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Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (pictured) was on his way to his second strong performance in a row when he grabbed at his side and exited Sunday's game with a right oblique strain. That's very bad news for a team that already has called on four Triple-A starters to fill in the fifth slot in the rotation and replace injured Miguel Gonzalez. It was a tough week already, after so-so outings by Jason Hammel, Freddy Garcia and Steve Johnson, and that was reflected in the combined numbers. The rotation posted a 2-2 record with a 6.03 ERA and averaged just five innings per start. Even though the team managed to go 4-2 in those games, this is starting to get scary.
Grade: D (Hannah Foslien / Getty Images /May 12, 2013)
Dan Connolly reported that the O’s are considering adding a corner infield bat, potentially instead of dealing for a starting pitcher. Connolly named San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco and Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair as potential targets.
The Orioles sit just a half game behind both the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels in the wild-card standings. But they could use reinforcements both in the lineup and in the rotation.
The O’s rank 26th in the majors in batting average and on-base percentage, but they also hold the same ranking in quality starts. Adding to the pitching woes, they lost Jason Hammel, their ace, for several weeks after he opted to undergo surgery on his right knee last week.
The corner infield has its issues, too. Specifically, Connolly cited Mark Reynolds, currently batting .209, as the possible target for replacement.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter cautioned that sometimes, an organization could benefit more from not making any moves at all.
So what’s the best move for the O’s?
