The Orioles swapped young lefties on Monday, recalling No. 9 prospect Keegan Akin and optioning No. 10 prospect Zac Lowther to Triple-A Norfolk. Akin’s first appearance will mark his season debut.

The Orioles’ second-round Draft pick in 2016, Akin reached the Majors in August 2020, going 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in eight games (six starts) down the stretch last season. But the left-hander failed to win a rotation job this spring, beginning the year at the club’s alternate training site in Double-A Bowie. Akin last pitched on Friday, tossing two innings in his season debut at Norfolk.

The southpaw will pitch in long relief in the short term, O’s manager Brandon Hyde said.

“The reason was to have a fresh arm in here,” Hyde said. “He’s available for multiple innings, three, possibly four out of the bullpen if need be.”

The club’s second-round Draft pick in 2017, Lowther made his big league debut in relief on April 25, and struggled in his first Major League start Saturday, allowing seven runs over 2 1/3 innings in Baltimore’s 11-6 loss to the Red Sox. Lowther has been one of the Orioles’ most consistent performing prospects since being drafted, going 13-7 with a 2.55 ERA at Double-A Bowie in 2019.

“The ability to throw fastballs where you want to, and get in on right-handed hitters in this division, is going to be key,” Hyde said. “Before we sent him down, we talked and I told him a great example is John Means.”

More from Means
Speaking of Means, the accolades keep coming for the Orioles’ left-hander as he prepares to make his first start -- on Tuesday at Citi Field against the Mets -- since his near-perfect no-hitter at Seattle last Wednesday. Means was named American League Player of the Week on Monday, becoming the first Orioles pitcher to claim the honor since Arthur Rhodes in 1994.

“It's been crazy, but it hasn't really set in still,” Means said. “I don't think we're really going to be able to look back at this until the offseason, because I'm just so locked into this season and getting ready every five days. All that, it’s cool. It really is. But I haven't really experienced it yet, mentally or emotionally. I'm just trying to pitch against the Mets tomorrow, maybe get a hit.”

Meanwhile, more statistics that illustrate Means’ dominance keep emerging. Per Statcast: By single pitch run value, Means’ changeup is the third most effective offering in baseball this year.

The list:

1. Trevor Bauer's 4-seamer (LAD): -13
2. Carlos Rodón's 4-seamer (CWS): -11
3. Means' changeup (BAL): -9 (tied with two others)

From the trainer’s room
Hyde said he hoped to stay away from DJ Stewart after the outfielder tweaked his left hamstring in Sunday’s loss. This is a reoccurring issue for Stewart, who missed most of Spring Training nursing a left hamstring strain and opened the season on the injured list. It is unclear if the most recent tweak will require an IL stint; Stewart nonetheless did not start Monday. Rookie Ryan McKenna started in right field, batting ninth.

“He’s feeling better today,” Hyde said. “Soreness has gone down a little bit.”

From the Minor League training room
Hyde also confirmed No. 8 prospect Yusniel Diaz left Norfolk’s 9-7 loss at Jacksonville on Sunday with a thigh/upper leg injury, but that he did not know further details. A subsequent source told MLB.com the injury was in the evaluation stage, and Diaz’s status was not yet known.

Any leg issue is cause for alarm with Diaz, who has missed significant time in his career due to soft-tissue lower-half ailments. A hamstring strain was one of the reasons Diaz stalled at Double-A Bowie in 2019; he was in his sixth game at Norfolk when he was removed from Sunday’s contest, having pulled up lame into second base following an RBI double.

Roster move
The Orioles bolstered their pitching depth on Saturday by claiming left-hander Brandon Waddell off waivers from the Twins. Waddell, 26, appeared in six big league games over the past two seasons -- for the Pirates and Twins -- allowing six earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. He was immediately assigned to Norfolk.