SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles brought over three pitchers this afternoon from minor league camp to pad the bullpen in case of an unexpected mid-inning departure, and they also managed to send someone over to Twin Lakes Park with an in-game trade.
The club announced during the third inning that it acquired right-hander David Lebron from the Rangers in exchange for international signing bonus slots.
(I've already heard how this is Lebron's team now, and other NBA-related jokes, but keep 'em...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - The three-run homer is becoming a staple of Orioles spring training games. At least after two days.
Rio Ruiz, starting at third base today, followed a Trey Mancini single and two-out walk by Ryan Mountcastle with a shot over the right field fence to give the Orioles another quick lead.
Ruiz has hit four home runs in the majors in 195 plate appearances.
Mancini singled up the middle against right-hander Sean Reid-Foley. Chris Davis ran the count to 2-2 and couldn't check his...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Three of the Orioles' veteran starting pitchers were busy this morning.
Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner threw simulated games on a back field at the Ed Smith Stadium complex as the Orioles readied for batting practice, providing a glimpse at manager Brandon Hyde's plans in spring training with a schedule heavy in division opponents.
It also is a way to ease them back into competition.
Alex Cobb threw a bullpen session and Hyde said the right-hander also will pitch in a sim...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Dylan Bundy is pitching in a simulated game this morning on one of the back fields at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. He doesn't know when he's going to start a Grapefruit League game.
Manager Brandon Hyde is considering whether to shield his starters from division opponents and the Orioles are playing the Blue Jays today, the Rays on Tuesday, the Red Sox on Wednesday, the Rays and Yankees on Friday in split-squad games, and the Red Sox again Saturday.
Nate Karns starts Monday...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is giving Chris Davis, Trey Mancini and Jonathan Villar their first spring starts today.
Villar is leading off and playing second base. Mancini is batting second and playing left field.
Davis follows them, starting at first base. Ryan Mountcastle is the cleanup hitter and designated hitter.
Alcides Escobar, one of the newer additions to camp, is playing shortstop today. Austin Hays is the center fielder.
It's Carlos Pérez's turn to catch.
For...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will play their second exhibition game later today, giving manager Brandon Hyde more opportunities to show off the versatility of his roster and do a little more experimenting.
Stevie Wilkerson hasn't played first base in the majors? Run him out there in the Grapefruit League opener against the Twins.
Wilkerson came off the bag to glove Renato Núñez's throw from across the diamond and slap the tag on Ronald Torreyes. But he also couldn't make the clean...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - In his first game as a major league manager, albeit one that didn't count in real standings, Brandon Hyde placed zero importance on the final score. As the Orioles readied to take batting practice this morning on another sun-splashed Sarasota day, he sat in the home dugout at Ed Smith Stadium and insisted that he cared only about evaluating the performances.
Take in the good and the bad and discuss. A "straight evaluation deal," as he put it.
Most of what unfolded in front...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Though the batting order in the first exhibition game shouldn't be viewed as a precursor to the regular season lineups, Cedric Mullins carried the look of a legitimate leadoff hitter today against the Twins.
Mullins walked, stole second base and scored in the first inning, doubled and scored in the third, and singled and scored in the fifth, as the Orioles posted a 7-2 victory at Ed Smith Stadium.
Christopher Bostick replaced Mullins in center field, another movable piece...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde wants his club to be aggressive on the bases this year, a message he's delivered to them in meetings and through the press. However, he's also fine with players circling them.
Chance Sisco's first swing today resulted in a three-run homer off Chase De Jong in the bottom of the first inning to provide an early lead.
Cedric Mullins led off with a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on catcher Tomás Telis' throwing error. Exactly the...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - The first game for Brandon Hyde as a major league manager has arrived today. Does a win or loss really matter to him?
"No, not at all, zero," he replied while sitting in the home dugout at Ed Smith Stadium.
Let's remember that it's spring training and other goals rank higher in the pecking order.
"It's 100 percent about what we just did up until 11:30 and how we play," Hyde said. "We're going to evaluate that, we'll talk a little bit about a couple things that maybe...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Mark Trumbo said he isn't expecting to make his Grapefruit League debut this spring for a few more weeks, the process of recovering from September knee surgery continuing to play out.
Trumbo has intensified his workouts in spring training, but the Orioles are being careful with him.
"There's going to be a few tests to pass before. A safe bet would probably be two weeks from now," Trumbo said.
"We still haven't totally ramped up. The full-speed sprint and kind of the...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is kicking off the first exhibition game this afternoon by sitting some of the regulars.
First baseman Chris Davis, infielder Jonathan Villar and left fielder Trey Mancini are out of the lineup. Mancini said he knew in advance and is playing Sunday against the Blue Jays.
The same must be true of Davis and Villar.
Stevie Wilkerson gets the start at first base, Eric Young Jr. in left field, Rule 5 pick Richie Martin at shortstop and Jace Peterson at...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Just as it's unwise to read too much into the choice of a starting pitcher for the first exhibition game, the same applies to the order of the hitters and where certain players are positioned in the field.
The leadoff hitter today against the Twins may be lowered or excluded Sunday versus the Blue Jays. The catcher isn't assured of breaking camp with the team, let alone being behind the plate on opening day.
Take it all with a grain of salt, though it made more sense to do so...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA - Richard Bleier has no idea when he's going to pitch in an exhibition game. The euphoria he felt after today's live batting practice session should carry him for a while.
Facing hitters for the first time since June 13, prior to his lat surgery, Bleier broke out his entire arsenal and reported no discomfort or noticeable rust.
"I'm very happy with how it went," he said. "Honestly, it was as good as it could have went. I felt great. I pitched very well. I made all my pitches. It...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - The final workout this morning before the Orioles dive into their exhibition schedule included left-hander Richard Bleier's first opportunity to face hitters since undergoing lat surgery in June.
Bleier threw 20 pitches on the Ed Smith Stadium mound, with Cedric Mullins, Jace Peterson, Eric Young Jr. and Andrew Susac serving as the batters.
"Great day for Bleier," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I'm waiting to go in there to talk to him a little bit more, but for his first...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles starter Andrew Cashner knew about the club's decision to hire Doug Brocail as pitching coach days before the news leaked. He kept it to himself, his approval muted until he arrived in camp.
He wasn't going to be the one to break the story.
They have a history. Cashner posted a 3.40 ERA in 28 starts with the Rangers in 2017 while working with Brocail, prompting former executive vice president Dan Duquette to give him a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $16...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Trey Mancini walked out of the cage today, passed Hunter Harvey in front of the bench and suggested that the right-hander stick with everything that he's doing in camp.
If it ain't broke ...
Mancini was smiling as he said it, a touch of sarcasm sprinkled in after Harvey locked him up during live batting practice.
"He looked really good," Mancini said following the Orioles penultimate workout before Saturday's exhibition opener against the Twins. "Everything was working...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Jonathan Villar said this morning that he expects to play second base for the Orioles this season. Not his preferred spot in the infield, but it keeps him in the lineup.
The signing of Alcides Escobar to a minor league deal and the presence of other shortstop candidates in camp make it more likely that Villar stays at second, where he made 36 starts for the Orioles after coming to them in the Jonathan Schoop trade with the Brewers. He started 18 games at short.
"For me, I...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - The swings keep coming on the main and back fields. Baseballs are launched over fences, one slamming into the metal roof of the indoor batting cage beyond Camden Yards South. Failure to square them up brings a quick and audible scolding from the man who's holding the bat.
The man who can't escape the attention and scrutiny as another spring training unfolds. Who's amused when told about the experts on social media who break down his stance and whether a toe tap or the...
			
			
	
	SARASOTA, Fla. - Yefry RamÃrez has been tabbed to start the Orioles' first exhibition game Saturday afternoon against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.
"I feel great. Very excited when I was told about the news," Ramirez said via translator Ramón Alarcón.
"It makes he feel really good having this opportunity, so I feel there's a priority in order and I'm looking to try to take advantage of that."
Manager Brandon Hyde didn't say it, but you shouldn't read too much into it....
			
 
                                
                             
                                
                            
 
                                
                             
                                
                            
-1745819772711.png)
 
																															
	 
		
				 
							
					