The Orioles will have to make a decision on Triple-A outfielder Nate McLouth by Friday due to an escape clause in his contract, Roch Kubatko of MASN reported Tuesday.
McLouth was brutal in his return to Pittsburgh this season, posting a .385 OPS (10 OPS+) in 62 plate appearances. He latched on with the Orioles' minor league squad on June 5 and has shown moderate signs of life with Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .247/.322/.466 with 10 homers in 46 games.
The Orioles are set in center field and right field with Adam Jones and Nick Markakis respectively, but since Nolan Reimold's injury there hasn't been a solid solution in left. Lew Ford's out-of-nowhere comeback after five years out of the major league's is the latest attempt to fix the problem after players like Steve Tolleson, Endy Chavez, Steve Pearce and Xavier Avery failed.
Ford is 0-for-7 in his first two games as an Oriole and will likely have to show some life by Friday to keep the Orioles from at least giving McLouth a shot. McLouth would mark the seventh left fielder used by the Orioles this season if he gets the call.
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