Ryan Mountcastle is trying to make up for lost time, and the Baltimore Orioles will take it.
They’ll try to ride whatever offense they can muster on Saturday night in the middle game of a three-game series with the visiting Athletics.
Mountcastle came off a rehabilitation assignment following a hamstring strain and homered Friday night in his first game in the major leagues since May 30.
With Mountcastle’s help, the Orioles won 3-2 despite posting only three hits. Two of those were home runs by Adley Rutschman and Mountcastle.
“It feels like we stole one … the way that thing was kind of going,” Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
But Mountcastle continued a trend that had developed during the past couple of weeks. He homered three times across nine Triple-A games during his rehab stint.
“I just did whatever felt comfortable and yeah, I felt good down there,” he said. “I felt like I was seeing the ball well and brought it in (to Baltimore).”
With Mountcastle missing so much time this season, the Orioles never filled the void in the lineup. He had become a crucial part of the offensive production, despite not putting up the big power numbers he did in the past.
He hit 33 home runs in 2021 and 22 the following season but hasn’t eclipsed 18 since.
“He has not done that probably at the rate he’d like here the last couple years,” Mansolino said of the first baseman’s contributions. “But I do know that there are some swing adjustments while he was on the IL, and I have a really good feeling about him these last couple months.”
The Orioles need any boost they can find. Outfielder Dylan Carlson is in an 0-for-31 slide, and his most recent hit came June 27.
Mountcastle’s arrival along with the recall of outfielder Jordyn Adams coincided with outfielders Colton Cowser (concussion list) and Tyler O’Neill (injured list) going off the active roster.
The Athletics need to provide better support for pitchers, manager Mark Kotsay said after a solid start from J.T. Ginn on Friday. He gave up three runs on three hits and two walks and struck out nine in five innings.
“Our offense just couldn’t help him out,” Kotsay said.
Right-hander Brandon Young (0-5, 5.88 ERA) will be on the mound Saturday for the Orioles, still looking for his first major league win. He hasn’t earned a decision in his past two games, giving up two runs in six innings against Toronto on July 29 and going 4 2/3 innings while allowing two unearned runs Sunday on the road against the Chicago Cubs as the Orioles lost 5-3.
This will be Young’s 10th start of the season, with the Orioles 2-7 in games the rookie has pitched.
Another rookie, right-hander Jack Perkins (0-2, 3.97 ERA), is the listed starter for the A’s. He has been used in relief in eight of his nine appearances, with three-inning efforts marking his longest stints. He yielded season highs for runs (four) and walks (three) across three innings Sunday in a 6-4 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Perkins also has yet to have an MLB win, though he does have three saves.
“For Perk, it’s another young guy who’s going out there,” Kotsay said. “He’ll be limited on the pitch count probably in the 80s. For him to go out and have a good start is important.”
Former Baltimore standout Adam Jones, a five-time All-Star, will be among those inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
–Field Level Media
