SARASOTA – The first full-squad workout is three days away and the energy level in camp already threatens to shake the new player development complex.

The team wasn’t lackluster in previous spring trainings, but there’s a heavy dose of “new” here and maybe that explains it. It certainly isn’t due to a strong finish to the 2025 season.

We had two major pieces of news Wednesday, and you can decide which one rates the highest – or lowest if that’s your scale.

Second baseman Jackson Holliday was an orange and black unicorn last season by staying on the active roster and injury free. So of course, he takes live batting practice on Feb. 6 and breaks his right hamate bone. Don’t mess with the baseball gods.

(Pausing here for someone to say, “This is why we can’t have nice things.”)

The club announced yesterday that Holliday underwent successful surgery to remove the fractured hamate in his right wrist.

The hamate bone is a small, wedge-shaped bone on the pinky side of the wrist. The hook-like projection is known as “hook of the hamate,” which is about as clever as the time my parents bought a Siberian Husky puppy when I was a kid and named it “Husky.”

(We also got a part-Doberman, part-Collie from the pound that we named “Dobie.” But I digress …)

Outfielder Nick Markakis broke his hamate bone in 2012, marking his first career trip to the disabled list. He missed about six weeks.

Rough year for Nick, who underwent surgery in January to repair a torn abdominal muscle and fractured his left thumb in September when CC Sabathia drilled him on the hand, forcing him to miss the postseason.

Holliday is headed to the injured list and his return after Opening Day will be measured in weeks. Better to have it happen early this month. Much better to avoid it altogether.

News broke Wednesday night, no pun intended, that the Orioles reached agreement with starter Chris Bassitt on an $18.5 million contract, which really deepened the rotation and could possibly lead to a hard decision if Zach Eflin is ready for the opener instead of going on the IL. And if the Orioles avoid a six-man rotation, an unusual idea with three off-days within the first 15 days.

Teams need fewer starters early in the season, not more of them.

Manager Craig Albernaz and his staff might have to do some creative shuffling in a non-traditional six-man alignment. Eflin, Bassitt, Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz and Dean Kremer are starters – except when Bassitt moved to the bullpen in the playoffs after returning from an injury.

Kremer traditionally is a slow starter with a 6.24 career ERA in March/April, but he’s also a horse. Just look at his mane, but also with his team-leading 171 2/3 innings last season. He was second to Kyle Gibson with 172 2/3 in 2023.

Can’t have too many starters? Get back to me when the Orioles are ready to break camp.

These things have a way of working themselves out? Touché.

“Just watching the bullpens the last two days and just being around the guys and their demeanor and their attitudes, I think it can be as good as any rotation in the game,” Baz said before the Bassitt agreement, which might be announced later today if the results are back from his physical.

“I’m not gonna put a ceiling on it because just the talent is pretty ridiculous. And yeah, it’s just exciting.”

“I have a ton of confidence in our guys,” catcher Adley Rutschman said pre-Bassitt. “I think our rotation, our staff, is great. Obviously, with last year, injuries are just something sometimes you can’t see or predict and it’s out of your control. I’m just praying that our guys are able to stay healthy because I think we’ve got a really good squad right now.”

“You look at the five guys that we have and I’m like, man, I’d put this starting rotation up against anybody in the league and we’re gonna have success,” Rogers also said hours before the Bassitt news. “Obviously, if we did do that (get another starter), make this team even better, but the guys we have now are some of the best in baseball by far.”

Is this team better than last year’s version?

“Oh man, this team is so exciting,” Rogers said. “Obviously with Pete (Alonso), getting (Taylor) Ward, Baz, some of the bullpen pieces coming back, with Eflin, I mean, I saw a mock lineup I think a month and a half ago after we got Ward and Alonso and it’s scary. It’s scary how good this team can be and I’m really fired up for this year.”

What else is going on in sunny Sarasota?

Albernaz doesn’t want his players to take out the trash talk. In fact, he’s an instigator.

“It’s been encouraged a little bit to try to get the best out of everybody here,” said closer Ryan Helsley. “I know we’re teammates, but we’re all trying to get better and it’s a pivotal time of year to get on the ground with the right foot, and it’s been fun so far.” 

We received confirmation that outfielder Heston Kjerstad, shut down in July with an explanation of fatigue, is a full participant in camp.

We have proof. Kjerstad took live batting practice yesterday on the main field.

Leody Taveras was assigned No. 40 in camp but it no longer appears on the nameplate above his locker. That space is blank.

Bassitt obviously will inherit the number. No word on whether Taveras was compensated.

Bassitt has worn 40 with multiple clubs. He was given 4-10 on his custom Blue Jays spring training jersey last year and had to serve as bat boy during a spring training game after finishing in last place in their fantasy football league.

More news: Tyler O’Neill is still ripped, but he appears to be a little thinner than last year.

Reliever Josh Walker, designated for assignment twice in the offseason and outrighted in January, might be the most jacked pitcher in baseball – ever.

The guy is 6 feet 6 and chiseled.

PowerPoint presentations to free agents are shown on his back.

If bullpens empty during a game and he’s on the team, don’t worry. He’s got this.