Two early trends with the Orioles are how they don’t face many left-handers – none until this afternoon – and they play a lot of day games.

Former Orioles minor leaguer Eduardo Rodríguez is the first lefty starter after a run of 17 right-handers in a row, which set a franchise record to begin a season. It was bound to happen.

Unfortunately for Ryan Mountcastle, it’s a little too late to get him in the lineup.

Rodríguez isn’t a treat for the Orioles. He’s made three starts this season and allowed one earned run in 18 innings. He’s faced them 25 times in his career, including 23 starts, and gone 14-5 with a 2.74 ERA in 138 innings.

Today marks the 10th day game of the season, two more than the times that they’ve played under the lights. The Orioles have three night games in a row in Cleveland this week before getaway day, and two in Kansas City before an afternoon matchup on April 22.

Kyle Bradish makes his fourth start today after allowing eight earned runs (10 total) in 13 2/3 innings. He’s walked nine and struck out 17.

Bradish completed the fifth inning for the first time in his most recent outing in Chicago. He’s made one career start against Arizona, on Sept. 2, 2023, and allowed two runs in six innings.

The unpredictability of a baseball season, even in its infant stages, is on full display again in 2026.

One row of clubhouse lockers has, in order, catcher Sam Huff, outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez and reliever Nick Raquet. Infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson is set up at the end of a row on the other side of the entrance.

Jordan Westburg no longer has a locker, but it can reappear when he’s ready. He’s continuing rehabilitation and baseball activities progression this week.

Jeremiah Jackson was in a camp competition for the utility job after the Orioles traded for Blaze Alexander, which seemed to reduce his chances. But Jackson Holliday had surgery to remove a broken hamate bone and Westburg received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow. And Jackson’s bat heated up after he recovered from a mild calf strain.

Jackson has become the regular second baseman. More than that, and this is the shocker, he’s tied for second on the team with three home runs and ranks second in RBIs with 11. He’s the only player without a walk. He comes out swinging. And it’s working for him.

A single and double by the fourth inning last night made Jackson 5-for-5 with a double, two home runs and five RBIs since his line drive smacked into the side of manager Craig Albernaz’s face.

Leody Taveras signed for $2 million early in the offseason but also had to win a job. His name was one that kept coming up as a possible solution to the roster crunch, if the Orioles decided to carry an extra infielder. Run him through waivers and hope the contract dissuaded teams from putting in a claim.

Taveras is a natural center fielder, which is important on this club, and he’s 10-for-28 (.357) with three doubles, seven RBIs, six walks and a .935 OPS. He drew a bases-loaded walk last night in the third and had an RBI single in the eighth.

Maverick Handley is the back up catcher.

It’s happened before, but Handley didn’t seem to be next in line.

Huff figured to be the first choice if the Orioles needed to make a move, which they did with Adley Rutschman’s ankle injury. The Orioles signed him on Jan. 15 and he had 98 games of major league experience.

Handley was the taxi squad catcher for the first road trip, but the Orioles selected his contract from nearby Double-A Chesapeake with Rutschman going on the 10-day injured list. Huff was removed for a pinch-hitter at Triple-A Norfolk, but he’s now on the taxi squad.

Creed Willems and Silas Ardoin are handling the catching duties with Norfolk. Samuel Basallo is the No. 1 guy in Baltimore and he was behind the plate again Sunday afternoon after a night game.

“I think it’s something that I’m used to,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I’ve done it quite a bit, so it just felt like a normal day out there.”

Today’s game starts at 12:35 p.m. an even quicker turnaround. Will it be Basallo again after his 431-foot home run to center field last night, or does Handley get his first start since June 22 at Yankee Stadium?

Will the Orioles use seven catchers again to tie last year’s franchise record?

Taylor Ward singled last night and extended his on-base streak to 16 games. He’s batting .324 with an .884 OPS. However, he still hasn’t hit a home run after finishing with 36 last season with the Angels.

He won’t be shut out. That’s my hot take.