masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSARASOTA, 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. – 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 versus the Twins in Fort Myers, with other scheduled pitchers including Hunter Harvey, Luis Ortiz, Chris Lee, Miguel Castro, Donnie Hart and Josh Lucas.

Mike Wright starts Tuesday against the Rays in Sarasota.

Hyde also could choose to pitch Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner in simulated games.

Outfielder Yusniel Diaz stood at his locker this morning with his entire right arm wrapped in ice packs. From the top of his shoulder to his wrist.

Diaz-Swings-Bowie-Orange-Sidebar.jpgDiaz said he isn’t injured. He told the media via interpreter Ramón Alarcón that the treatment is intended to “relax the arm.”

He’s making pitchers nervous with his power, on display again yesterday with his two-run homer off Twins left-hander Gabriel Moya in the third inning. A line drive that left the ballpark in a hurry.

“I got it all for sure,” he said.

Diaz has been putting on a show in batting practice, endangering windshields of cars parked outside the fence on Field 2. And he muscled up again yesterday in the exhibition opener.

“It was very important,” he said. “I felt relaxed. I think I had a good at-bat throughout the game and I just wanted to make a really good impression to my teammates, to the new staff that’s around and to the fans.”

There are outfielders ahead of Diaz, 22, in camp and he’s probably going to be playing in the minors in April, but he’s got the mindset that he’s competing for a job like everyone else. And he’s enjoying every minute of it. Also like everyone else.

“It’s very fun,” he said. “I feel relaxed. I’m blessed because I’m doing what I like, what I enjoy, so I’m just happy to go out there and play a game.

“I think we get along well as teammates. There’s no rivalry, it’s just competition and I think the most important thing is that everybody is trying to help the team.”

Zach Pop retired the side in order yesterday in the ninth inning on a strikeout and two ground balls to complete a 7-2 win. Pop and Wright, in the fourth, had the only clean innings for the Orioles.

“I felt good,” Pop said. “There’s always some things you want to work on. Being the first time, you kind of take it easy. Felt really good with the two-seam low and away and started throwing some changeups, something that I wanted to work on this offseason, so that was pretty cool to do and get some swings on the changeup. That was really good for me.”

In typical spring fashion, Pop didn’t attack hitters as he normally would in the regular season.

“For me right now, it’s staying healthy, not trying to do too much and just really work on some stuff that I wouldn’t get the opportunity to during the season,” Pop said.

A few fans noted on Twitter that Pop’s velocity was down considerably, as if he should be rearing back and hitting the high 90s. He sat in the upper 80s to raise questions about his health.

“I wasn’t really trying to get after it at all,” he said. “Nothing to an extreme. I was obviously out there competing and trying to do everything I can to get three outs, but I wasn’t trying to go out there and blow off any doors, being the first game. There was really no point in trying to do that when it’s such a long season and it’s the first game.”

Here’s the Blue Jays lineup:

Billy McKinney RF
Anthony Alford LF
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. SS
Rowdy Tellez 1B
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3B
Dalton Pompey CF
Luke Maile C
Dwight Smith Jr. DH
Richard Ureña 2B

Sean Reid-Foley RHP

Other Blue Jays pitchers on the trip include Joe Biagini, Trent Thornton, Patrick Murphy, Hector Perez, Yennsy Diaz, Shawn Morimando, Conor Fisk, Francisco Rios and Kirby Snead. Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio are extra infielders.