Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Showing solid plate discipline
Rotowire
McKenna is just 3-for-14 through six Grapefruit League games, but he's also drawn four walks and added one stolen base on two attempts.
McKenna's unlikely to earn anything more than a bench role to begin 2023. The improved plate discipline should help -- he drew just 11 walks in 172 plate appearances last season, a 6.6 percent rate. McKenna's place in the Orioles' plans for this year likely depends on whether the team wants to open with four or five outfielders. Kyle Stowers is hitting .333 (5-for-15) with four walks across six games this spring and could have the edge over McKenna if the team goes with four outfielders, though it's also possible Stowers slots in at designated hitter frequently. McKenna's solid defense and speed arguably make him more suited to serve as a late-game replacement.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Productive out of leadoff spot
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McKenna went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk in Wednesday's 3-1 loss against the Red Sox.
After receiving just one plate appearance in the last seven games for Baltimore, McKenna got the start out of the leadoff spot and made the most out it. He reached base safely in all three of his at-bats, recording his first multi-hit game since Aug. 15. McKenna still figures to be the fourth outfielder on the depth chart, so it's not likely he produces much for fantasy purposes to close the season.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Heads to bench
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McKenna is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs.
McKenna was included in the lineup in each of the last three games, picking up starts at all three outfield spots while going 4-for-10 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI and a run. He'll likely continue to pick up starts against left-handed pitching while he's on the roster, but McKenna won't have a direct path to regular playing time versus right-handed pitching while all of Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, Anthony Santander and Terrin Vavra are available.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Doubles twice Monday
Rotowire
McKenna went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 7-3 win over the Blue Jays.
McKenna has found a bit of a groove in August, going 8-for-21 (.381) with a home run, three doubles, four RBI and three runs scored. The 25-year-old outfielder is up to a .271/.320/.398 slash line with two homers, 10 RBI, 20 runs and two steals through 130 plate appearances . He's started in center field and batted leadoff against the last three southpaws the Orioles have faced, so it appears McKenna could be starting to take a little bit of playing time away from Cedric Mullins. Perhaps it's not a strict platoon situation, but it's a way for manager Brandon Hyde to get McKenna's bat in the lineup while he's hot.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Tallies second homer
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McKenna went 1-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run Wednesday against the Rangers.
McKenna picked up his fourth start in 13 games since the All-Star break and took Martin Perez deep to tally his second homer of the season. McKenna had the opportunity to join the starting lineup with Austin Hays (side) sidelined, though the addition of Brett Phillips could bury McKenna further on the depth chart. Across 115 plate appearances this season, McKenna has maintained a .250/.307/.365 line.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Hits first homer
Rotowire
McKenna went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, a walk, three runs and a stolen base in Tuesday's extra-inning victory over the Rangers.
McKenna picked an ideal time to launch his first home run of the season, as his eighth-inning solo shot put Baltimore ahead 8-7, though Texas quickly retook the lead in the following frame. The 25-year-old continues to see occasional starts as the Orioles' No. 4 outfielder, though he could see an uptick in playing time if Austin Hays (wrist) requires a stint on the injured list.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Notches steal as pinch runner
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McKenna stole a base as a pinch runner in Friday's 1-0 win over the Rays.
McKenna ran for Anthony Santander in the ninth inning, and the former stole his first bag of the season. After going 2-for-14 (.143) while starting three times in Toronto, McKenna is expected to resume a bench role with the Orioles back stateside. He's slashing .238/.300/.317 with four RBI, eight runs scored and five doubles across 70 plate appearances as a reserve outfielder this year.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Nabs third consecutive start
Rotowire
McKenna will start in left field and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Blue Jays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Despite going hitless in eight at-bats while starting in both of the past two contests, McKenna will get the starting nod in the corner outfield over rookie Kyle Stowers in the series finale. Stowers is likely to head back to Triple-A Norfolk once Anthony Santander (personal) returns from the restricted list this weekend, at which point McKenna will presumably move back into a fourth-outfielder role.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: On base three times Sunday
Rotowire
McKenna went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Guardians.
McKenna made a rare start in center field and made the most of the opportunity, accounting for half of the Orioles' hits Sunday. While he rarely sees more than a start or two each week, the 25-year-old outfielder has posted a respectable .255/.333/.340 slash line in 54 plate appearances. He's added three RBI, six runs scored and four doubles, but he's yet to hit a home run or steal a base in 2022.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Sits in fourth straight
Rotowire
McKenna remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.
After a recent stretch of five starts in the Baltimore outfield over six games, McKenna finds himself on the bench for the fourth straight contest. With Ryan Mountcastle returning from the 10-day injured list over the weekend, the Orioles have all their key position players available, so McKenna is likely to receive limited at-bats moving forward.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Gets fourth straight start
Rotowire
McKenna will start in right field and bat ninth in Tuesday's game against the Yankees, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
McKenna will be making his fourth start in a row out of the outfield, but his time as an everyday player could end by the weekend, when Ryan Mountcastle (wrist) is expected to return from the 10-day injured list. Even if Mountcastle takes longer than anticipated to make it back from the IL, McKenna could still find himself pushed into a utility role in favor of Tyler Nevin, who has been seeing most of his time in the infield of late while Ramon Urias (abdomen) and Jorge Mateo (shoulder) have nursed minor injuries.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Recalled by Orioles
Rotowire
McKenna was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday.
McKenna was sent down by the Orioles at the beginning of May, but he'll rejoin the major-league club to provide outfield depth. Over 18 big-league games this year, he's hit .263 with two doubles, four runs and two RBI.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Heading to Triple-A
Rotowire
McKenna was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
McKenna served as outfield depth for Baltimore early in the year, and he went 5-for-19 with two doubles, four runs and two RBI over 17 games. The 25-year-old will report to the minors since the Orioles need to trim their active roster to 26 players by Monday, but he'll be a strong candidate to rejoin the big-league club at some point if the team's outfielders deal with injuries.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: On base three times
Rotowire
McKenna went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a walk in Thursday's 10-5 loss to the Yankees.
McKenna has served as a bench player for much of the season, often entering as a pinch hitter or defensive replacement. Thursday was his first multi-hit game. The outfielder is slashing .250/.350/.375 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and four runs scored across 20 plate appearances. He's unlikely to displace any of Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins or Anthony Santander from a starting role.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Claims Opening Day roster spot
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Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed Wednesday that McKenna will be included on the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.
He'll be one of two utility players on the 28-man active roster, as non-roster invitee Chris Owings was also informed that he's made the team. Baltimore is expected to have all of its top position players available for the start of the season, so McKenna likely won't pick up many starts in April and could see most of his opportunities as a pinch-hitter or late-inning defensive replacement.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Sitting Sunday
Rotowire
McKenna is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.
Tyler Nevin starts in left field while McKenna sits on the final day of the regular season. 2021 was a tough year for McKenna, who hit .183 in 169 at-bats.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Remains on bench
Rotowire
McKenna will sit Friday against the Blue Jays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
McKenna had been seemingly moving into an everyday role, starting seven straight games, but he posted a modest .636 OPS over that stretch while striking out 41.4 percent of the time. He'll now hit the bench for the second straight game, with Tyler Nevin again starting in left field.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Takes seat Thursday
Rotowire
McKenna isn't starting Thursday's game against the Red Sox.
McKenna went 1-for-9 with an RBI, three walks and four strikeouts across the last three games and will get a day off Thursday. Tyler Nevin will start in left field and bat seventh.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Filling everyday role
Rotowire
McKenna will start in left field and bat sixth Wednesday against the Red Sox.
Though he's submitted a lowly .520 OPS since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Aug. 30, McKenna looks like he'll fill an everyday role in the outfield for the rest of the season with Anthony Santander (knee) on the shelf. McKenna will stick in the lineup Wednesday for the seventh game in a row.
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Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Struggling in September
Rotowire
McKenna has gone 9-for-49 (.184) through 19 games in September.
In that span, he's posted an ugly 5:24 BB:K. McKenna has been little more than a fourth outfielder for Baltimore when on the big-league roster. He's slashing a meager .191/.302/.280 with two home runs, 12 RBI, 19 runs scored and a stolen base through 183 plate appearances.
