PHOENIX -- For manager Brandon Hyde, it’s important to keep an eye on the big picture during the Orioles’ rebuild.
As the O’s dropped their three-game series vs. the D-backs with a 5-2 loss in Wednesday afternoon’s finale at Chase Field, there remains the possibility that some players now on the team won’t be with the team next week. Baltimore will listen to offers for its most valuable players and potentially make moves to continue to bolster its farm system ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline.
“I’m aware of it,” Hyde said. “I know that there’s a possibility of anything happening, and I know our intentions are to get as many good players in this organization [as] we possibly can. And we have such a long road ahead of us. We have a long way to go to be competing for a division, so I know that we need players.”
Although the Orioles fell just short of winning consecutive series for the first time since they opened the season with series victories over the Yankees and Blue Jays, losses haven’t been quite as frequent as they were early in the year. Baltimore has been playing near-.500 ball over its last 21 games (10-11).
And while Hyde knows he may lose players who could help him win games now -- like veteran starter Andrew Cashner, who was traded to the Red Sox on July 13 -- he realizes it gives other players opportunities to prove themselves at the big league level.
“You put it out of your mind when the game starts, and you go play and do the best you can to compete and win,” Hyde said. “I think our guys have done a great job of doing that the last couple of weeks.”
But there still will be frustrating losses to come this season, such as Wednesday’s, when All-Star left-hander John Means lasted only 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing since going three innings in his first start of the year on April 9. Means allowed six hits and three walks while throwing 95 pitches, with all three of his runs allowed coming on a Carson Kelly home run in the fourth.
“I felt good in the beginning, then in that fourth inning, I was overthrowing pitches, I got out of my motion and just a lot that went wrong,” Means said. “I have to come back after that one and work on some things and constantly develop that motion.”
On the bright side, Means got his first Major League hit, a single in the third inning.
The Orioles mustered only two runs in six innings against D-backs starter Taylor Clarke, thanks to a pair of solo homers by Anthony Santander and Trey Mancini.
But the Orioles had chances to rally late. They left the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth, then couldn’t capitalize after leading off the ninth with back-to-back walks. The O's left 10 runners on base and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“We had so many opportunities, that’s what’s just so disappointing,” Hyde said. “You can’t win in this league if you don’t put the ball in play with runners in scoring position, and we didn’t.”
But even if they had, nothing will change the Orioles’ philosophy for this year’s Trade Deadline. It’s all about continuing their rebuilding process and attempting to set themselves up well for future seasons.
“I’ve been on a few teams that were sellers at the Deadline, so I know how it works, and it’s part of the game,” Hyde said. “I’ve been on the [buyers’] side. That’s fun. But it’s just part of it.”