Austin Hays is in the Orioles lineup tonight for the first time since Tuesday. His knee soreness has dissipated and the Rangers are starting left-hander Andrew Heaney. It’s time for him to play.

Left field is back in Hays’ possession.

Ryan Mountcastle is on the bench, where he also began last night’s game before pinch-hitting. An explanation will come later.

Heston Kjerstad, who hit a grand slam last night, is the designated hitter while Ryan O’Hearn plays first base. Jordan Westburg is the cleanup hitter. Colton Cowser is in center field and batting ninth.

Gunnar Henderson’s on-base streak has reached 36 games. He’s leading off against a left-hander, with Adley Rutschman batting second.

Running low on starting pitching, the Orioles are bringing back a veteran who didn’t make the team out of spring training.

The club is on the verge of signing Julio Teheran to another minor league deal, according to a source. The sides are "close."

Teheran, 33, agreed to a minor league deal on Feb. 28 that would have paid $2 million if he pitched in the majors. He allowed five runs and nine hits with seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings and was granted his release.

The Mets signed Teheran on April 5 and he became a free agent again six days later after making one start and allowing four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings in Atlanta.

The Cubs signed Teheran on April 18 and released him Saturday after another opt-out. He posted an 8.82 ERA and 1.806 WHIP in eight starts with Triple-A Iowa.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The final composition of the Orioles’ 26-man roster likely will remain unresolved until the team reconvenes in Baltimore.

Manager Brandon Hyde mentioned in today’s media scrum that Jordan Westburg made the club. He wasn’t prepared to share more than the obvious.

“We still have a lot of decisions to make,” Hyde said. “The usual guys are on the team. Just the last couple spots that we’re still going through some things.”

Ryan McKenna and Tyler Nevin are out of options and in the running. Colton Cowser is in a 3-for-21 skid and hasn’t been told that he’s at Camden Yards for Opening Day.

Until we receive confirmation, we're left with scenarios that include McKenna and Cowser, Nevin and Cowser, or McKenna and Nevin for the last two openings among position players.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Orioles released second baseman Kolten Wong and pitcher Julio Teheran this morning after the pair opted out of their minor league contracts, moves that contributed to the narrowing of the camp roster to 33 players and simplified the remaining competitions.

Reliever Bryan Baker was optioned, and left-hander Andrew Suárez and catcher Maverick Handley were reassigned to minor league camp.

Removing Wong apparently leaves the final bench spot between Ryan McKenna and Tyler Nevin, barring a late outside addition. The Orioles are checking the waiver wire.

Infielder Nick Maton and catcher Michael Pérez also remain on the camp roster.

With Baker gone, the final bullpen spot comes down to Jacob Webb or Jonathan Heasley. Webb is out of options, while Heasley has one remaining.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Julio Teheran tossed four scoreless innings today in a split-squad game against the Rays in Port Charlotte, allowing only one hit in a final bid to make the club.

Teheran is opting out of his contract and the Orioles must decide by Sunday whether to put him on the 26-man roster or let him go. In the meantime, his locker is cleaned out at the Ed Smith Stadium complex, with only a folding chair inside of it.

Reliever Andrew Suárez’s locker is in the same condition. He wasn’t on the list of yesterday’s roster cuts.

“I think right now he’s in a little bit of limbo and we’re just kind of holding off on him right now and kind of waiting to see what happens,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Asked about Teheran, Hyde said, “He’s in that boat, too, where we’re just kind of waiting to see.”

TAMPA, Fla. – While the Orioles continue to evaluate Julio Teheran as a possible rotation or bullpen piece, they’re about to find out how he handles spring training adversity.

It finally arrived today.

Teheran hadn’t allowed a run or hit in his first two appearances over three innings, but the Yankees scored four runs in the bottom of the first while working him for 27 pitches, and he was done after 2 1/3.

The pitch clock violation before his first offering to leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu was a bad omen.

LeMahieu struck out on a slider, but Alex Verdugo singled, Anthony Rizzo walked, Giancarlo Stanton reached on a fielder’s choice – Rizzo was safe at second base – Trent Grisham walked to force in a run and Austin Wells drove a changeup into left-center field for a three-run double.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Anthony Santander swung the bat, dropped it and began jogging to first base. His eyes stayed locked on the baseball.

He wanted to watch it disappear over the right field fence.

The wait was over. He earned the chance to enjoy his work before picking up the pace.

Santander hit a two-run homer tonight off Pirates ace Mitch Keller in the bottom of the first inning. He began the game 2-for-17 with no extra-base hits, RBIs or walks.

Gunnar Henderson led off by reaching on an infield single, Adley Rutschman flied out and Santander gave the Orioles an early 2-0 lead.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles break camp in less than three weeks, proving again that spring training moves just as fast as the offseason.

Are we any closer to figuring out the 26-man roster? Not really. The club hasn’t made a particular move that serves as a spoiler.

We know that Sam Hilliard fell out of the outfield competition quickly, returning to the Rockies on a waiver claim. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias gave us more to think about by signing pitcher Julio Teheran and second baseman Kolten Wong to minor league contracts.

It’s an absolute possibility that the Orioles bring both players to Baltimore, Teheran perhaps in long relief and Wong as this year’s version of Adam Frazier – at least to begin the season. Frazier lasted through all of it rather than serve as a placeholder.

Jackson Holliday says, “Hold my non-alcoholic beverage.”

SARASOTA, Fla. - In his second outing of spring training, O’s lefty Cole Irvin put up more zeros today and continued to show off his increased velocity.

Irvin threw three scoreless innings, twice facing the top of the Yankees order, as the Orioles faced New York for the first of two games this spring.

Irvin had some traffic on the bases, but put up zeros in the top of the first and second. But he needed 21 pitches to get through the first and 20 more in the second.

He was once again showing the velocity bump. In his start Sunday versus the Pirates he threw two scoreless, averaging 94 mph on his four-seamer after throwing that pitch at 92.2 mph on average in 2023.

His first inning today featured numerous readings of 94 and 95 on the Ed Smith Stadium scoreboard

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles might not be a last-chance stop for pitcher Julio Teheran and second baseman Kolten Wong. However, they’re grateful to be detached from the free-agent market and the uncertainty in their futures, and hope to seize the opportunity as late arrivals in camp.

Their minor league deals became official yesterday and they found their lockers this morning at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

Wong, 33, is trying to bounce back from a hugely disappointing 2023 season, when he batted .165/.241/.227 in 67 games with the Mariners and was released Aug. 3. The Dodgers signed him six days later and he went 9-for-30 to earn a spot on the Division Series roster.

The Brewers signed Wong to a two-year, $18 million contract in February 2021 and picked up his $10 million option for 2023 before trading him to Seattle.

“I learned a lot about how to go through adversity,” he said. “The first time for me going down the DFA route. Just learned a lot about that and took it into the offseason. It kind of gave me a little extra fuel to train harder and do the things I’ve got to do to be ready.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles are back home this afternoon to play the Pirates, with baseball’s No. 3 prospect, Paul Skenes, starting opposite Corbin Burnes.

Yes, everyone is primed for the expected Skenes-Jackson Holliday matchup - the first-overall picks in the last two drafts going head-to-head. A potential sneak peek of the Spring Breakout game next month in Bradenton that features top prospects from both organizations.  

Or, as I call it, “a double header in Bradenton that I didn’t ask for,” but this isn’t about me.

Always keep in mind that it’s spring training. This is the time to overhype and to obsess.  

Holliday didn’t make the trip to Fort Myers yesterday. He’s rested and ready, and probably back at second base.

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. – Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias kept checking the pitching market for rotation depth after players reported to spring training. He’s reportedly made a move tonight.

Veteran right-hander Julio Teheran has agreed to a minor league deal with an invitation to camp, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Teheran will receive $2 million if he’s in the majors, and his contract includes a $100,000 signing bonus and an opt-out clause.

Elias confirmed on Feb. 15 that Kyle Bradish, who evolved into the staff ace last summer and finished fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting, would begin the season on the 15-day injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Bradish received a platelet-rich plasma injection in January and began a throwing progression in Sarasota, playing catch again this morning at 90 feet.

In addition, John Means is headed to the IL because he’s a month behind after experiencing elbow soreness before the Division Series.

The Orioles are proceeding as though Bradish will be available in 2024, with Means an anticipated reinstatement by April. But Elias also was working the phones.