masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBOSTON – The first homestand is behind us and it’s time to embark on the first road trip, with stops in chilly Boston and steaming Arlington.
The latest forecasts calls for a 100 percent chance of rain on Tuesday. There’s no escaping it.
Grab a comfortable seat today and enjoy the Red Sox’s opening day festivities and whatever they have planned for David Ortiz. Tissues are optionable.
Hyun Soo Kim isn’t, and he won’t be in the lineup against left-hander David Price following yesterday’s…

BOSTON – The first homestand is behind us and it’s time to embark on the first road trip, with stops in chilly Boston and steaming Arlington.

The latest forecasts calls for a 100 percent chance of rain on Tuesday. There’s no escaping it.

Grab a comfortable seat today and enjoy the Red Sox’s opening day festivities and whatever they have planned for David Ortiz. Tissues are optionable.

Hyun Soo Kim isn’t, and he won’t be in the lineup against left-hander David Price following yesterday’s major league debut. Kim went 2-for-3 with an infield single to the left side, a ground ball to second base and an infield single to the right side.

The Rays used the shift against Kim as though he’s a pull hitter. He seems more likely to hit the ball to the opposite field, based on what we saw in spring training, but they were right twice about him going to the right side.

Hyun-Soo-Kim-swing-orange-spring-sidebar.jpgTo the fans who booed Kim during introductions on opening day: Yes, he heard it. Yes, it bothered him. Mission accomplished, I guess.

He appreciated the applause that built yesterday as he strolled to the plate in the second inning.

“Going back to opening day, there was a slight booing for me, so that was slightly in my mind,” he said through interpreter Danny Lee. “All I thought about going into the game was try not to get booed anymore so I basically can perform throughout. But then that ovation basically helped me get relief from it.

“It was a good start for me.”

Brad Brach retired all four batters he faced yesterday, striking out two, after replacing Vance Worley.

Brad Miller flied to the warning track in right to end the fifth and stranded two inherited runners.

Brach remains one of executive vice president Dan Duquette’s most underrated trades. The Orioles got him from the Padres on Nov. 25, 2013 for Double-A pitcher Devin Jones, who eventually made it back to the organization last year, appeared in three games for Single-A Frederick and retired.

Matt Wieters threw out Logan Forsythe trying to steal second base with the Rays down by a run in the top of the seventh inning. Probably not the smartest decision.

Wieters, who experienced elbow soreness in spring training, hadn’t been challenged until yesterday.

“Matt had a big throw out at second,” said manager Buck Showalter. “That means a lot to him, I’m sure.”

In his only start, Caleb Joseph threw out two of three runners attempting to steal.

Run at your own risk.

Mychal Givens walked Forsythe to lead off the seventh and struck out the next two batters. He needed a positive outing after surrendering three runs and five hits over two innings in his first two appearances.

Givens always is vulnerable to a minor league assignment because he’s got options and the Orioles don’t have a lot of flexibility in their bullpen. His name comes up when the discussion turns to possible corresponding moves for Brian Matusz, who is supposed to be activated from the disabled list on Thursday.

T.J. McFarland and Tyler Wilson, two long men in the ‘pen, also are vulnerable. I don’t know whether the Orioles would remove Mike Wright after Tuesday’s start or if he’s in the rotation for a while. Lots of possibilities here.

Plate umpire Dana DeMuth’s strike zone yesterday was the size of a toenail, and it forced Darren O’Day to throw 33 pitches in the eighth inning.

O’Day may not be available today because of it. Showalter likely will try to avoid using him if at all possible.

O’Day became so frustrated at one point that he pounded his fist into his glove on a full-count walk to Kevin Kiermaier. Closer Zach Britton also was squeezed on at least one pitch.

Britton moved past Eddie Watt for seventh place on the club’s all-time saves list with 75.

Watt had a nice career with the Orioles, but I swear, I hear the name and immediately think of the three-run homer he allowed to Lee May in the eighth inning of Game 4 that prevented a sweep in the 1970 World Series.

May jumped on the first pitch from Watt. He ambushed a lot of pitchers, hitting 354 home runs in 18 seasons, including 123 with the Orioles.

Showalter, whose team has won 10 in a row dating back to last September, mentioned yesterday how Jimmy Paredes continues to make progress while on the disabled list with a left wrist injury.

“He’ll be an option for us before too long,” Showalter said.

Unfortunately, Paredes is out of options. He also doesn’t have a position. Pedro Alvarez is the left-handed designated hitter and the outfield only comes into play for Paredes in an extreme emergency.

Who would come off the 25-man roster for Paredes?

(I know what you’re thinking, but Kim still won’t accept an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.)

Manny Machado remains in full beast mode and it’s scary to think how good he can become if he’s able to stay healthy.

Machado recorded his fourth career four-hit game yesterday. He’s hit seven home runs against the Rays, all of them at Camden Yards.

Jonathan Schoop has an 11-game hitting streak dating back to Sept. 26. He’s batting .324 (11-for-34) during that stretch.

Of the 11 hits, seven have gone for extra bases.