Orioles send Kevin Gausman to Triple-A; will call him back up next week - MLB

UPDATE: According to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed this morning that the plan is for Gausman to return next Friday.

10:45 a.m. ET: The Orioles made a surprising move after last night’s walk-off loss to the Yankees, as they optioned right-hander Kevin Gausman down to Triple-A Norfolk. Brad Brach has been called up from the minors to add some depth to the bullpen.

While the decision looks like a head-scratcher on the surface, there is some logic behind it, as the Orioles can bring Gausman back to the majors to start in a doubleheader against the Rays next Friday. Unless there’s an injury, usually players who are optioned must spend 10 days in the minors before they are eligible to be called back up. However, that’s not the case if the player is the designated “26th man” for a doubleheader. It appears that the Orioles will go that route with Gausman.

The 23-year-old Gausman has been the Orioles’ best starter of late, allowing just two runs in 19 innings across three outings.

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PITTSBURGH — The New York Mets will have to dig out of an early-season hole without star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The leading home run hitter in the majors will miss three-to-four weeks with a bone bruise and a sprain in his left wrist.

The Mets placed Alonso on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 8. Alonso was hit in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball from Charlie Morton in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Alonso traveled to New York for testing on Thursday. X-rays revealed no broken bones, but the Mets will be missing one of the premier power hitters in the game as they try to work their way back into contention in the NL East.

“We got better news than it could have been,” New York manager Buck Showalter said. “So we take that as a positive. It could have been worse.”

New York had lost six straight heading into a three-game series at Pittsburgh that began Friday. Mark Canha started at first for the Mets in the opener. Mark Vientos could also be an option, though Showalter said the coaching staff may have to use its “imagination” in thinking of ways to get by without Alonso.

“I’m not going to say someone has to step up and all that stuff,” Showalter said. “You’ve just got to be who you are.”

Even with Alonso in the lineup, the Mets have struggled to score consistently. New York is 16th in the majors in runs scored.

The team also said Friday that reliever Edwin Uceta had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Uceta initially went on the IL in April with what the team called a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be out for at least an additional eight weeks.

New York recalled infielder Luis Guillorme and left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets sent catcher Tomás Nido to Triple-A and designated reliever Stephen Nogosek for assignment.

Nogosek is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 games this season.