Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said fans are getting to see the true Cedric Mullins this season.
The center fielder is off to an All-Star start.
“For me, this is Cedric Mullins,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He drives runs in, he causes chaos on the bases. He plays a Gold Glove center field. He’s just a huge igniter for our offense.”
Mullis is slashing .259/.308/.552 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 18 games. He is also making sensational catches in the outfield, including a run-saving diving snag against the Twins on April 15 that could be the Play of the Year in MLB.
Two days later, Mullins managed the first walk-off homer of his career in a 4-2 victory that sealed a three-game sweep of Minnesota at Camden Yards.
“Definitely something that’s hard to accomplish, but wasn’t trying to do too much right there,” Mullins said. “[Ryan Mountcastle] got us going with a single and I was trying to follow it up with another single, and I was able to get a pitch that I could handle and put it over.”
Mullins was selected by the Orioles in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft and made his debut against the Red Sox three years later. He earned his first career Silver Slugger in 2021 after becoming the only player in franchise history to post 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season.
Mullins became the first Oriole to win the award since Mark Trumbo in 2016 and the third outfielder in Orioles history to win the award. He also took home the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award that season.
Mullins battled a right adductor groin strain for much of 2023, but he was still one of the Orioles’ most productive players and this could be one of his finest years as a major leaguer.
Rotation Continues To Evolve
With Tyler Wells joining Kyle Bradish and John Means on the injured list, the Orioles turned to a veteran who had not pitched in the majors since 2017 to help fill the void.
Albert Suárez, 34, responded with a dazzling performance.
Suárez held the Twins scoreless in 5.2 innings, allowing just three hits and no walks. He also struck out four of the 21 batters he faced to put the Orioles in position to win the game with Mullins’ walk-off home run.
Hyde and Suárez’s new teammates were mesmerized by the performance. Not bad for a pitcher who was signed to a minor league deal in September.
“That’s an amazing sign right there. Helped us win a Major League Baseball game and looks outstanding,” Hyde said. “To go out and find someone like that who’s [34] and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2017 and have that kind of performance, did more than we asked him to do. Think he threw 4 1/3 his last time out and he goes out and gets into the sixth inning against a Major League Baseball team, just a credit to everybody there, especially him.”
Reinforcements are on the way.
Bradish, who is recovering from a right UCL sprain, had a solid rehab start at Double-A Bowie on April 16, throwing three scoreless innings against Altoona. Means is also working his way with rehab assignments at Triple-A Norfolk.
In the meantime, it looks like Suárez has earned another start.
Suárez hadn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 26, 2017, when he was a member of the San Francisco Giants. He also pitched in Asia for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2019-2021) and Samsung Lions (2022-2023) before joining the Orioles. He might have found a home.
“I think I enjoyed this more than the first time I got called up,” Suárez said. “It’s amazing for me and a good feeling to be here.”
Kimbrel Off To Solid Start
There were questions about whether Craig Kimbrel could still be an effective closer for the Orioles at age 35.
He’s silenced those naysayers.
Kimbel earned his third win of the season on April 17 against the Twins after retiring the three batters he faced in the ninth inning. He had one strikeout.
Kimbrel has thrown seven consecutive scoreless appearances after allowing one run in his season debut. He has four saves out of five opportunities with a 1.13 ERA and a 0.29 WHIP. Kimbrel has 14 strikeouts and no walks and has secured his job as the closer.
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