Orioles set 26-man roster

Orioles set 26-man roster
The Orioles won't play today in Boston, but they're able to set their opening day roster by the noon deadline. There are no surprises beyond the early rainout. Outfielder DJ Stewart is on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Reliever Shawn Armstrong is on the paternity list, keeping him away from the team for a maximum of three days. Reliever Travis Lakins Sr. is optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, but manager Brandon Hyde indicated yesterday that the assignment could be...

More known about Orioles pitching as camp closes with 8-3 loss

More known about Orioles pitching as camp closes with 8-3 loss
The rotation names and order are done. Now, we find out how the Orioles plan on monitoring their pitchers' innings with the season stretching back to 162 games. Dean Kremer goes to the end of the line as the youngest member at 25, providing a peek into the club's strategy. Bruce Zimmermann is a year older and tabbed as the No. 3 starter. He took the mound first for today's exhibition finale against the Rays and surrendered three home runs over 4 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to the Rays at Ed...

Ruiz and roster rumblings as Orioles approach opener

Ruiz and roster rumblings as Orioles approach opener
A roster that holds 36 players in camp and must be pared to 26 apparently won't undergo its final cuts today. Maybe some light trimming, maybe nothing. But manager Brandon Hyde indicated yesterday that there probably won't be 10 moves. The Orioles weren't likely to break camp without a utility player on the roster. Now they're basically carrying two with Pat Valaika and Ramón Urías. Still counts in my book if one of them is starting at second base. A second baseman who appeals to the...

Hyde on Harvey and Santander and wrapping up Orioles' 2-1 loss

Hyde on Harvey and Santander and wrapping up Orioles' 2-1 loss
The Orioles have shared important components of their rotation and pitching plans over the past two days. Following official word of John Means' opening day assignment with occupants of the next two spots and how the team will break camp with a 14-man staff and three-man bench. Information comes in drips, but eventually fills the pool. Matt Harvey was named the No. 2 starter yesterday and had his final tune-up this afternoon, joining Jorge López as the only Orioles pitchers to complete five...

Orioles and Pirates lineups

Orioles and Pirates lineups
With Yolmer Sánchez designated for assignment yesterday, the Orioles are starting Rio Ruiz at second base for this afternoon's game against the Pirates in Sarasota. Ruiz has made two appearances at second base in the majors, no starts, and never played the position in the minors. Anthony Santander is out of the lineup for the fifth consecutive day due to soreness in his oblique area. Chance Sisco is catching today and Austin Wynns is the designated hitter in the penultimate game of spring...

Valdez's role and more on the new Dominican complex

Valdez's role and more on the new Dominican complex
In case we forgot how effective right-hander César Valdez can be with his "dead fish" changeup, we were reminded watching the second and third innings on MASN on Tuesday. He kept the ball down in the zone and retired six straight batters on three groundouts and three strikeouts. Nothing to it. He elevated some balls and got hit in the first inning. But in three spring games, Valdez has allowed one run in five innings with eight strikeouts. No doubt the Orioles have kept him on the back...

Another rotation check, Franco's opening day vow and 4-3 win

Another rotation check, Franco's opening day vow and 4-3 win
The bullpen game today in Sarasota began with veteran changeup artist César Valdez retiring the last seven batters that he faced. He was done for the afternoon and ready to change clothes when Trey Mancini and Maikel Franco hit two-run homers in the bottom of the third inning. Dillon Tate followed Valdez to the mound and retired only two batters, three other relievers pitched and Adley Rutschman doubled in his first at-bat in the Orioles' 4-3 win over the Rays. Now, back to the...

Versatile Valdez on today's outing (O's beat Rays)

Versatile Valdez on today's outing (O's beat Rays)
He might be the most versatile Orioles pitcher. Right-hander César Valdez could pitch in late relief or long relief. He could start the game. He could serve as an opener. He's ready for anything. Today, he was the starter and pitched three innings at Ed Smith Stadium against the defending American League East champion Tampa Bay Rays. And his outing got better as he went on. Valdez was leaving many of his pitches up in the top of the first and Tampa Bay was putting good swings on them....

Orioles and Rays lineups

Orioles and Rays lineups
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is starting Adley Rutschman behind the plate this afternoon, probably no coincidence with the game versus Tampa Bay airing on MASN. Rutschman, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, is batting seventh ahead of left fielder Austin Hays. Cedric Mullins is leading off and playing center again. Trey Mancini is the first baseman, appearing in the lineup on back-to-back days. Maikel Franco returns to the lineup today for his second game after signing a one-year contract. The...

Hyde on cuts, Davis, Ruiz and Franco in same lineup, and more

Hyde on cuts, Davis, Ruiz and Franco in same lineup, and more
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he doesn't anticipate making any roster cuts for the next few days. Then they should be spread out over the last few weeks, with opening day April 1 in Boston. Fifty-seven players remain in camp, including the batch at Twin Lakes Park. There's a lot of work to be done. Chris Davis remains out of the lineup and workouts since straining his lower back on Feb. 28. Is the 60-day injured list a possibility? Hyde was short with his answer on today's Zoom call,...

Stewart nearing exclusion from opening day roster

Stewart nearing exclusion from opening day roster
Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart hasn't played since March 5 due to a hamstring injury. He isn't in today's lineup and could remain out at least during the early portion of the week. A "mild tweak," as it was described, is taking a significant amount of time to heal. Stewart is cleared to bat in intrasquad games. However, the Orioles don't want to turn him loose on the bases and risk a setback. Hamstrings require patience. Opening day is less than two weeks away and Stewart has appeared in...

Notes on reliever innings and more with Mike Elias

Notes on reliever innings and more with Mike Elias
When bullpen lefty Paul Fry struggled on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, it was a rare outing this spring for an Orioles reliever. Not in the results, but in the fact Fry pitched 1 2/3 innings. Most of the relief outings this year by pitchers who are not being stretched out have been one inning. Fernando Abad has four outings of an inning or less each, Shawn Armstrong has two of those among three games. Eric Hanhold, whose good spring got wrecked yesterday, has thrown five outings of...

Orioles and Pirates lineups

Orioles and Pirates lineups
Rio Ruiz has returned to the Orioles' lineup today, playing third base and batting seventh against the Pirates in Sarasota. Richie Martin isn't in the lineup, but could enter the game later. He's recovered from surgery in January to remove a broken left hamate bone and got some at-bats yesterday. Austin Hays is in left field again, with Cedric Mullins in center. Trey Mancini is the first baseman. Pat Valaika is the second baseman. Matt Harvey is making his second start after his three-inning...

Harvey injury leaves Hyde with bullpen choices

Harvey injury leaves Hyde with bullpen choices
The likelihood of Hunter Harvey going on the injured list prior to opening day creates the latest curiosity in Orioles spring training. Exactly how the Orioles choose to replace him in the bullpen. Hyde could pivot and carry an extra bulk-type reliever rather than concentrate on a back end, one-inning type. The latter scenario would appear to make more sense with the team prioritizing length and having an abundance of candidates to fit the description. Folding another closer candidate into the...

Hunter Harvey exits 6-2 loss with oblique injury (Fenter returned)

Hunter Harvey exits 6-2 loss with oblique injury (Fenter returned)
Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey threw one pitch today and left the mound. The same questions about injuries and durability followed him. At least it wasn't Harvey's arm, the only good news attached to the scene. The Orioles announced that Harvey injured his left oblique, which should keep him off the opening day roster and adjust the team's bullpen plans. An oblique doesn't heal quickly. The Orioles have plenty of references at their disposal. Today was supposed to mark the third appearance...

Orioles allowing fans inside Camden Yards at 25 percent capacity

Orioles allowing fans inside Camden Yards at 25 percent capacity
In the latest sign that Major League Baseball is moving in carefully measured increments toward the normalcy that didn't exist last summer, the Orioles are allowing fans back into Camden Yards at 25 percent capacity to begin the 2021 season. In observation of social distancing guidelines and approved capacity limits, the club will begin the season by hosting approximately 11,000 fans per game, according to a press release issued this morning. As the public health situation improves, the...

Cue the Orioles curiosities as camp continues

Cue the Orioles curiosities as camp continues
The Orioles made their first round of cuts and none of them were surprising. They must get down to 26 players by opening day and the roster holds 68, including outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who hasn't been cleared for workouts. The time was ripe for some trimming. There's still lots of work to be done. Starters are getting their second turns. More pitchers are going to be stretched out. Players are rotating to other positions. The usual camp activity. Many of the curiosities that I shared prior...

Because You Asked - The Next Generation

Because You Asked - The Next Generation
The Orioles aren't playing this afternoon and get to enjoy a legitimate off-day, however it's done with pandemic restrictions. That's a long time to sit in a hotel room. No intrasquad nonsense that removes the "off" from their day. A few pitchers will be allowed inside the complex to throw. Otherwise, stay away and find something safe to do. There isn't much risk digging into my mailbag, unless I suffer a virtual paper cut. I'll try again to respond to the questions that are asked on a...

Notes on Mullins' switch-hitting decision, Valdez and more

Notes on Mullins' switch-hitting decision, Valdez and more
The Orioles first had discussions with outfielder Cedric Mullins about giving up switch-hitting when Buck Showalter was their manager. Mullins said he first discussed the prospect of batting only left-handed several years ago. "He said basically straight up if I wasn't able to figure out my right side, that I'd go left on left," said Mullins. "I was in agreement with him. I felt like he was going to make the best choice for my career and that I was going to work my butt off to do what I...

Hyde on Means, Mullins, Rutschman and more

Hyde on Means, Mullins, Rutschman and more
Orioles left-hander John Means was told that he'd pitch two innings today. He had no idea that he would come out of the first early and re-enter the game later. Manager Brandon Hyde had a plan with Means' pitch count rising against the Yankees. He pulled his ace and returned him to the mound in the second. "That's a new rule this year that we have a couple backup pitchers for every game in case a situation like that occurs," Hyde said on his Zoom call after a 4-2, seven-inning loss at Ed...