Top Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo will be out of the Norfolk Tides lineup for several weeks after crashing into the third base dugout at Lehigh Valley’s Coca Cola Park on Thursday and fracturing a rib.
Mayo has been one of the most dynamic players in the Tides’ lineup and has been mentioned in rumors about possible deals to help the major league club address issues in both the outfield and bullpen. The injury likely will quiet any speculation about his future until he’s back in action and the O’s are much closer to the midseason trade deadline.
The 22-year-old infielder is slashing .291/.359/.964 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs in 172 at-bats.
In other pregame news, manager Brandon Hyde announced that Cole Irvin, who was scheduled to start in the rain-abbreviated series against the Toronto Blue Jays, will temporarily move to the bullpen. Left-hander John Means is scheduled to pitch the opener of the three-game series against the Seattle Mariners that begins Friday night at Oriole Park.
With right-hander Grayson Rodriguez getting closer to a return from the injured list, it is becoming increasingly likely that Hyde will eventually go with a six-man rotation, though he indicated Friday that veteran ace Corbin Burnes’ starts have already been mapped out and that the rest of the rotation will be built around his schedule.