Inbox: Is Rickard the answer in center field?

MINNEAPOLIS -- Greetings from Minnesota, where the Orioles have dodged some weather concerns and are in the process of wrapping up their season series with the Twins. With the regular season in full swing, it felt like a good time to crack open the inbox for the first time since Spring Training.

Does the optioning of Cedric Mullins mean Joey Rickard is the everyday center fielder? Or will the Orioles look to upgrade?
-- Adam, Pittsburgh

Even before Rickard’s fairly egregious error Friday night, club officials didn’t shy away from how thin the organization is in center behind Mullins, who played very well defensively there over the season’s first month. In their perfect world, he would’ve grabbed hold of the everyday job and that would’ve been that. But Mullins’ offensive struggles simply became too glaring; his demotion marked another example of the Orioles prioritizing a player’s development over an immediate team need.

That need, though, still exists. Though Rickard’s defense is probably underrated (he was worth as many as three Outs Above Average, per Statcast, in center as recently as 2017), he’s never fit the profile of an everyday center fielder. Austin Hays played some center in spring, but is probably better suited for a corner -- and is still hurt, anyway. Mason Williams would be a short-term option but isn’t on the 40-man. After spending so much time this spring testing Drew Jackson in center, the club took the Rule 5 pick off the roster to make room for Dan Straily.

That leaves their current depth consisting of Stevie Wilkerson, who made his professional debut at the position last week, and Ryan McKenna … and that’s about it. It sounds like that’s how it’ll stay for now, with the hope that Mullins can turn it around at Triple-A Norfolk and return soon.

Any chance Tanner Scott gets a look in the closer role?
-- Max, Toronto

He’ll have to prove he can throw strikes more consistently, first and foremost. But the talent and profile are obviously there.

The Orioles were ultra-impressed with Scott’s two-inning, five-strikeout performance last weekend against the Twins, in what was really the new regime’s first real taste of how electric he can be. Of course, Scott followed that outing by allowing four runs over two-thirds of an inning in his next outing, and needing 30 pitches to record two outs. He’s striking out almost two batters per inning in a small sample, but also issuing 7.1 walks per nine innings -- up from his problematic 4.7 BB/9 rate from 2018.

He’s going to need to lower those numbers before the Orioles start thinking about any sort of defined role. Until then, they rather him focus on throwing strikes and letting his wipeout stuff play.

How is Chance Sisco coming along? What is his expected return?
-- Mark O., Titusville, Fla.

Sisco got off to a very slow start after a white-hot spring, where he was one of the last cuts from Orioles camp. He’s hitting .190 without a home run over 16 games so far at Norfolk, where he’s catching everyday. Sisco has thrown out just two of 13 attempted basestealers (15 percent), well below the 31 percent mark he posted over 55 games in Baltimore last season. Technically, he's probably just one injury away from being summoned back. But the Orioles sent him down for development purposes and would prefer he fulfill those goals before asking him to perform at the Major League level. That way, when he does return to Baltimore, he's there to stay.