Means' issue in return: 'Too many strikes'

The Orioles waited more than six weeks for John Means’ return to the mound, slow-playing his recovery from left deltoid tightness until Tuesday at Tropicana Field. They were delighted to see their ace left-hander atop the mound, healthy again and throwing more or less as he did pre-injury in terms of velocity and pitch selection. The results, however, left both Means and the Orioles -- and whoever else was watching Tuesday -- wanting more.

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Making his first start since June 5 a little more than a week before the Trade Deadline, Means bore the brunt of Baltimore’s 9-3 loss to Tampa Bay. The left-hander allowed a season-high five runs in five innings on seven hits, four for extra bases, while striking out two. The culprit was an early barrage of hard contact, notably Randy Arozarena’s solo home run in the third and Francisco Mejía’s two-run shot in the fourth.

For Means, it was the most runs he has allowed in a start since his 2020 season debut on July 30, a span of 23 starts including that game and Tuesday's outing. He was also returning from a similar injury in that outing. The loss was Means’ third straight dating back to May 29, after he opened the season undefeated over his first 10 starts.

“I was just throwing too many strikes, too many pitches over the plate,” Means said. “I thought I was attacking, and so were they. I had too many fat pitches today.”

All told, six of the first 15 balls Means allowed in play were hard-hit, eclipsing Statcast’s 95-mph exit velocity threshold. The issue wasn’t velocity; all of Means’ four pitches registered radar guns readings at or near their season averages pre-injury. But if his stuff seemed less crisp, that’s because it was. His pitch-by-pitch spin rates were down across the board, by at least 127 RPM per Statcast compared to before his injury. He did not walk a batter and struck out two, throwing 78 pitches total.

“I just thought he was rusty early, and his stuff got better as the game went on,” O’s manager Brandon Hyde said. “Tonight I was definitely going to not stretch him. I'm going to see how he feels the rest of the way. Just talk to him, communicate with him, talk to the training staff and use him as a regular starter the rest of the way, hopefully.”

Said Means: “I might attack the shoulder a little bit more in between the starts and try to keep it as loose as possible and try to work it out. But other than that, I'm just gonna get back to it.”

Meanwhile, the Orioles threatened early but couldn’t capitalize enough against Baltimore native Shane McClanahan and five Rays relievers, who worked together to extinguish rallies in the second and eighth. Tampa Bay broke things open late courtesy of a four-run eighth, highlighted by Mejía’s three-run double off Shaun Anderson. It all occurred against a historic backdrop, the game called by O’s broadcaster Melanie Newman as part of MLB’s first-ever all-women broadcast team.

Speaking after the game, Means reported no physical issues with the shoulder, which has now landed him on the injured list four times in three seasons. That’s certainly what any interested party watching Tuesday will focus on most, whether it be the Orioles or a contending team looking for pitching before the July 30 Trade Deadline. Means should get one more start before the Deadline; recent struggles aside, he profiles as one of the market’s top starters should the O’s make him available.

The extent to which they will do so remains to be seen, given general manager Mike Elias’ public proclamations of Means as a long-term piece and his team-friendly contract situation. One of baseball’s top starters and the Orioles’ first homegrown All-Star starting pitcher since Mike Mussina, Means is first-year arbitration-eligible this winter and under team control through 2024. That colors him as perhaps the club’s best trade chip to date in the Elias era, or a building block for the type of contender Baltimore hopes to grow into -- or both. The next 10 days will be telling in that regard.

Sign ‘em up
The Orioles announced during the game that they’d signed their 2021 fourth-round Draft pick, outfielder Donta’ Williams, to an undisclosed deal. Williams was the 106th overall pick, which comes with a slot value of $549,000. He becomes the club’s third draftee to sign, following first-round pick Colton Cowser ($4.9 million, slot value $6,180,700) and second-rounder Connor Norby ($1.7 million, slot value $1,813,500). An outfielder from the University of Arizona, Williams was one of six college bats Baltimore selected with its first seven picks in last week’s Draft.