The Baltimore Orioles took steps on Friday to address their ongoing slump.
Before losing 6-4 to the visiting San Diego Padres, the Orioles pulled off two trades. They hope the newcomers can spark a turnaround on Saturday in the middle game of a three-game series.
“I think we know how good we are,” Baltimore relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel said. “We get disappointed when we’re not playing up to our expectations. And I think at times we feel that way.”
The Orioles have dropped four of their last five games. The Padres are headed in the opposite direction, carrying a six-game winning streak.
“A lot of heroes in that bullpen,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said after he used six relievers Friday night.
The Orioles, who have lost nine of their last 13 games, have another option in their bullpen after adding Seranthony Dominguez in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. Dominguez, acquired along with outfielder Cristian Pache in exchange for outfielder Austin Hays, pitched a scoreless eighth inning just hours after arriving.
Baltimore trailed 4-2 when Dominguez entered the contest.
“Kind of wanted to get his feet wet in a lower-pressure situation,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “He arrived here at about 5 o’clock. … If he went in the game tonight, it was going to be, I didn’t want to put him in a real tough spot.”
In a separate trade, Baltimore picked up starting pitcher Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for three minor leaguers. Eflin likely will make his Orioles debut next week.
“We’re trying to push through this and we’re kind of open to anybody and everybody that can help us,” Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg said. “We know how we’re playing right now. We know it’s not the way we’re capable of playing.”
The Padres are showing their capabilities at the moment. Jurickson Profar smacked a pair of two-run homers on Friday, including a tiebreaking smash off Kimbrel in the ninth inning.
Kimbrel has allowed a total of five runs in the ninth innings of consecutive games, though the Orioles recovered to win in 10 innings on Thursday at Miami.
“The last two games I haven’t gone out there and done my job,” Kimbrel said. “I’ve let the team down and I’m really disappointed in that.”
There is a similarity in records going into the Saturday game. The Padres are 30-22 on the road, while the Orioles are 30-23 at home. Baltimore must win the next two games in order to avoid losing a third straight home series dating back to before the All-Star break.
Padres right-hander Michael King (8-6, 3.28 ERA) gets the ball on Saturday after winning three of his past four starts. He held the Cleveland Guardians to one run on two hits in seven innings on Sunday.
King is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 13 career appearances, but just one start, against Baltimore.
The Orioles will go with right-hander Dean Kremer (4-6, 4.43), who is 0-2 across his past three starts. He has allowed a total of four home runs in those games.
Kremer is 1-4 with a 5.58 ERA in six starts against National League opponents this year. He lost in his lone career outing against the Padres, giving up three runs in six innings last August.
–Field Level Media
