The Orioles must make a roster move to create space for right-hander Alex Cobb before Saturday’s matinee at Fenway Park, and there’s no clear way the team is leaning.
They played with a short bench for four days last week when they added an extra reliever, but returned to a full bench when they recalled utility man Engelb Vielma on Wednesday and optioned right-hander Hunter Harvey to Bowie.
Having that bench player might be a luxury, and it seemed the Orioles would most likely send Vielma back to Triple-A Norfolk — that is, until Friday’s game when second baseman Jonathan Schoop was removed in the eighth inning as a precaution after feeling discomfort while swinging in his final at-bat of the night.