The Orioles are 4-4 in the Grapefruit League, losers of two straight, and it means as much as the heart-healthy claims on boxes of Cheerios. Maybe if you power-walk to the fridge to get the milk.

Spring training records aren’t important. Take the wins where you can get them, but don’t judge a game by the final score.

For example, the 5-2 loss to the Pirates Saturday. Much more impactful were Cade Povich’s three scoreless innings. He put on a clinic, locating his fastball and secondary stuff. The changeup was outstanding.

Four of Povich’s six strikeouts were looking. He had the Pirates guessing wrong. He had outstanding stuff. And he had a catcher, Adley Rutschman, who did some fine framing.

Povich said afterward on the MASN broadcast that he thought he missed with a curveball, but Rutschman got him the strike.

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Samuel Basallo saw a first-pitch slider today from former Orioles reliever Nick Vespi and lined it into right field for a single at 107.4 mph. An earlier groundout registered at 104.9. Nothing subtle about his offensive game.

Everyone knows about the bat, which creates loud noises in the cage and at the plate. He launched more baseballs this morning in his pregame session at BayCare Ballpark. But the trip marked a special occasion for the 20-year-old Basallo – his first Grapefruit League start at catcher.

Basallo reported to camp last spring with a stress fracture in his elbow, an injury revealed on the first day. He rehabbed it and was limited to designated hitter duty.

Nothing is holding back Basallo this year. He set the target for left-hander Cade Povich and the relievers who followed until the bottom of the sixth inning.

“Thank God that it felt really good that I was able to catch today,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Yeah, I felt really good behind the plate.”

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Samuel Basallo is behind the plate for this afternoon’s game against the Phillies in Clearwater, the first road trip for the Orioles.

Colton Cowser is in left field after sitting out yesterday’s exhibition opener in Sarasota. Heston Kjerstad also makes his first appearance, starting in right field.

Coby Mayo is the designated hitter. Terrin Vavra is leading off.

For the Orioles

Terrin Vavra 2B
Colton Cowser LF
Emmanuel Rivera 1B
Heston Kjerstad RF
Coby Mayo DH
Samuel Basallo C
Nick Gordon CF
Vimael Machín 3B
Livan Soto SS

SARASOTA, Fla. – The first exhibition game is done, which brings us to the first road exhibition game. Gas up the rental and head northwest to Clearwater.

If you reach Dunedin, you’ve gone too far.

Left-hander Cade Povich starts against the Phillies after posting a 2.60 ERA and 0.868 WHIP in five September outings and holding opponents to a .162 average. He could be the first alternative if a spot opens unexpectedly in the rotation.

“Povich, what he did in the month of September kind of speaks for itself,” said MASN analyst Ben McDonald, who’s in camp as a guest instructor. “All I heard about him was his stuff was good in the minors, but could he get it over the plate, and I feel like he did in September. His stuff was pretty good.”

The exposure to major league hitters has accelerated Povich’s development.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Jordyn Adams had a choice to make and he doesn’t regret the outcome.

Adams committed to the University of North Carolina to play baseball and football. He was a four- or five-star recruit as a wide receiver, depending on the source, but Major League Baseball viewed him as one of the top prospects in the 2018 draft.

The first decision for Adams involved picking a college, and the North Carolina native chose the Tar Heels over Alabama, Ohio State, LSU and Clemson. Still to come was whether to immerse himself in campus life or join a team’s farm system.

Adams never stepped foot on campus as a student. The Angels made him the 17^th overall pick, and the common perception was that he’d need to go in the first or maybe the second round to catch fly balls in center field instead of footballs on the gridiron.

The result so far is 28 games with the Angels over the past two seasons and a .176/.205/.216 slash line. He can play everywhere in the outfield and he’s hoping to play for the Orioles in 2025 after signing a minor league contract on Dec. 23.

This wintery weather – snow, freezing rain, ice that’s closing schools and turning backyard decks into hazardous rinks – heats up the interest in pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.

The wait is almost over, with the official arrival date Wednesday and the first workout set for Thursday. Gentlemen, start your bullpen sessions and PFPs.

The first day will bring a media scrum with executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and possible injury news. Last spring’s session confirmed Kyle Bradish’s sprained elbow ligament and platelet-rich plasma injection, John Means being about a month behind the other starters, Gunnar Henderson’s sore oblique and Samuel Basallo’s elbow stress fracture.

Elias reminded reporters at the Birdland Caravan that he traditionally kind of forecasts “anybody who’s off or on an abnormal schedule when we get down to Sarasota, so I’ll probably do that in a couple of weeks.”

We already learned that Jorge Mateo and Félix Bautista will be on a lighter schedule early in camp. Bradish and Tyler Wells won’t be activated until the second half, with their move to the 60-day injured list approaching. The media finally will have access to them.

Let Albert Suárez be clear about this again. Practice for the next time that he’s asked.

Would he rather start or relieve? Relieve or start?

Does it matter to him?

“Not really,” Suárez replied at Friday night’s Birdland Caravan stop at PBR Baltimore. “Like last year, it didn’t matter, either. I was just ready for anytime. So this year will be the same mentality.”

Bets could be won by challenging fans to name the Oriole who made the second-most starts last season behind Corbin Burnes’ 32. Súarez tied with Dean Kremer at 24, and his 32 appearances tied Burnes for first among pitchers who didn’t work exclusively in relief.

The second day of the Birdland Caravan brings 10 players to PBR Baltimore at Power Plant Live! Perhaps a few of them will be convinced to sing Karaoke. Riding the mechanical bull might not be included among permissible activities in their contracts.

That’s a difficult injury story to write. It might throw me.

Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn, Jordan Westburg, Albert Suárez, Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott will make appearances between 6-8 p.m. Seven of them seem like locks to occupy the Opening Day roster, an eighth remains a favorite but becomes more vulnerable if another pitcher arrives, and two probably need some breaks to avoid Triple-A.

Cowser

The runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year should get heavy usage again after appearing in 153 games last season.

Sure the Orioles, like most teams that don’t have one, could use an ace pitcher. They still hope to add one before the start of the 2025 season. 

But their current rotation has the makings of being a good one.

Here is how it looks today:

Zach Eflin: He is the probable Opening Day starter. After the trade to the Orioles, over nine starts, he went 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA. Only nine pitchers, including the Orioles' Corbin Burnes, that qualified, posted season-long ERAs under 3.00. To do it even for nine starts was impressive.

Eflin finished sixth for the 2023 American League Cy Young Award and has been among the best pitchers in the American League. Over the last two years, while Burnes posted a 3.15 ERA and 1.083 WHIP, Eflin was at 3.54 and 1.085.

We’re in the middle of awards week with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The Orioles’ last transaction was signing right-hander Robinson Martínez to a minor league contract on Thursday. They remain engaged in talks to add a right-handed bat and more pitching.

It’s going to heat up.

Meanwhile, I’ve written about some anticipated storylines in spring training, like how Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo fit on the roster, how Adley Rutschman will hit, anything Félix Bautista, rehab progress made by Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, Grayson Rodriguez’s health after being left off the Wild Card roster, anything Jackson Holliday, what a full season of Zach Eflin could do, whether Daz Cameron can make the club as an extra outfielder, and whether Dean Kremer can take the next step.

Here are a few more.

More reaction to the left field wall.

The start of the 2023 postseason for the Orioles included the shocking news that John Means wouldn’t make the Division Series roster due to elbow soreness that followed his appearance in an intrasquad game at Camden Yards. The club didn’t share anything of that magnitude this morning, but the inclusion of Colin Selby in the bullpen came as a surprise.

Selby was chosen over Matt Bowman. Albert Suárez wasn’t going to make it after working six innings Sunday in Minnesota.

Explaining the Selby move, manager Brandon Hyde said, “We just felt Selby in a couple games he’s thrown for us showed really, really good stuff. And just from a matchup standpoint, wanted an extra right-hander in the bullpen. He’s got a 97 mph fastball and a really good slider, so we’re excited to add him.”

The Game 2 starter remains a mystery, and it appears that what happens later today might dictate the choice.

Where is Hyde on the Game 2 starter?

MINNEAPOLIS – Keegan Akin didn’t make last year’s Division Series roster. He didn’t stand a chance.

A lower-back injury ended Akin’s season on June 28. He allowed 10 earned runs and 13 total in four innings over his last four appearances, an ugly stretch by any measurement.

The Orioles are meeting to discuss their roster for the upcoming Wild Card series and Akin’s spot is secure. He’s healthy and having the finest season of his career. He’s just doing it quietly.

More people should be talking about this guy.

Akin’s 65 appearances rank second to Yennier Cano’s 69 and are 20 more than his previous high in 2022. He’s registered a 3.13 ERA and 0.927 WHIP, the best of his five seasons in the majors, and he’s struck out 96 batters in 77 2/3 innings.

MINNEAPOLIS – Never mind that the Tigers refused to lose again tonight, still behaving like a team determined to run the table. The Orioles used their own tools to nail down the home Wild Card.

Ryan O’Hearn hit his first home run since Aug. 27, Cade Povich twirled 5 2/3 scoreless innings and the Orioles pulled away from the Twins for a 7-2 victory at Target Field.

Game 1 of the best-of-three Wild Card Series will be played at Camden Yards, with the opponent and time to be determined. It’s finally done.

The Orioles can adjust their rotation this weekend and rest some regulars. They can schedule their Monday workout. The only reason to check the out-of-town scoreboard is curiosity or boredom.

“We’re disappointed that we didn’t win the division but to get home field through the Wild Card is huge," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We’re gonna be pumped to play in front of our fans. We know there’s gonna be a lot of energy and excitement in the ballpark and our guys are really looking forward to that.”

The Orioles' 2024 regular season will come to an end this weekend before they begin the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, they hope at home.

The Orioles (88-71) need one more win or a Tigers loss to clinch the top Wild Card spot as the No. 4 seed in the six-team playoff field in the American League.

Kansas City and Detroit (both 85-74) could clinch playoff spots tonight. The Royals would clinch with a win in Atlanta or a Twins loss. The Tigers would clinch with a win versus the White Sox or a Twins loss.

Minnesota's only chance to make it is to sweep Baltimore and then have either Kansas City or Detroit get swept.

Should the Orioles lockdown the fourth seed, they then await to find out which club they would play. Kansas City holds the tiebreaker over Detroit.

MINNEAPOLIS – Here we go again.

An Orioles win tonight clinches the home Wild Card, or they’d need the Tigers to lose to the White Sox.

Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter with Ryan Mountcastle at first base. Jordan Westburg gets another start at second base, and he’s batting second.

Cade Povich is making his first career appearance against the team that drafted him in 2021. He’s posted a 3.27 ERA and 0.955 WHIP this month in four starts totaling 22 innings, and he’s struck out 30 batters. Opponents are batting .175/.241/.363.

Twenty-six of Anthony Santander’s 77 hits on the road this season are home runs (33.8 percent), the highest percentage by an Oriole with a minimum 75 hits since Brady Anderson’s 35.2 in 1996 per STATS.

NEW YORK – The Orioles know who’s starting the first game of the Twins series. The rest is dependent on “what happens,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Rookie left-hander Cade Povich gets the ball at Target Field. Albert Suárez and Dean Kremer are lined up for the last two games, but they might not matter.

A win tonight secures the first Wild Card. A Yankees win eliminates the Orioles in the division race, but they could clinch the No. 4 playoff spot after Friday.

A “bullpen game” on Sunday isn’t ideal with a possible Game 1 two days later. A possible solution is calling up a pitcher to handle bulk innings and optioning him afterward. Trevor Rogers and Chayce McDermott fit the description and there are a few others.

Another pitcher would need to be optioned to make room, and he wouldn’t be eligible to return unless as an injury replacement until the Championship Series.

The baseball math can’t be manipulated tonight to give the Orioles a playoff-clinching scenario. It only worked if they won.

Cade Povich held the Tigers to two runs for the second time in less than a week and the Orioles rallied for two in the ninth to send the game into extras, but the Tigers scored twice against Yennier Cano in the 10th and won 6-4 before an announced crowd of 39,647 at Camden Yards.

An Orioles win coupled with a Mariners loss tonight would have delivered back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since 1996-97. Now, we wait a little longer.

A possible alternative is clinching in their final home game of the regular season. Otherwise, they must do it on a trip that takes them to New York and Minnesota.

The Orioles are 86-69 and in danger of losing their fifth series in a row.

If you didn't think a team could erase a magic number of three in one day, you are wrong. The Orioles begin today with a magic number of three to wrap up a 2024 MLB playoff spot. They can get there with a win over Detroit this afternoon and a loss by Seattle tonight at 7:05 p.m.

A potential Clinchmas is here for an Orioles team that heading into Thursday's game having lost five of six, eight of 10 and nine of the last 12 games and was 26-30 in the second half.

The Orioles (86-68) take the field today with eight games remaining. They are four games behind New York for the American League East lead and four ahead of Kansas City for the No. 1 AL wild-card spot. If the O's wrap up the No. 1 wild-card berth, should they not win the AL East, they will host all games in the best two-of-three wild-card playoff round beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The Orioles hit a season-best five home runs last night in beating a hot Detroit team 7-1. The Tigers (80-74) entered the night having won four in a row, nine of 11 and 18 of 25. And since Aug. 11 Detroit was 25-10, best in the majors in that span.

But Anthony Santander hit his 43rd home run while Colton Cowser and James McCann hit two homers each. It was Cowser's second career multi-homer game and McCann's third.

Cedric Mullins is back in the Orioles’ lineup today, playing center field and batting second.

Mullins took early batting practice on the field this afternoon with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel watching and also ran the bases. Mullins wasn’t available last night due to neck soreness caused by his collision Thursday with right fielder Austin Slater.

The Orioles selected outfielder Daniel Johnson’s contract to provide a left-handed bat for the outfield in case Mullins couldn’t play. Terrin Vavra is on the 24-hour taxi squad.

Ramón Urías wasn’t reinstated today from the 15-day injured list.

Heston Kjerstad is the designated hitter. Jackson Holliday is playing second base. Colton Cowser is the cleanup hitter.

DETROIT – As the Orioles offense continues to struggle and the team can’t seem to find a spark or any answers right now to turn it, the Orioles are probably still secure to make the playoffs.

Probably.

But each loss makes it harder to win a second straight American League East title and each loss gives Kansas City the chance to gain ground on the Orioles for the top AL wild card spot. If the season ended today, the Orioles would host the Royals in that best two-of-three series. But a few more losses could send the O’s on the road for that.

The O’s Adley Rutschman believes the Orioles can still do great things and said so after Sunday's game. But it’s getting harder to believe that when the team has now lost three series in a row at such a critical time. They went 1-2 each versus Tampa Bay, Boston and Detroit.

Rutschman, whose two-run homer yesterday accounted for the only O's runs in a 4-2 loss, was asked if it was hard to keep the faith and stay upbeat with the losses mounting?