Orioles Shifting Roles All Over The Infield

The loss of first baseman Trey Mancini at the trade deadline is having a ripple effect across the rest of the Baltimore Orioles lineup. According to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, the O's are shuffling their player positions around a bit, right across the diamond.

Manager Brandon Hyde says that right fielder Anthony Santander has been getting in some reps at first base, and it's possible he could make some appearances there down the stretch.

Asked what Trey Mancini has meant to him and the Orioles, Anthony Santander grabbed a signed Mancini jersey out of his locker and gave it a hug.
— Nathan Ruiz (@NathanSRuiz) August 1, 2022

“I think the more positions you can play for your own personal career, the better it is, Hyde told MASN. "And so for Tony to be able to play first base, I think that’s something he could possibly do down the road. It’s very, very natural. He’s done in in the minors. He did it with Cleveland in the minor leagues, so it’s not something that’s brand new to him. It’s just a little bit of a refresher right now, but we’d like to keep that as an option.”

At second base, the O's need to get a long look at prospect Terrin Vavra, who hit .312 in the minors this year, with an .870 OPS. That means that Rougned Odor will have to head to the hot corner, something he's brazenly not fond of.

"Uncomfortable," was the term he used to describe his time at 3B with the New York Yankees last season.

Despite the .193 average, and equally untenable .622 OPS, Hyde wants to keep Odor in the lineup, so third base it will have to be. It doesn't mean that the fans have to agree, though.

Stowers and Henderson bat lefty. When Odor was asked early in the season how he felt playing third base last year, his response? "Uncomfortable."

So sure, let's keep the guy's bat, who can't hit, in the lineup by playing him at third base, where he's admittedly Uncomfortable.
— Paul Valle III (@PaulValleIII) August 6, 2022