BALTIMORE—Orioles manager Brandon Hyde will wait until after Game 1 to reveal his Game 2 starter in the best-of-three Wild Card Series with the Kansas City Royals.
“I’m nowhere,” Hyde joked when asked where he was on his decision. He said he would announce the Game 2 starter after Tuesday’s first game.
The Orioles, who have 12 pitchers and 14 position players on the roster for the Wild Card Series, decided to go with Colin Selby, who threw just four scoreless innings in three appearances, instead of Matt Bowman, who had a 3.45 ERA in 15 2/3 innings and had been with team since August 22nd.
“We just felt Selby in the couple of games he’s thrown for us has shown really, really good stuff,” Hyde said. “From a matchup standpoint, we wanted an extra right-hander. He’s got a 97-mph fastball with a really good slider, so we’re excited to add him.”
Since Kansas City is starting left-hander Cole Ragans in Game 1 on Tuesday afternoon, James McCann will be the starting catcher for Corbin Burnes. McCann didn’t play in last year’s Division Series. Adley Rutschman will be the designated hitter.
Selby, who pitched in two games for the Royals earlier this season, has limited big league experience. He’s been in 26 games with Pittsburgh, Kansas City and the Orioles.
“We love his stuff, how he’s going to react to a potential high-pressure moment, we’re not sure,” Hyde said. “We believe in the guy and we like his stuff.”
Albert Suárez, who threw six innings fin the final regular-season game on Sunday, and Bowman finished the season on the active roster but are not on the 26-man roster for the Wild Card Series. If the Orioles advance, they are expected to add Suárez for the Division Series with the Yankees.
“Everybody who wasn’t put on is definitely in consideration for the next round,” Hyde said.
Rookie left-hander Cade Povich was included on the roster.
“We’re lining up Game 2 and Game 3 kind of as we go,” Hyde said. “But Cade finished the season really well. Threw the ball great. Another great development story for us for the guy that doesn’t have a ton of upper-level experience, to go into the big leagues this year and pitch, have his ups and downs, but learned from them. Finished the season extremely strong, threw great in Minnesota, up to 96 [mph] with good secondary stuff.
“So whether he’s going to start one of these games or be in relief, he’s a guy that can give us multiple, multiple innings out of the bullpen.”
Note: Burnes was named the American League’s Pitcher of the Month for September.