Questions keep coming as Orioles ready for spring training

John Means throws white

The Orioles broke camp last spring with a 28-man roster after Major League Baseball and the union approved its expansion through May 1, one of the changes caused by the lockout. Fifteen of those players weren’t with the club on 2021 opening day: pitchers Jordan Lyles, Félix Bautista, Cionel Pérez, Bryan Baker, Keegan Akin, Joey Krehbiel and Mike Baumann, infielders Kelvin Gutiérrez, Rougned Odor, Jorge Mateo and Chris Owings, outfielders Ryan McKenna and DJ Stewart, and catchers Robinson Chirinos and Anthony Bemboom.

Bautista, Pérez, Mateo, McKenna, Baker, Krehbiel, Akin, Baumann and Bemboom remain in the organization, and the others are with new teams or waiting to sign.

Lyles joined the Royals on a two-year, $17 million deal. Odor and Chirinos also made it through the entire season with the Orioles but are major league free agents.

At least a dozen players could be on the charter to Boston who weren’t with the Orioles last opening day: Pitchers Kyle Gibson, Cole Irvin, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Mychal Givens, DL Hall and Austin Voth, infielders Gunnar Henderson, Adam Frazier and Terrin Vavra, outfielder Kyle Stowers and catcher James McCann.

Rule 5 selection Andrew Politi will try to squeeze into the bullpen. At least one of the non-roster players - a group that includes first baseman Lewin Díaz and first basemen/outfielders Ryan O’Hearn and Franchy Cordero - will try to be counted among the opening day newcomers with the Orioles.

Notes on another prospects list, O'Day hangs it up, and O's equipment and jerseys head south

Now another outlet has been heard from. Keith Law released his top 100 prospects list on Monday via The Athletic and six Orioles populate his list. Where once that would have been a haul for the Orioles, six is actually the fewest number they have on any major list out thus far.

Gunnar Henderson, the No. 1 ranked prospect per Baseball America, MLBPipeline.com and Baseball Prospectus, is No. 2 via The Athletic. Arizona outfield prospect Corbin Carroll is ranked No. 1. Henderson was No. 73 on The Athletic top 100 before the 2022 season.

Click here to check out the list (subscription may be required).

Here is the rundown for the Orioles, who have had 10 players get mentioned on at least one of the four lists. I will list going left to right how players have been ranked by Baseball America/Baseball Prospectus/MLBPipeline.com/The Athletic.

* Gunnar Henderson ranked 1/1/1/2

Valera and O'Day with opposite opportunities (O's up 7-1)

Valera and O'Day with opposite opportunities (O's up 7-1)
NEW YORK - The Orioles' roster makeover includes Breyvic Valera's first start with them today to close out a two-game series at Yankee Stadium. Valera appeared in 20 games with the Dodgers this season before the Orioles acquired him in the Manny Machado trade and assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk. He was summoned yesterday with Jonathan Schoop headed to the Brewers at the non-waiver deadline. In 25 career games, the first five with the Cardinals in 2017, Valera has gone 6-for-39 with four RBIs...

Showalter on roster additions, O'Day's departure and more

Showalter on roster additions, O'Day's departure and more
NEW YORK - Infielder Jonathan Villar, acquired from the Brewers yesterday in the Jonathan Schoop trade, is joining the Orioles on Thursday in Texas. Villar has been on the disabled list since July 15 with a thumb injury. Manager Buck Showalter hasn't crafted a set plan for how he's using Villar, who can play second base, shortstop and third base. "I'm going to look at it on the travel down," Showalter said. "Dan (Duquette) said we'd talk today. I'm sure we'll talk some about...

More on yesterday's moves, Bleier with post-surgery update

More on yesterday's moves, Bleier with post-surgery update
NEW YORK - The Orioles started last night's series opener against the Yankees with only 23 players on their active roster. They subtracted starter Kevin Gausman and second baseman Jonathan Schoop, and infielder Breyvic Valera didn't show up from Triple-A Norfolk until after the first pitch. A pitcher will be added before today's game and another move is anticipated Thursday with infielder Jonathan Villar joining the team following yesterday's trade with the Brewers. Villar can be a useful...

Showalter talks about today's trades

Showalter talks about today's trades
NEW YORK - The smoke still hasn't cleared from today's trade activity. The Orioles are fortunate that they didn't set off the sprinkler system at Yankee Stadium. In an impressive late flurry of moves, the Orioles sent starter Kevin Gausman and reliever Darren O'Day to the Braves for right-hander Evan Phillips, infielder Jean Carlos Encarnacion, catcher Brett Cumberland and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann. The Orioles also received $2.5 million in international signing bonus slot money, while...

Looking at today's trades with Atlanta and Milwaukee

Looking at today's trades with Atlanta and Milwaukee
It has been a dizzying day for the Orioles and their fans. As it turned out, the team did trade players who were under team control beyond 2018. They sent pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day to Atlanta and traded second baseman Jonathan Schoop to Milwaukee. In the deal with the Braves, the Orioles got four players and $2.5 million in international bonus money. They got three players from Milwaukee. On the big league roster in New York this afternoon they have added right-handed relief...

Orioles deal Gausman, O'Day, Schoop in pair of trades (with new lineup)

Orioles deal Gausman, O'Day, Schoop in pair of trades (with new lineup)
NEW YORK - The Orioles dove deeper into their rebuild this afternoon, making a pair of significant trades ahead of the 4 p.m. non-waiver trading deadline. First, the Orioles sent right-handers Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day to the Braves in exchange for four players - right-hander Evan Phillips, infielder Jean Carlos Encarnación, catcher Brett Cumberland and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann - along with $2.5 million in international signing bonus slot money. Just before the deadline, they...

Brach wondering if he's next to be traded

Brach wondering if he's next to be traded
Brad Brach glanced to his right and saw the empty locker that belonged to closer Zach Britton. He looked to his left and saw the empty locker that still belonged to set-up man Darren O'Day, who hadn't been using it much since undergoing season-ending surgery on his hamstring. Brach feels a tad lonely and like the last man standing, but also one who could be on the move by next week. As I noted yesterday, the Cubs, Rockies and Indians continue to show interest in Brach, according to a source....

Brach on Britton: "It's going to be sad to see him leave"

Brach on Britton: "It's going to be sad to see him leave"
The Orioles will need to make another roster move after last night's trade of closer Zach Britton to the Yankees. They can replace the name on the lineup card, but the intangibles supplied by the longest-tenured player in the organization aren't as easily transferrable. Darren O'Day was the bullpen leader, but he's out for the season following hamstring surgery. Britton has been mentoring the younger pitchers, but his pending free agent status and the club's rebuild assured that he'd be...

Orioles injury updates

Orioles injury updates
Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop has relocated to the locker formerly used by Manny Machado at the end of the row, with third baseman Renato Núñez setting up next to him. Zach Britton, Adam Jones and Brad Brach are at their same lockers. They still haven't been traded. Reliever Darren O'Day returned to Camden Yards today to begin treatment following his hamstring surgery. He's out for the rest of the season. Reliever Richard Bleier will meet the team in New York on July 31 for a...

Injury updates on O'Day, Hays and Cashner

Injury updates on O'Day, Hays and Cashner
Orioles reliever Darren O'Day underwent his hamstring surgery today in Baltimore and manager Buck Showalter said the procedure "went great." "There were no surprises," Showalter said, adding that he's looking forward to O'Day "returning to form." Head athletic trainer Brian Ebel spoke with O'Day earlier today. Double-A Bowie outfielder Austin Hays had an injection in his ankle on Monday and will be shut down for a week before resuming baseball activities. Showalter remains confident...

Injury updates and more on Machado (O's lead 5-4)

Injury updates and more on Machado (O's lead 5-4)
Most of today's pregame media session with manager Buck Showalter centered on injury updates and pointing out again that shortstop Manny Machado is really good and hasn't let distractions ruin his game. Showalter remains confident that Alex Cobb will make his next start after leaving yesterday's game in Minnesota with a blister on his right index finger. "It's more of a deep callus underneath," Showalter said. "Once they kind of cleaned it up and everything, he was fine. Like I said...

More challenges and Machado trade talk await Orioles this week

More challenges and Machado trade talk await Orioles this week
MINNEAPOLIS - Because the 2018 season hasn't burrowed deeply enough under the Orioles' collective skin, they are forced to play a doubleheader today against the Yankees due to a rainout on May 31, and also lose Thursday's off-day after rain washed away a May 15 game versus the Phillies. When did this club become a human dart board? Catching a break will necessitate the arrival of All-Star week, though it's pretty hard to completely detach from a loss total that grew to 65 over the...

Update on O'Day surgery, Ramirez starts Monday (O's down 3-2)

Update on O'Day surgery, Ramirez starts Monday (O's down 3-2)
MINNESOTA - Orioles reliever Darren O'Day will undergo surgery on his left hamstring on June 12 in Baltimore, with Dr. Leigh Ann Curl handling the procedure. O'Day won't pitch again in 2018. Chris Davis' next strikeout will be his 1,305th with the Orioles to tie him with Cal Ripken Jr. for the all-time club record. Ripken played 3,001 games in 21 seasons with the Orioles. Davis has played 971 games in eight seasons. Yefry Ramirez will start one of the games in Monday's doubleheader versus...

More thoughts on the bullpen and roster

More thoughts on the bullpen and roster
The Orioles broke camp with two Rule 5 picks in their bullpen. Nestor Cortes Jr. and Pedro Araujo are gone, the latter still in the organization but on the disabled list. The dip in experience now comes from rookies Ryan Meisinger and Paul Fry, who made their major league debuts on the same night. Miguel Castro has appeared in 110 games with three teams, but he's only 23 and striving to gain consistency and a better relationship with the strike zone. Tanner Scott has appeared in only 23 games...

Tale of the tape makes Britton feel closer to his previous self

Tale of the tape makes Britton feel closer to his previous self
Zach Britton's professional life can be tracked by the tiniest advancements since undergoing Achilles surgery in December. Shedding the protective boot, walking on an underwater treadmill, throwing off flat ground, getting back on a mound, participating in fielding drills without worrying about another blowout, starting an injury rehab assignment, leaving the disabled list. Pitching on consecutive days in Atlanta was another noteworthy achievement, earning his first save after being charged...

O'Day agrees that surgery is proper course (O's up 8-1)

O'Day agrees that surgery is proper course (O's up 8-1)
Succumbing to the recommendation of undergoing hamstring surgery was made a little easier for Orioles reliever Darren O'Day because he no longer should live in fear of a reoccurrence of the injury. Get it done and get on with the rest of his professional career. O'Day said he'll have the procedure "as soon as possible" in Baltimore, the location a necessity because his leg will be immobilized with the knee bent for an extended period of time. Traveling in the position would be nearly...

Orioles and Angels lineups

Orioles and Angels lineups
Jonathan Schoop is out of the Orioles lineup again today, but manager Buck Showalter said the second baseman will start Tuesday night's series opener in Philadelphia. Rookie Steve Wilkerson gets another start at second base. Outfielder Colby Rasmus is out of the lineup due to illness. Reliever Darren O'Day said he'll undergo surgery on his left hamstring "as soon as possible" in Baltimore. Making his third injury rehab start last night, Chris Tillman allowed five runs and eight hits with...

Losing O'Day another major complication for the bullpen (O's up 2-1)

Losing O'Day another major complication for the bullpen (O's up 2-1)
Since winning still matters to the Orioles, as manager Buck Showalter pointed out again this week, they were dealt another massive blow with the news that reliever Darren O'Day will undergo season-ending surgery. The recovery period for O'Day is estimated at six months and the Orioles reached the mathematical halfway point of their season last night with a 23-58 record. O'Day reinjured the hamstring while trying to field a bunt by the Mariners' Jean Segura in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss. The...