CLEARWATER, Fla. – Kyle Bradish made the call a month ago.

Asked about competing with Trever Rogers for the Opening Day start, Bradish turned to his teammate and said, “I don’t know how much competition there is after that performance yesterday from Rogers.”

Said in jest? It felt like more than a little truth was sprinkled over it.

Bradish was referring to the left-hander’s live batting practice session on the stadium field, where he struck out seven of 10 batters. Colton Cowser bragged later about putting a ball in play, though done weakly.

Manager Craig Albernaz has other reasons to be impressed with Rogers, who officially gets the ball on March 26 against the Twins at Camden Yards.

This will be Rogers’ first career Opening Day assignment, and he’s the fifth different Oriole to receive the honor in the last five years after John Means, Kyle Gibson, Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin. Only Eflin remains in the organization after signing as a free agent.

The comeback story for Rogers adds another chapter.

The Orioles traded for Rogers at the 2024 deadline and optioned him after four starts, with his ERA at 7.11 and WHIP at 1.842 in 19 innings. He stayed in the minors, worked on his mechanics and mental approach, and saved his career.

Rogers reported to camp last spring with a knee injury and didn’t pitch for the Orioles until Game 2 of a May 24 doubleheader in Boston, where he tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings with only two hits allowed. He returned for good on June 18 and finished with 1.81 ERA and 0.903 WHIP in 18 starts, earning the Most Valuable Oriole award and a fifth-place vote in Cy Young balloting.

Manager Craig Albernaz is starting Rogers on Saturday against the Pirates in Bradenton, the lefty’s fourth this spring. He threw a combined five scoreless innings with no walks and six strikeouts in two Grapefruit League games and allowed six runs in 2 1/3 against Team Netherlands, which doesn’t count in the exhibition stats.

The decision came down to Rogers or Bradish, who’s expected to start Game 2 on March 28. Bradish has returned from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in June 2024, making six starts last season and instilling confidence in the organization that he can get back to pitching like an ace.

There are no rules against carrying at least two.

Bradish finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting in 2023 after posting a 2.83 ERA in 30 starts and earning the assignment in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Rangers. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow in January 2024 and made it through eight starts, registering a 2.75 ERA and striking out 53 batters in 39 1/3 innings, before undergoing surgery.

The return came in an Aug. 26 start, and Bradish finished with a 2.53 ERA and 1.031 WHIP in 32 innings. He struck out 47.

Nothing that happened in spring training has shaken the Orioles’ confidence in him. He tossed five scoreless innings against the Pirates on Wednesday, allowing only one hit and topping 97 mph seven times.

“That was really fun to see and watch,” Albernaz said afterward. “He was moving so clean down the mound, efficient, fastball velo was there, off-speed offerings were really gross. They were sharp and late, and he was in the strike zone. It was good to get him up there, get him through five, which is a great box checked, especially right now getting toward the end of camp.”

Going with Rogers first, followed by an off-day, enables the Orioles to provide a little more rest for Bradish.

Bradish has insisted in camp that he’s fine pitching in any spot in the rotation. He isn’t “dead set” on being the choice for Opening Day.  

“I’m looking for 30 starts,” he said, “not just one.”

President of baseball operations Mike Elias negotiated in the offseason with some of the top starters on the free agent market, most notably Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez. He pivoted to Chris Bassitt on a one-year, $18.5 million contract to improve the depth and durability in the rotation.

Elias also traded for Shane Baz, sending four prospects and a Competitive Balance Round A pick to the Rays. Eflin returned on a one-year deal that guaranteed $10 million and included a mutual option for 2027.

The exact composition of the rotation and Eflin’s availability after August back surgery will be known later. However it shakes out, Rogers is the lead dog in the pack.