Baltimore’s roster shuffle kept moving Sunday, and the biggest hit was Robert landing on the 10-day injured list with left hamstring discomfort.
The move was made before the Orioles’ series finale against Boston at Camden Yards and backdated to Saturday. Robert had already been out of game action since Friday.
To fill the spot, the Orioles brought up right-hander Anthony Nunez from Triple-A Norfolk. That came after the club had already recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Norfolk and designated right-hander Albert Suárez for assignment earlier in the day.
With Boston left-hander Payton Tolle on the mound, the right-handed-hitting Hinds got the start in left field and hit sixth.
Robert’s brief run in Baltimore ended after just three games. He was claimed off outright waivers from the Mets on Monday, then went 2-for-11 with a double, a home run and three RBIs before this latest setback.
This is the second trip to the IL for Robert this season. He had previously been sidelined from April 27-July 20 because of a lumbar spine disc herniation.
If he’s not back before Sept. 27, the final day of the regular season, there’s a chance he won’t appear for the Orioles again. Baltimore holds a $20 million team option for 2027, with a $2 million buyout attached.
The Orioles entered Sunday at 69-74, riding a season-high-tying five-game losing streak and watching their postseason odds sink sharply.
Hinds, 26, may now get a look against left-handed pitching with Robert unavailable. Baltimore picked him up on Aug. 3 from the Marlins for cash considerations after acquiring him from the Reds in a May 21 trade.
His big league numbers this year have been rough. In 13 MLB games between Cincinnati and Miami, he hit .114 with three doubles and five RBIs, and he owns a .169 career average across 52 major league games. But at Triple-A Norfolk, he looked much more comfortable, batting .268 with six doubles, two homers, 14 RBIs and an .810 OPS in 19 games.
"It's been kind of crazy," Hinds said. "I'm just kind of getting in a little groove of things now.
With the Marlins, I didn't play as much. So getting over here, being able to play every day at Norfolk, it was kind of nice getting back in that groove."
In Other News...
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Orioles Fans Just Got Another Brutal Reminder About This Rebuild
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Rodriguez, once a first-round pick the Orioles hoped would help anchor the next wave, is now with the Angels after being dealt last winter for outfielder Taylor Ward. His Baltimore exit followed a frustrating run of injuries and uneven performance, which only adds to the sting when ex-Orioles keep popping up in meaningful moments elsewhere. Baltimore did at least stop the bleeding with a win the same day, ending a six-game skid, but the bigger picture for fans remains hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]