The Orioles placed first baseman Ryan Mountcastle on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 23, this evening. Baltimore brought up utility infielder Livan Soto from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The O’s also released right-hander Nick Avila, whom they’d designated for assignment last week.
Mountcastle departed last Thursday’s game with soreness in his left wrist. He sat out the final three games of Baltimore’s weekend series with the Astros. The O’s announced the injury as a sprain. Baltimore had a scheduled off day tonight. While it’s rare for a team to make an IL placement on an off day, there’s a three-day maximum for a retroactive IL stint. If the O’s had waited until tomorrow to put Mountcastle on the shelf, that would’ve delayed the retroactive start date to August 24.
That seems like an indication that it’s a minor issue. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s back when first eligible a week from now. Baltimore will likely turn to Ryan O’Hearn at first base with Eloy Jiménez at designated hitter in the interim. O’Hearn is having a strong season as the primary DH. Baltimore nevertheless brought in Jiménez in a surprising deadline swap. He has hit .304 in 18 games since the trade, yet it’s a fairly empty average. The former White Sox slugger has yet to hit a home run and drawn only a single walk in 57 plate appearances in an O’s uniform.
Mountcastle has been a good but not elite presence in the Baltimore lineup for the last four-plus years. He hit 33 homers in his first full season back in 2021. Since then, he has settled in as a 20-homer type bat. Mountcastle hits for good averages without taking many walks, generally resulting in slightly lower than average on-base marks. It has been more of the same in 2024. He’s hitting .265/.305/.425 with 13 longballs in 485 trips to the plate. Despite the decent overall production, he has been in a major slump of late. Mountcastle hit .225 with a .257 OBP and no homers this month.
Avila, 27, lost his spot on the 40-man roster when the Orioles called Cole Irvin back to the majors. Baltimore had claimed the 6’4″ reliever off release waivers from the Giants in June. Avila debuted with San Francisco earlier in the season, allowing 12 runs across 11 2/3 innings. He didn’t reach the big leagues with the Orioles. Avila was battling a shoulder injury at the time he was released by San Francisco. He didn’t return from the minor league injured list until the middle of August. He has not yet found his pre-injury form, giving up a staggering 10 runs while recording just four outs over three appearances with Triple-A Norfolk. Avila allowed just three earned runs per nine in 72 Triple-A frames last season.
Oh fiddlesticks.
Put down the crack pipe dude. Oh wait, I’m talking to myself.
“Empty average” we are jumping the shark here, do these hits not exist? I understand what the author is saying but hitting .300 is still useful.
Ryan’s job is to hit for power. Period. He’s not a table setter. He needs to be that 240 to 250 avg with 30 plus dingers guy year in and out.
When Santander leaves for that big market team deal(and he will), someone needs to step up and fill that role. Let’s go Ryan!
The .300 comment was referencing Eloy, not Ryan.
Also, Mountcastle isn’t really a 30 homerun guy. He’s done it once in the 5 years he’s been in the majors. He seems to have settled into a 20 homer ‘solid but not spectacular’ performance level (for a first baseman).
What he’s been giving the O’s, in concert with what they’ll be getting from the younger guys should get the job done, even if/when Santander leaves.
I think Mounty will absolutely hit 25 to possibly 30 hrs once he gets out of OPACY. He and the team probably would benefit from a trade this offseason:
Hey Canuck. Hope all is well.
Agree to disagree on this one. Ryan’s job is to hit dingers. IMO, the left field wall dimensions have been in his head from day one. Needs a change of scenery. And the Os FO is aware. He’s gotta go. That’s why they brought in Eloy. Unfortunately, he keeps hitting grounders. Not the answer.
Fully anticipate Os will bring in a RH power hitter this off season. And it’s a gap play until Mayo gets comfortable hitting at show level and gets reps playing 1st base.
Basallo as well.
Bassallo, indeed! Just got promoted to AAA too.
Another option here. Move Gunnar to 1st. No platooning necessary. He scares me at SS. Plays borderline out of control. His hitting trumps his fielding. Can’t hit from the IL.
Holliday to SS and Westburg at 3rd resulting in 2 more positions not needing platooning.