TORONTO – The Orioles' latest road trip – an all American League East affair – begins tonight at Rogers Centre as the Toronto Blue Jays (25-19) host the Orioles (28-16) to start a three-game series.

The Orioles just split a four-game series with the Los Angles Angels while Toronto was losing three of four to the New York Yankees at home.

Tonight's lineup shows rookie Joey Ortiz making his first MLB start at third base. Ortiz has eight career starts on the farm at third base, two this year for Triple-A Norfolk, two last year and four in the 2021 season. 

Tampa Bay (32-13) is leading the division by 3 1/2 games over the Orioles, by 6 1/2 over Toronto and New York and by 7 1/2 over Boston.

The Orioles went 2-8 in Toronto in 2021 and 5-5 last year.

The Orioles begin a four-game home series against the Angels tonight with Anthony Santander starting at first base and Terrin Vavra playing right field.

Santander hasn’t played first in the majors. He made nine starts in A ball in 2016.

Also in the lineup against Shohei Ohtani are Ryan Mountcastle as the designated hitter and Adam Frazier at second base. Jorge Mateo is back at shortstop after resting yesterday.

The Orioles’ 26 wins are the most through 40 games since 2012. The club record is 28 in 1970, followed by 27 in 1997 and 1969.

All five Orioles with 20 or more RBIs are under 30 years old, tying them with the Rays for the most, according to STATS.

Fredi González is managing the Orioles tonight while Brandon Hyde is at Syracuse University for daughter Aria’s graduation, and their bench coach is hoping to guide the team to its ninth series win in 10 tries.

Joey Ortiz is in the clubhouse today. A new rule allows a non-catcher to join the taxi squad for 24 hours. Ortiz will return to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday if he isn’t placed on the active roster.

Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter tonight. The infield includes Adam Frazier at second base, Gunnar Henderson at third and Jorge Mateo at shortstop.

Cedric Mullins hit for the cycle last night and is slashing .316/.414/.547 (30-for-95) with seven doubles, three triples, three home runs, 23 RBIs, 12 runs scored, 16 walks, and seven stolen bases in 27 games since April 12.

Adley Rutschman leads the American League with 31 walks.

The Orioles have a third left-hander in their bullpen again after recalling Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk. He replaces Drew Rom, who was optioned after Wednesday’s game.

Vespi underwent sports hernia surgery in January and didn’t break camp with the team. He allowed four runs and struck out 17 batters in 12 2/3 innings with the Tides.

Vespi didn’t allow an earned run with Norfolk last season over 28 2/3 innings. He made 25 appearances with the Orioles and was 5-0 with a 4.10 ERA and 1.405 WHIP in 26 1/3 innings.

Kyle Stowers is in right field tonight and trying to heat up after a 2-for-24 start. He’s batting ninth.

Adam Frazier remains in the fifth spot in the order, followed by Austin Hays and Gunnar Henderson.

DETROIT – Heavy rain yesterday rearranged the four-game series between the Orioles and Tigers, with the teams forced into a split doubleheader today.

The first game begins at 12:10 p.m., with the second game at 5:10 p.m.

The Orioles have won nine of their last 10 games, 11 of 13 and 13 of 16. They improved Friday night to 9-0 in series openers.

A victory today in Game 1 would put them 10 above .500 to match their high in 2022.

Adley Rutschman is out of the Game 1 lineup for the first time this season. Joey Ortiz starts again at second base.

Jorge Mateo isn’t in tonight’s lineup, as the Orioles begin their homestand with three games against the Tigers. Mateo left Wednesday's game in Washington with hip discomfort. However, the team didn’t announce a roster move.

Gunnar Henderson is playing shortstop and Ramón Urías is at third base.

Terrin Vavra is in right field and Anthony Santander is the designated hitter.

Ryan Mountcastle has collected 20 of the Orioles’ 96 RBIs - 20.8 percent that ranks as the third highest in the majors, per STATS.

Adley Rutschman’s 17 walks lead the American League. Henderson has drawn 15 to tie for second.

Grayson Rodriguez makes his Camden Yards debut tonight, sans the gas cans in the stands.

Rodriguez remains in the rotation while Kyle Bradish is on the injured list with a bruised right foot, and he could stay depending on his results and how the Orioles could create room for him. Bradish is expected to begin an injury rehab assignment this week.

The Orioles called up Rodriguez to make Wednesday’s start in Texas, and he retired 13 of the last 15 batters after a two-run first inning. He kept the Rangers scoreless over the last four innings.

Adley Rutschman, who’s homered in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, is catching again tonight. James McCann is the designated hitter.

Austin Hays is leading off, with Cedric Mullins moved down to ninth.

The Orioles begin a new series at home tonight, with the Athletics sending the first of three consecutive left-handed starters to the mound.

Ryan McKenna is starting in right field against Oakland’s JP Sears. Anthony Santander is the designated hitter, with Austin Hays in left.

Gunnar Henderson is out of the lineup. Ramón Urías is the third baseman.

Adley Rutschman is catching. He's batting .389/.476/.556 (14-for-36) with two home runs, six RBIs and six walks in nine games. Still no doubles.

Kyle Gibson has won his first two starts while allowing six runs and 12 hits with one walk in 12 innings. He’s 5-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 10 career starts against the Athletics.

BOSTON – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde posted his first lineup of the 2023 season with Ramón Urías and Adam Frazier in the infield and Gunnar Henderson serving as designated hitter.

Kyle Stowers is the odd man out, beginning the game on the bench while the Red Sox start right-hander Corey Kluber.

Urías is playing third base, Austin Hays is in right field and Anthony Santander is in left – in front of the Green Monster.

Asked in the dugout this morning about starting Urías at third, Hyde said, “Well, I’ve got Kyle Gibson on the mound and Urías won the Gold Glove at third base last year and Jorge Mateo should have won the Gold Glove at shortstop, so I feel pretty good about the left side of our infield. Obviously, I want Gunnar’s bat in the lineup.

“These guys are going to move around quite a bit. When we face (Chris) Sale, it’s going to be different, when we face (Tanner) Houck, it’s going to be different. So, it’s going to be pretty much starting-pitcher-against-us-dependent, with also who we have on the mound. But all these guys are going to play.”

BOSTON – The Orioles set their 26-man roster with the anticipated moves on the injured list and a late pivot in the bullpen.

Logan Gillaspie and Mike Baumann made the club, and Joey Krehbiel was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Krehbiel broke camp with the team and spent most of the season on the active roster before slumping over the second half and being optioned in September. He had poor numbers this spring after two exhibition appearances but got on a roll with six straight scoreless and hitless outings, and he seemed like a safe bet to travel north.

Baumann was switched to a short-inning role and thrived with five consecutive scoreless appearances. Gillaspie pitched in seven games and allowed an unearned run with two walks and 10 strikeouts in seven innings.

The Orioles placed catcher James McCann on the 10-day injured list, pitchers Dillon Tate and Mychal Givens on the 15-day IL and John Means on the 60-day IL. Catcher Anthony Bemboom’s contract was selected, giving him two Opening Day roster berths in a row.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Dean Kremer will break camp next week as the No. 2 starter in the Orioles rotation, giving him the April 1 assignment in Boston.

Manager Brandon Hyde provided the information this afternoon but wasn’t ready to go further down the line. A few crumbs for the hungry media.

Kremer is starting Monday’s final exhibition game against the Cardinals in Sarasota, one day after Kyle Bradish faces the Phillies. However, Kremer is moving ahead of Bradish to begin the regular season.

Kyle Gibson is the Opening Day starter for the second time in his career. The club confirmed it this morning.

Kremer has allowed five runs in 14 innings this spring, all on solo home runs. He’s walked two batters and struck out nine.

BRADENTON, Fla. – The Orioles have taken the short ride north for their latest road game, taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Orioles (7-9-2) split two games on Monday, beating Detroit 11-7 at home and losing to Atlanta 6-5 in North Port in a game that was shortened to seven innings by rain.

The Orioles hit eight homers yesterday, six in Sarasota and two in North Port. They have scored 67 runs the past 10 games. 

Orioles closer Félix Bautista will make his long-awaiting spring debut today and is scheduled to pitch the first inning after being held out of games to this point. He has thrown several bullpen sessions and checked all the boxes he needed to get to this point. Now the Orioles hope the final two weeks plus will be enough time for him to be ready for Opening Day and they are confident he will be. It’s a nice step for him today here in Bradenton.

Right-hander Tyler Wells (0-1, 7.71 ERA) is expected to follow Bautista to the mound this afternoon at LECOM Park. Wells has allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He last pitched last Thursday in Clearwater against the Phillies allowing one run over 2 2/3 innings. Bruce Zimmermann is also scheduled to pitch for the Orioles.

Terrin Vavra, who is batting .474 (9-for-19) is leading off today and playing second base. Adley Rutschman hits second and will catch. Heston Kjerstad, who hit his third homer Monday against Atlanta, will bat eighth and play in right field and Colton Cowser hits ninth and plays in center.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles announced today the passing of Luis Andrés Ortiz Soriano, a 20-year-old minor league player from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 

A team statement read: "Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the passing of minor league pitcher Luis Andrés Ortiz Soriano. Luis was an inspiration to all who knew him, especially as he courageously battled cancer. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."

The young man did not have any stats for the 2022 season. In 2021 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League he went 1-2 with a 5.52 ERA in 14 2/3 innings.

Manager Brandon Hyde passed along his thoughts to start his pregame press update.

"Want to pass on condolences to the Luis Ortiz family. Sad news last night. From all of us here - our major league staff and players - we want to give our condolences to the Ortiz family," he said. 

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde provided some significant health and workout updates this morning, rattling off the morning advancements from a sheet of paper.

Got to keep it straight, and there were quite a few.

Left-hander DL Hall, who’s recovered from the discomfort in his lower back, completed a bullpen session today. Hyde said it “went well,” and Hall will throw live batting practice in a few days.

Closer Félix Bautista, who’s been restricted to bullpens while receiving treatments on his left knee and working to strengthen his right shoulder, also will threw live BP in the next few days.

Left-hander Nick Vespi, who underwent hernia surgery in January, will pitch in a simulated game later this week. Vespi remains confident that he’ll be ready for Opening Day if the Orioles want to bring him north.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Colton Cowser is starting in center field today against the Pirates, and Adam Rutschman is serving as the designated hitter.

Cowser is 2-for-11 with one home run, seven walks, six strikeouts and six runs scored.

Adam Frazier moves up to the leadoff spot.

Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman, Ramón Urías is playing third base, Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Austin Hays is in left field. An infield alignment that will be repeated at times in 2023, when Gunnar Henderson is on the bench.

Kyle Gibson makes his second spring start, both against the Pirates. The Orioles will extend him to three innings if his pitch count allows it.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Terrin Vavra was supposed to play left field and lead off today against the Phillies. However, he's been scratched from the lineup and replaced by Colton Cowser.

Third baseman Gunnar Henderson is leading off. Cowser is batting eighth.

No reason provided at this time.

Orioles reliever Nick Vespi had his fifth bullpen session yesterday morning, using all of his pitches and totaling 35. He advances next week to one or two live bullpen sessions and should be ready to start appearing in games.

Vespi, who underwent hernia surgery on Jan. 5, remains confident that he’ll be ready for Opening Day if he makes the club.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Anthony Santander said this morning that his left knee is fine, and he’s in the Orioles lineup against the Blue Jays.

Santander was hit Monday by an 85 mph pitch and limped off the field.

Cole Irvin is making his Orioles debut and James McCann is catching him.

Ramón Urías is playing third base and batting cleanup. Adam Frazier is the second baseman. Lewin Díaz is the designated hitter.

Austin Voth and Cionel Pérez will pitch today for the first time.

Gunnar Henderson is the cleanup hitter tonight in the Orioles’ penultimate game of the 2022 season.

The forecast calls for rain all day and night, but that’s the plan.

Jesús Aguilar is the first baseman, with Ryan Mountcastle on the bench. Ryan McKenna is the left fielder and Austin Hays is in right.

Terrin Vavra is starting at second base instead of Rougned Odor.

Mike Baumann is making his fourth start and 13^th appearance. He’s lasted four innings in his two starts since being plugged into the rotation on Sept. 24, throwing 58 and 74 pitches.

The Orioles begin the final series of the 2022 season tonight with the Blue Jays arriving in town.

They won’t have Félix Bautista available in the bullpen. He’s been shut down with lingering soreness in his left knee. A roster move is coming.

Gunnar Henderson is the third baseman tonight and Terrin Vavra is in left field. Kyle Stowers is in right.

Dean Kremer has a 3.17 ERA and 1.257 WHIP in 21 games (20 starts). He’s surrendered only 10 home runs in 119 1/3 innings, though two came in his last start in Boston.

Kremer has allowed six earned runs and seven total in 18 innings against Toronto this season.

The Orioles have lost all four games against the Tigers this season, including last night’s 11-0 rout that left them five behind the Mariners for the last wild card. The White Sox are a half-game behind them.

Tonight’s game feels “must win.”

They all do at this point.

Manager Brandon Hyde has performed a major shakeup of his lineup, moving Gunnar Henderson to the leadoff spot for the first time. Henderson is starting again at third base.

Adley Rutschman is lowered to the cleanup spot for the sixth time. He’s batted second in 47 games, a spot occupied tonight by Ryan Mountcastle.