Orioles’ Craig Kimbrel blows 2nd save in 3 days, exits with upper-back tightness in 7-6 loss to Athletics

Félix Bautista never blew a save in consecutive appearances in his seven months as the Orioles’ closer.

Craig Kimbrel has now done so in his first month filling in for the injured Bautista.

After a stellar start to his Orioles career, Kimbrel on Sunday blew his second save in three days against the Oakland Athletics in Baltimore’s 7-6 loss. Entering with a one-run lead, Kimbrel walked the leadoff batter and allowed a two-run home run to the second before being removed with what manager Brandon Hyde said after the game was upper-back tightness.

On Friday, the veteran right-hander allowed all five batters he faced to reach base, including three walks, to blow that save in an eventual extra-inning loss. Kimbrel, one of baseball’s most decorated closers with 424 career saves that rank him tied for sixth in MLB history, entered the weekend with only one run allowed in 11 innings. He exits it with three more runs allowed, four more walks and two more blown saves without retiring a single batter across his two outings.

The blown save spoiled another excellent day from the offense, as Baltimore clubbed three home runs for the second straight day to extend their MLB-best total to 44. But the bats couldn’t rally in the ninth, as Jorge Mateo, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman were set down in order for the loss.

“I think we’ve been playing pretty good baseball,” Hyde said. “We just had a couple unfortunate endings here this series. We had a chance to win all three games and move on to tomorrow.”

It’s unclear how severe Kimbrel’s injury is. Hyde said he was being evaluated by the club’s medical staff. The Orioles did not make Kimbrel, who answered questions after Friday’s defeat, available to talk postgame.

After his four-pitch walk to former Orioles prospect Darell Hernaiz to open the ninth, Kimbrel awkwardly walked around the mound, causing Hyde and athletic trainer Brian Ebel to make a visit.

“The way he was walking around just didn’t look right,” Hyde said. “We wanted to make sure he’s OK.”

Hyde said Kimbrel indicated that he was OK and able to remain in the game after throwing a warmup pitch. In fact, Kimbrel’s average fastball velocity Sunday was 1.1 mph harder than his season average. He stayed in to face No. 9 hitter Kyle McCann, who deposited the ninth pitch of at-bat — all fastballs, and this one right down the middle — 388 feet into the right field bleachers.

“He threw a pitch and it looked good and felt right,” Hyde said. “Kind of just trust the player at that point when he said he’s good to go.”

Catcher Adley Rutschman expressed a similar sentiment as Hyde when asked if he noticed something was wrong with Kimbrel early in his outing.

“He obviously has a lot of experience, and I trust him,” Rutschman said. “I know that he knows his body better than anybody else.”

Rutschman said Kimbrel is a “phenomenal pitcher” who is going to “bounce back” from his recent struggles.

“I think we trust our pitching staff,” Rutschman said. “There’s going to be ups and downs. I don’t think anyone is worried.”

Baltimore is 17-10 and one game back of the New York Yankees for first in the American League East. The Orioles welcome the Yankees to Camden Yards this week for their first series — a four-game set — against each other this season.

Home run parade

Baltimore’s long ball barrage continued during Sunday’s matinee as the latest proof that no area of the ballpark should be marked safe with the way the Orioles are hitting right now. Rutschman clobbered one into the bullpen. Ryan Mountcastle crushed his to straightaway center field. Ramón Urías went the other way to right-center field.

Rutschman and Mountcastle each homered in the third inning after going back-to-back in Saturday’s win. Urías’ solo shot in the fourth was the pivotal run before Kimbrel’s blown save.

Through the first month of the season, the Orioles lead the major leagues in home runs. No other team has more than 36. Baltimore’s total is the most in franchise history through 27 games, ahead of the 41 long balls the 2020 Orioles clubbed.

Starting pitcher Albert Suárez came back down to earth, allowing four runs in four innings after consecutive scoreless starts to begin his Orioles career.

Around the horn

• Sunday’s contest was outfield prospect Heston’ Kjerstad’s fifth back on the Orioles’ roster after being recalled Tuesday. He’s started only once and has just five plate appearances. Infielder Jordan Westburg received his second day off this season after starting the previous 16 games as he’s emerged as a valuable everyday player. Hyde, who doesn’t speak pregame on Sundays, said after the game that Westburg was unavailable — and couldn’t potentially pinch-hit for Mateo in the ninth — because of a “stomach bug.”
• Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer and Corbin Burnes will keep the rotation in order by starting the Orioles’ first three games against the Yankees this week at Camden Yards. Baltimore has yet to list Thursday’s starter for the series finale. Kyle Bradish, who is set to return soon from the injured list, and Cole Irvin, who hasn’t allowed a run in 12 1/3 innings, would both be rested enough to start that day.
• John Means needed to show in his final minor league rehabilitation start that he was ready to rejoin the Orioles’ rotation, and the veteran left-hander did just that. Means pitched seven shutout innings for Triple-A Norfolk, allowing just one hit, striking out eight, touching 93.3 mph on the radar gun and throwing 95 pitches. Means had struggled on his rehab assignment before Sunday as he ramped up after beginning his offseason throwing regimen a month late, but Sunday’s gem was an encouraging sign. He is expected to be activated off the injured list this week.
• Top prospect Jackson Holliday returned to game action for the Tides this weekend. He went 0-for-4 with a walk Saturday and 1-for-4 with a double Sunday.
• Catcher David Bañuelos, who was designated for assignment when Ryan McKenna rejoined the Orioles, cleared outright waivers Saturday and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.

This story will be updated.

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