Miguel Gonzalez's release late in spring training meant that Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright both opened the season on the major league roster, and manager Buck Showalter said the return of those two plus Odrisamer Despaigne to Triple-A Norfolk gives the team "some experienced depth down there that we didn't have before."
"We just have some good options down there now," Showalter said. "One thing about having Tyler and Mike and Despaigne down there, it's something that we really didn't [have] to start the year."
Wilson pitched five perfect innings Wednesday, and Despaigne made his return to the Tides rotation Thursday after nearly two months in the Orioles bullpen. Showalter said Wilson's effort was "nice to see."
"Tyler's statistics, his ERA, is not indicative of the type of year he's had," Showalter said. "It's another example of how numbers can fool you. He seems to be able to dial up what we need. He got a little wore down that last time, and it seems like he's back. If you look at the velocities yesterday, he's getting his second wind. He's going to be a contributor, or continue to be. He's already been a difference maker for us this year."
As for Wright, who most recently struck out nine with two earned runs in eight innings on July 30, Showalter said he's "doing fine."
"Just kind of the opposite — statistically, down there, he's doing well," Showalter said.
Wright has a 2.53 ERA for the Tides this season.
Britton studies up: A day after setting a major league record for left-handers with 33 consecutive saves to start a season, Zach Britton changed his tune a bit. He has spent most of the season shrugging off his accolades, but in passing former Detroit Tigers closer Willie Hernandez, Britton savored the context of it a bit more.
"I hadn't really paid attention to it," he said. "Someone brought it up to my attention, so I thought I should probably do the research and get to know the people I'm passing on the board. Some of these guys had some great careers, and you don't take it lightly when you pass some guys who put together some pretty good careers. You just feel really fortunate. You don't take it for granted."
That deeper understanding, combined with a moment of reflection after he got home to think of how far he has come in less than three years of closing, makes Britton's accomplishments take a different perspective.
"I felt like I was kind of doing a disservice to the guys who have kind of accomplished a lot if I didn't know who I was passing," Britton said. "So, I went and looked up Willie Hernandez — I didn't know he'd won a Cy Young, an MVP, a World Series. That's a pretty good track record right there, so I felt like I needed to go and research the guys I was passing so I could get the whole feel of what it is. But I've got a long way to go. Those guys had some great careers."
Around the horn: The Orioles named infielder Aderlin Rodriguez and right-hander Ofelky Perlata the organizational Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month for July. Rodriguez, 24, also won in May. He entered Thursday batting .309/.365/.537 with 19 home runs for High-A Frederick. Peralta, 19, is 6-5 with a 4.21 ERA for Low-A Delmarva. He was 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 21 July innings. … Showalter said the best part of the team's road trip will be getting out of the August weather in Baltimore.
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