Baltimore Orioles pitcher Zac Lowther looked sharp in his return to the big-league team in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Royals. Lowther pitched 6 innings, allowing one run on three hits (including a solo home run) and two walks with two strikeouts. It was the 25-year-old's first appearance with the O's since the beginning of July, as he had been working back from a left shoulder strain he sustained in Triple-A Norfolk. He now owns a 6.91 ERA over a small 14 1/3 IP sample with the O's. It remains to be seen when he will make his next appearance, but Saturday's upcoming double header against the Blue Jays at home would make sense. Either way, fantasy managers should steer clear of Lowther for now.

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles placed John Means on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder strain Sunday, a day after the team’s ace departed in the first inning after facing just five batters. Means (4-2), who pitched a no-hitter at Seattle on May 5, ranks fourth in the American League in ERA (2.28), seventh in innings pitched (71) and tied for 10th in strikeouts (69). He underwent an MRI exam Sunday morning, though the Orioles didn’t have the results when they placed the southpaw on the injured list. “We’re going to side with caution and see what the results say,” manager Brandon Hyde said. Means allowed two solo home runs while recording just two outs in Saturday’s 10-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. After yielding Eddie Rosario’s two-out single, pitching coach Chris Holt went to the mound. Hyde and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel soon followed, and Means departed. Means said he had similar experiences earlier in his major league career but had avoided shoulder fatigue... [More]