KANSAS CITY – The overflow locker next to Craig Kimbrel held the usual items this morning – a suitcase, a couple of backpacks and some hoodies on hangers. Sitting on the top shelf, however, was a rarity. Maybe a first for the 15-year veteran.

A plastic container filled with uncooked rice.

This isn’t part of a special diet. The grains covered the baseball from last night’s 422^nd career save that tied Kimbrel with Billy Wagner for seventh place on the all-time list.

Left fielder Colton Cowser caught a fly ball to seal a 9-7 win and chucked it over his shoulder and into the iconic fountain at Kauffman Stadium. Or, “yeeted it,” as he sheepishly told the media afterward.

Cowser figured out his mistake almost immediately and stadium workers retrieved the soaked baseball. There were two at the bottom. The fresher one was identified as belonging to Kimbrel.

KANSAS CITY – Kyle Bradish is moving his injury rehab assignment from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk with a start this weekend in Jacksonville.

Bradish will pitch on normal rest Sunday after tossing three scoreless innings Tuesday with Bowie.

Tyler Wells made the trip west with the big club, though he’s on the injured list with inflammation in his right elbow. The Orioles seem confident that he won’t be out for long.

“It’s kind of what we thought,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “It’s some inflammation there in the soft tissue part of the elbow. He’s on the IL, obviously, but it’s pretty much along the lines of what we thought. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon.”

John Means allowed five runs and five hits in only one-third of an inning Wednesday in his fourth start with Norfolk.

The season is 18 games old and Albert Suárez has already made it back to the majors.

A fast promotion after an absence dating back to 2017.

The Orioles chose Suárez over left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, selecting his contract this morning from Triple-A Norfolk. He’s starting against the Twins, with the Orioles trying for the sweep.

“We needed a starter today and he is in line and we feel like this gives us our best chance to win against pretty much a right-handed club with some lefties sprinkled in there,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

“Loved the way Albert threw the ball in spring training for us. Pitched all the way right 'til the end until we set the roster. He had an outstanding camp. Strike-throwing ability, sits in the mid-90s, showed really good secondary stuff pitching against a lot of A lineups in spring training.”

BOWIE. Md. – Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish, who had not pitched in a game since the American League Division Series in October, took the mound beginning his minor league rehab assignment for Double-A Bowie against Altoona last night.

He said he would treat the rehab assignment like his spring training as he comes back from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that required a platelet-rich plasma injection.

Bradish’s “spring” is off to a great start.

He was dealing from his first pitch at Prince George’s Stadium. Touching 95 and 96 mph on the stadium radar gun, he allowed one line drive single and no runs in three scoreless innings. He walked no one and fanned four. He threw 44 pitches, 26 for strikes. He threw all of his pitches, getting strikeouts with three different offerings and got, by my count, 11 swinging strikes.

He looked in mid-season form.

BOWIE, Md. – It’s a significant step tonight for Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish, who finished fourth last year for the American League Cy Young Award. He is making his first start in a game in 2024 on a minor league rehab assignment outing for the Double-A Bowie Baysox against Altoona, a Pittsburgh affiliate.

And in this outing, he looked like the 2023 Kyle Bradish, the pitcher we last saw in a game in the American League Division Series in October. He pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, a single, with four strikeouts and no walks and touched 95 and 96 mph on the stadium radar gun.

Maybe even the Orioles could have not have expected much more or for Bradish to look this good, this fast. But he did.

His last start in a game was when he gave up two runs over 4 2/3 innings last Oct. 7 in Baltimore in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers.

Diagnosed in January with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Bradish had a platelet-rich plasma injection to try to get himself back into the O’s rotation.

Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish begins his injury rehab assignment Tuesday night at Double-A Bowie. The Baysox are playing the Altoona Curve, a Pirates affiliate, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

Bradish was supposed to debut last Thursday at High-A Aberdeen, but he threw live batting practice due to the inclement weather. He had a bullpen session Saturday at Camden Yards and keeps reporting positive progress.

The Bowie start will be Bradish’s first since Game 1 of the Division Series against the Rangers. He was diagnosed in January with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and received a platelet-rich plasma injection.

The Orioles want to get multiple innings out of Bradish.

“I think we’re hoping somewhere between two and three innings, in between 40-50 pitches would be ideal,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “See how he feels after every inning, but that would be best-case scenario.”

After his latest bullpen session – which came Saturday at Camden Yards – Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish is ready to begin what is essentially his spring training.

He'll pitch his first minor league rehab game this week, perhaps just an inning or two as he continues his comeback and rehab from a UCL sprain which required a plasma-rich platelet injection in January.

“Yeah I’m excited. It will be nice to face some other jerseys,” Bradish said this morning in the Baltimore clubhouse.

With lefty John Means three outings into his rehab assignment and now Bradish ready to start his, the O’s have some real quality pitching reinforcements on the way.  

“It will be nice. Kind of treating this as my spring training," Bradish said. "Just working out some different mechanical things, but it will be nice to get in a game setting." 

It’s nothing personal.

DL Hall was a popular teammate inside the Orioles clubhouse. His friends hated to see him traded, though the return softened the blow. But he came back to Baltimore wearing a different uniform and with the intent to beat them.

Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg hit home runs in the first inning. The pleasantries were over.

Gunnar Henderson delivered an RBI single in the second at 112.8 mph off the bat and Adley Rutschman homered in the third to break a tie. Hall was taking a beating. But the Brewers can dole out their own punishment, and they went hard after Dean Kremer and the bullpen.

Nothing personal.

The Orioles have activated reliever Yohan Ramírez, acquired from the Mets this week for cash considerations, and optioned Jonathan Heasley to Triple-A Norfolk. These moves were anticipated last night.

Heasley allowed six runs in two innings in an 11-1 loss. Manager Brandon Hyde said during his afternoon media session that Ramírez would be arriving within the next few days.

He’s here.

Ramírez, who is wearing No. 48, has made five career relief appearances against Milwaukee and allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Also, infielder Tony Kemp cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than an outright assignment to Norfolk.

BOSTON – The Livan Soto shell game was played again this afternoon.

The Orioles claimed Soto on waivers from the Angels Feb. 8, and the Angels claimed him 10 days later.

Soto is on the move again, going back to the Orioles today in a waiver claim. They optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk.

The utility infielder got into in 22 games with the Angels between 2022-23 and went 24-for-64 (.375) with five doubles, a triple and a home run.

Soto, 23, appeared in nine games at Triple-A Salt Lake this year and was 6-for-28 (.214). He’s a left-handed bat that arrives in Norfolk after Jackson Holliday’s promotion yesterday to the Orioles.

Kyle Bradish and Félix Bautista slipped on backpacks this morning and left the ballpark for their flights to Sarasota, where they can keep rehabbing at the complex.

Bradish threw a 35-pitch bullpen session yesterday at Camden Yards. He used all of his pitches after being limited early to his fastball following his diagnosis in January of a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

“Feels really good,” he said.

The progress is encouraging since his platelet-rich plasma injection, but there’s no timeline for his return to the active roster and rotation.

“Still day-by-day, see how everything feels, see how I’m recovering,” he said.

It has been 50 years and that is probably long enough. The 1974 season ended with the Orioles in first place winning 91 games and the AL East. They won the AL East a year earlier too with 97 victories.

And 1974 is the last time they won the AL East in back-to-back years. Now, 50 years later, can they do it again?

Three reasons they could repeat.

Star power: Led by Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson the team has a talented duo that are both not only team leaders and big talents but are MVP candidates. They are indeed that good.

For the first time since 2001, the Orioles have a pitcher in their rotation that joined them after winning a Cy Young Award with another club. This is the fifth time this has happened per Elias Sports Bureau and previously involved Pat Hentgen, Doug Drabek, Fernando Valenzuela and Rick Sutcliffe. Hentgen was most recent to do this in 2001 until now when the Birds have 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes fronting their rotation.

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Bruce Zimmermann will head to minor league spring training and jump into Triple-A Norfolk’s rotation.

The Orioles optioned Zimmermann this morning after he allowed three earned runs and 12 hits in 7 2/3 innings. His 3.52 ERA was paired with a 1.957 WHIP.

“We need rotation depth and so he’s going to be in the Norfolk rotation to start the year,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “It’s going to take more than five guys. He threw the ball well this spring, but we’re going to start the year with him in Triple-A and continue to build him up as a starter.”

Prospects Cade Povich, Chayce McDermott and Justin Armbruester are expected to join Zimmermann. Albert Suárez could occupy another spot if he doesn’t break camp with the Orioles.

Seth Johnson probably will be assigned to Double-A Bowie. He’s made only one career appearance above High-A.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Bradish has graduated from playing catch.

Bradish completed his first bullpen session earlier today, throwing only fastballs from the mound.

“Looking well,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Bradish extended his long-tossing to 140 feet as part of his progression that led to today’s bullpen work.

The Orioles remain hopeful that Bradish can avoid surgery to repair a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection in January.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Gunnar Henderson took batting practice again this morning in Sarasota and remains on track to make his 2024 spring debut in the near future.

Henderson was held back in workouts and games due to soreness in his left oblique. He made it through yesterday’s batting practice without incident.

“He did a lot of defense yesterday, also, and everything’s going great,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “It’s just a matter of getting him a little bit more on-the-field stuff, and you should see him pretty soon.”

Second baseman Connor Norby said the soreness in his left side is gone and he’s increasing baseball activities.

“Feels good,” he said. “Hitting is picking up more and more every day. My workload’s picking up more and more every day.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – An exhibition game, with results that don’t really count, meant everything to Orioles reliever Dillon Tate.

Tate was back on the mound today after a right flexor forearm strain kept him away from it last spring. He didn’t pitch for the Orioles after experiencing a setback during a rehab assignment, but is in good health again and equipped to head north with the club.

Three Detroit hitters faced Tate in the third inning. Wenceel Pérez flied to left field, Ryan Kreidler took a called third strike and Parker Meadows bounced to the mound.

“It was just good to be out with my teammates,” he said later. “It’s been a while since I competed at this level, so it felt good.”

“Felt good” also is how Tate described his stuff. “Fill up the zone” was how he approached his outing. He was equally efficient with his answers.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The 10^th day of Orioles spring training also brings the first exhibition game. Blowing past another mile marker. A home game for a team that wants to do more traveling in the playoffs after October’s brief stay in Arlington, Texas.

Corbin Burnes is the surprise starter this afternoon against the Red Sox in Sarasota. Manager Brandon Hyde explained that Burnes is lined up in camp to pitch today. And Burnes obviously had some input in it.

He wanted to ball on the stadium mound instead of a back field. And Hyde clearly has no qualms about a division opponent seeing Burnes.

Yeah, let’s do away with that concern. Teams have scouts and video, and certainly a working knowledge of an ace like Burnes. There are no secrets here.

The lineup will be posted later this morning, along with other pitchers available behind Burnes. We only know that Adley Rutschman is catching, but many of the regulars are expected to play. It’s the first game and it’s airing on MASN. Don’t hold back.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Bradish will extend his flat-ground throwing to 90 feet on Saturday in the latest tweak to his progression.

Bradish played catch Tuesday from 75 feet in the stadium outfield, with media in the press box trying to calculate the distance, and hasn’t experienced any discomfort in his right elbow.

“I feel good,” he said this morning. “No pain, no soreness when I’m throwing. Recovery has been good. So yeah, feeling pretty normal.”

Exactly what the Orioles want to hear, even a week into spring training.

Bradish became one of the bigger camp stories after his platelet-rich plasma injection last month and confirmation from executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias that last year’s Game 1 starter in the Division Series would go on the injured list.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles starter in exhibition openers usually isn’t projected to make the club, or isn’t cast as a likely inclusion in the rotation. We’re warned against reading too much into the choice.

Read plenty in Corbin Burnes.

The new ace is starting Saturday against the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. And he’s starting Opening Day against the Angels on March 28 at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde only confirmed this weekend’s assignment and offered an explanation.

“Just because it’s lining up to the beginning of the year and we’re just kind of putting guys in places,” Hyde said. “He’s on turn, bottom line.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – Cedric Mullins is healthy. Let’s start there. And he’s putting the barrel on the baseball, which figures to keep happening if he isn’t put on the injured list again.

Mullins was the standout in today’s live batting practice on the Ed Smith Stadium field. He lined a Cole Irvin pitch up the middle in his first trip, nailing the bottom of the screen, squared up another Irvin offering and lined to the shortstop area, and introduced himself to prospect Justin Armbruester with a shot off the top of the scoreboard in right-center field.

That one was epic. He almost cleared it.

Teammates roared in the dugout as Mullins made contact. Mullins began walking toward the bench but turned to check out the flight of the ball and get confirmation on its landing spot.

“I knew that one was gone off the bat,” he said. “Threw me some good pitches, left one hanging, I was able to take advantage of it.