O’s weighing workload for rookie Rogers
Starter might get shut down; Carroll back to bolster bullpen
The Orioles had deep discussions Tuesday to decide whether to shut down left-hander Josh Rogers for the season, one of several multipronged decisions not purely focused on innings totals.
Rogers, one of three pitchers acquired from the New York Yankees in the Zach Britton trade and the first pitcher acquired in the team’s bevy of deadline deals to make a major league start, is new to the organization and has made just three starts as the big league level.
Before Tuesday’s game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the club had a clear idea of which way to go with Rogers, but wouldn’t tell reporters because he wanted to tell Rogers first during batting practice.
“Regardless of what they end up being, you’re going to treat them now like they’re going to be Cy Young. You better, because you don’t know where the end game is going to be, but you’re not going to put them in harm’s way if you can,” Showalter said. “We’ve got about 23 pitchers that we have on the chart that we’re making sure — as the season went on about them potentially coming back here — to get out arms around where they are innings-wise. Actually, some people needed more innings.”
After two good starts — including a 51⁄ inning, two-run outing in Seattle last Monday — Rogers looked fatigued in his most recent performance, struggling with his command and throwing hittable pitches in the strike zone while lasting just11/3 innings and allowing six runs in a 8-3 road loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Combining starts in Triple-A and the majors, Rogers’ innings count is at 1511⁄ the most in his pro career and a significant jump from his 912⁄ innings in a 2017 season that ended prematurely because of elbow surgery.
Rogers, who has made 27 starts this season, including a strong 3.54 ERA in 24 Triple-A starts, can take a lot from this season.
“I was supposed to be in Trenton in Double-A,” Rogers said Sunday. “I was going to be the fifth starter in Trenton. And I just kind of got lucky. It kind of worked out.” Carroll returns after brief minors stint: Right-hander Cody Carroll, another pitcher acquired in the Britton deal, was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to add more bullpen depth.
Carroll spent most of August with the big league club before he was optioned back to Norfolk late in the month, and his 7.00 ERA over nine relief innings is a product of three rocky outings. But he has a big arm with a fastball that averaged 96.6 mph and held opposing hitters to a .161 batting average. The key is getting his slider to play better at the major league level.
Carroll said his brief time back in Norfolk — he didn’t allow a runner in his past two Triple-A outings over two innings — allowed him to get back to what made him successful.
“I think I was able to kind of get back to myself,” Carroll said. Cashner maintaining as he reaches 28-start mark: Right-hander Andrew Cashner spares little when it comes to helping him get through a major league season. Hehadapressure-point injection in his neck during the All-Star break that he described as a way to help his body, and goes to many other lengths to preserve his frame over a physically demanding 162-game season.
“I do a lot,” said Cashner, who turned 32 on Tuesday. “You’ve got to use whatever remedy it calls for. I have a good team of people whohelp take care of me and I don’t think I’d be this far in my career without those people.
“I think the biggest thing is the maintenance off the field, whether it’s stretching, whether it’s massage work, whether it’s yoga, whether its dry needling, whether it’s the chiropractor, but I have a pretty busy schedule trying to fit everybody in, but also I think it’s a test to posting.”
Cashner will make his 28th start of the year Wednesday against Oakland, which will match last year’s total with the Texas Rangers and is the most since he made 31 in 2015. Around the horn: The Orioles activated catcher Andrew Susac from the restricted list Tuesday and also transferred outfielder-designated hitter Mark Trumbo and right-hander Pedro Araujo to the 60-day disabled list. … Reliever Richard Bleier, who is recovering from season-ending lat surgery, visited the team Tuesday.