Hays (rib fracture) on IL; Means returns

A series of unfortunate events, stretched out over a week, has sidelined the Orioles’ young center fielder. Baltimore placed Austin Hays on the injured list before Saturday's tilt with the Nationals with a non-displaced rib fracture, recalling outfielder Cedric Mullins from their alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Hays’ injury traces back to Aug. 6, when he was plunked in the left rib cage by a sixth-inning 95.8 mph fastball from Marlins rookie Jorge Guzman. Initial X-rays were negative, and Hays started each of Baltimore’s next seven games. But he aggravated the area making a defensive play at the wall earlier this week in Philadelphia, and he complained of soreness after Friday’s 15-3 loss to the Nationals. Subsequent testing revealed the minor fracture.

Manager Brandon Hyde said on Saturday that he expects Hays to miss only the minimum 10 days with the issue. The 25-year-old has gotten off to a slow start offensively this year, hitting .203 with one homer -- a 10th-inning inside-the-parker in Philadelphia on Tuesday -- and a .519 OPS in 19 games.

"He’s just a little bit tender in that area,” Hyde said. “It’s gotten progressively worse since he ran into the wall. Our medical people think it should be 10 days, and he should be good to go.”

Consider that the best-case scenario for the Orioles and Hays, whose long injury history in the Minors includes groin, shoulder, ankle, wrist and hip issues. In the interim, Hyde said Mullins and Andrew Velazquez will split reps in center field, the daily decision coming based on matchups. Velazquez started there in the O's 7-3 win on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with an RBI triple off Patrick Corbin, a stolen base and two runs scored while batting in the No. 9 hole. Mullins entered as a pinch-runner in the seventh and remained as a defensive replacement, with Velazquez shifting to left.

Velazquez and Mullins are both switch-hitters, but of the two, Mullins is the only natural outfielder. Velazquez is a utilityman by trade, and he has played both shortstop and left field this season. Mullins made the Orioles out of Summer Camp but was demoted after going 1-for-13 in limited action to begin the year, also tallying two walks and one stolen base.

Guess who’s back?
The Orioles are getting their ace back. The club activated All-Star lefty John Means on Sunday to start its series finale against the Nationals, lining him up opposite Nats ace Max Scherzer.

It will be the first start in 12 days for Means, who had been away from the team mourning the death of his father. He missed two starts in that time, during which Thomas Eshelman (1-0, 3.65 ERA) filled in nicely. Means went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA over his first two starts of the season, both outings limited due to pitch-count restrictions.

New faces, new places
Almost a full week after claiming Jorge López off waivers from the Royals, the Orioles added the right-hander to their active roster prior to Saturday’s game. He takes the spot of Keegan Akin, who was optioned after making his MLB debut on Friday night.

López had been on the injured list while undergoing COVID-19 intake screening.

“It’s been kind of crazy,” he said.

As it stands, the Orioles view López as a bullpen longman as well as a candidate to start games down the road. The 27-year-old gave up a pair of runs on three hits and recorded a pair of outs in his only relief appearance this year for Kansas City. He amassed a 6.33 ERA across 39 appearances (18 starts) for the Royals last year. López said he was looking forward to throwing to and being reunited with Orioles catcher Pedro Severino, a former teammate of his in winter ball.

“I’m really excited to add him,” Hyde said of López. “This is a guy with starting stuff.”