jr. said.
Chisholm had a splendid showing in the series opener, hitting a double, stealing two bases and recording an assist from center field.
“He can take over a game, offensively, defensively,” Schumaker said.
The Orioles are hurting in a number of ways. Second baseman Jorge Mateo was knocked out in the third inning Tuesday with a left elbow injury. He was hurt in a collision with shortstop Gunnar Henderson while chasing a grounder in the third inning.
“Right now his condition is day to day, but we don’t know how badly he’s injured,” Hyde said of Mateo. “Jorge brings a lot to the team, so we hope for the best.”
Moments later, Baltimore starter Albert Suarez was hit in the right shin by a rebounder and also left the game.
Suarez said after the match: “It hurts, but the X-ray is negative, so it’s just swollen and painful, but nothing else.”
After the bullpen was forced to cover six innings Tuesday, the Orioles could use McDermott’s length. The 25-year-old went 3-5 with a 3.96 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) for Triple-A Norfolk this season. He split his playing time last year between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie.
The Marlins have right-hander Edward Cabrera (1-3, 7.36 ERA) as their starting pitcher. After two months on the injured list, he returned to the major league team on July 7 and is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts this month.
Cabrera’s only win came on April 21 away against the Chicago Cubs. He has never faced the Orioles in 51 career games (49 starts).
Miami’s relievers controlled Baltimore’s bats in the series opener, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
“We just didn’t do anything out of their bullpen, we couldn’t get any rallies,” Hyde said.
The Orioles have often been in attack mode this year against relievers, so the Marlins won the first round.
“They have good arms,” Mullins said. “Sometimes there are times when we take advantage of that.”
–Field level media
