The last easy roster decision was executed yesterday morning.

The Orioles optioned reliever Cam Foster to Triple-A Norfolk to create room for left-hander Keegan Akin. Foster threw two scoreless innings the previous night, putting four runners on base and escaping jams. With only four major league appearances this year, he could be sent down without going through waivers.

This was a no-brainer and it didn’t reflect the club’s feelings on Foster. It just made the most sense.

Closer Ryan Helsley could rejoin the club today after going on the family medical emergency list. Left-hander Dietrich Enns is on his injury rehab assignment with Norfolk, which inches him closer to a return.

Here’s where it gets complicated.

The current bullpen structure consists of Akin, Tyler Wells, Andrew Kittredge, Yennier Cano, Rico Garcia, Anthony Nunez, Albert Suárez and Grant Wolfram. Kittredge was reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Friday, with Jose Espada optioned to Double-A Chesapeake to keep  him local and allow him to pitch sooner.

Brandon Young has replaced Dean Kremer in the rotation, starting Friday night and allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He has a 2.53 ERA in 10 2/3. But the Orioles are off again Monday and could option Young and temporarily go with four starters. They’d need a fifth on May 2 in New York, and left-hander Cade Povich would be in the running.

The alternatives don’t seem to include optioning Wells, Cano, Nunez or Wolfram, and they aren’t designating Garcia for assignment.

That leaves Suárez, who can provide length and save the ‘pen. He’s out of options, and the risk, of course, is having a team claim him.

Suárez needed to cover four innings yesterday and was charged with four unearned runs. He retired the last seven batters. What he brings to the table was evident again.

The bullpen was tagged as an area of concern in spring training, and Akin’s groin injury while warming for the final exhibition game didn’t brighten the outlook. Yaramil Hiraldo made the club but is on the 60-day IL with shoulder joint inflammation.

Nunez was optioned in camp and brought back with Akin injured, and he’s registered a 1.46 ERA, 0.649 WHIP and .140 opponents’ average in 11 appearances. He’s struck out 15 and walked only two in 12 1/3 innings, and he’s doing it in high-leverage situations.

“I knew he had the stuff for sure,” Akin said. “I think I was on rehab last year when we got him, so I watched him throw once down there and it was electric, and then obviously seeing him in camp this year, it was like, wow, that’s some plus, plus stuff. You knew it was gonna translate. Just a matter of time. And he didn’t waste any time, so it was fun to watch.”

The unit worked overtime yesterday with starter Trevor Rogers lasting only 1 2/3 innings. Akin breezed through the eighth but was charged with six runs in the ninth without retiring a batter. Infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson made his fourth career relief appearance and stuck the ‘pen with four more runs on a couple of homers.

“Shout-out to Weston Wilson,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “It’s not an easy position to go into, but in the grand scheme of things, that helps out the bullpen big time.”

Nothing could save the collective ERA, which jumped from 3.68 to 4.08. One grotesque inning can blur the numbers.

Trust the old ones.  

Going back to the pending roster moves, the Orioles must pry a job out of the hands of a pitcher who’s contributing.

Not enough good relievers? Too many good relievers? Amazing how quickly it changes.

“Extremely difficult,” Albernaz said. “Every decision we make is difficult as far as sending guys down or DFAing them or whatever the case may be just to make room for guys. It’s always difficult because you can look at it for a variety of different ways, and especially for the player that’s being told that he’s getting sent down or he’s not going to be on the team anymore. It’s extremely difficult, but it’s part of the job.

“I love when players make those decisions extremely difficult for us because they’re performing and they’re going about things the right way.”

A ‘pen that’s largely platoon neutral simplifies Albernaz’s job. Manager’s love matchup-proof relievers.

“Having guys that can navigate both handedness is big for us is, and it’s a credit to our pitchers knowing that and attacking their plans and attacking the hitters a variety of different ways. But also our pitching group by identifying the adjustments and tweaks needed to make to go against those guys,” Albernaz said.

“Our bullpen has been outstanding for us, and I think the biggest thing for us is making sure that we still are putting these guys in the right spots and not overexposing these dudes.”

Note: Catcher Sam Huff cleared outright waivers and elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A. The Orioles are expected to re-sign Huff to a minor league deal.