BALTIMORE — Brandon Hyde said he doesn’t have words of wisdom for young players making their major league debuts.
Instead, the Orioles manager wants to be “relaxed,” hoping that energy rubs off on the player achieving a lifelong goal.
Either that strategy worked Monday, or Jordan Westburg, who brings a consistent and even-keeled reputation to Baltimore along with his talent as a top 100 prospect, didn’t need to be calmed down, as the 24-year-old looked plenty relaxed in his debut Monday.
Westburg did a little bit of everything to help lead the Orioles to a 10-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in a game twice delayed because of rain.
After a loud ovation and a “Westy” chant, he walked in his first plate appearance to spark a two-out rally. He drove in his first run on a ground out in his second at-bat. In his third, he recorded his first MLB hit — a bloop single to left field. On the bases, he was caught stealing, and in the field, he made the defensive play of the game with a slick glove flip at second base.
The Orioles put up crooked numbers in the second, third, five and seventh innings behind a lineup that tallied 12 hits and eight walks. All nine batters reached base, with Austin Hays, Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Ramón Urías tallying two hits apiece. Hays, Rutschman, Urías, Westburg and Cedric Mullins all recorded at least one RBI.
Left-handers Cole Irvin and Bruce Zimmermann — the former pitching between the two rain delays that totaled 1 hour, 59 minutes, the latter after — combined for a quality start, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks across six innings (three apiece).
Relievers Bryan Baker, Mike Baumann and Cionel Pérez each delivered shutout innings in relief to slam the door, ending the game at midnight — nearly five hours after the originally scheduled first pitch.
The win over the National League Central-leading and Elly De La Cruz-powered Reds (41-38) is the Orioles’ third straight. With a 48-29 record, Baltimore is a season-high 19 games over .500. The Orioles own the second-best record in the American League and are four games behind the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
Around the horn
— Hyde provided updates on several of Orioles’ players on the injured list. Catcher James McCann (left ankle sprain, 15-day IL) has started participating in baseball activities, including taking batting practice on the field before Monday’s game. Pitchers John Means (Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery recovery, 60-day IL) and Austin Voth (left elbow discomfort, 15-day IL) both played catch Monday, Voth for the first time since landing on the shelf June 14. Relievers Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation, 15-day IL) and Dillon Tate (right forearm strain, 60-day IL) are in the process of getting “further testing,” Hyde said, back in Baltimore, with the goal for Givens to play catch later this week and then restart his minor league rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A Norfolk.
— The Orioles Monday afternoon signed catcher Meibrys Viloria to a minor league contract. He will report to Sarasota to work out and begin his game progression, the team said. Viloria, 26, debuted in 2018 with Kansas City, playing parts of three seasons with the Royals. He made brief appearances in the big leagues in 2021 with the Texas Rangers and 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians. He’s a career .198 hitter across 280 plate appearances.
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