The Orioles’ 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night marked the third straight time switch-hitting center fielder Cedric Mullins wasn’t in the starting lineup against a left-handed starter. And while Orioles manager Buck Showalter maintains he’s picking his spots with Mullins to help him through a sore hip, it’s clear those spots revolve around avoiding lefties.
After not starting against Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc — who held the Orioles scoreless for six innings — Mullins came off the bench against right-handed reliever Adam Warren and followed Renato Núñez’s game-tying leadoff homer with a pinch-hit single to help fuel a four-run inning.