BOSTON – The Orioles waited until after yesterday’s rainout to announce their Game 2 starter. They waited until after their Game 1 loss earlier today. Too many variables, including possible bullpen usage to cover innings.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino confirmed outside the visiting clubhouse that left-hander Trevor Rogers would make his 2025 debut. It proved to be a wise decision at a time when pretty much everything seems to be going against this team.

Rogers cruised into the seventh before leaving with two runners on base, one out and the game scoreless. He allowed two hits, walked none and struck out five before Andrew Kittredge replaced him, the move coming with Rogers at 87 pitches.

Kittredge stranded the runners and Ryan O’Hearn singled with two outs in the eighth to score Gunnar Henderson. Finally, a breakthrough. A reason to feel good again. Savor these moments in a season that would rather tease and torment.

Seranthony Domínguez stranded the two runners he inherited in the eighth, allowed a leadoff home run to Abraham Toro in the ninth and notched his first save in the Orioles’ 2-1 victory over the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 34,604 at Fenway Park.

BOSTON - The Red Sox flip-flopped starters for today’s doubleheader, using the rainout to move Brayan Bello ahead of Lucas Giolito. The Orioles are sticking with left-hander Cade Povich for Game 1 but haven’t committed to a starter for the nightcap.

Charlie Morton was listed for tonight before the weather forced a fourth postponement. He could get the ball anyway, or the Orioles could use an opener ahead of him, move Zach Eflin to Game 2 on normal rest rather than wait until Saturday, or choose a pitcher who’s called up as the 27^th man.

It won’t be Chayce McDermott because he was optioned Wednesday.

Left-hander Trevor Rogers, also on the 40-man roster, hasn’t started for Triple-A Norfolk since May 16 and he’s listed as tonight’s starter against the St. Paul Saints. He’s allowed 12 earned runs (13 total) and 16 hits with six walks and 15 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.

The 40-man isn’t really a consideration because the Orioles have two openings.

MILWAUKEE – There haven’t been very many positives to point to in the brief Tony Mansolino era. Today, there’s one in plain sight. 

Andrew Kittredge, who the O’s signed to a one-year, $10 million deal with an option for 2026 this offseason, was reinstated from the injured list today. Kittredge missed a chunk of spring training and the beginning of this season after undergoing “knee debridement” surgery. At his healthy best, he’s one of the best setup men in the game. 

“I definitely wasn’t expecting to have surgery during spring training,” Kittredge said this morning with a laugh. “That was kind of out of my control. So, I just attacked the rehab and feeling good, and just excited to be back now, even though it wasn’t the beginning of the season that I hoped for. Excited to be back.” 

Kittredge made 74 appearances for the Cardinals a season ago, top-10 among pitchers’ games played. He posted a 2.80 ERA, a return to form in his first full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. 

Having previously gone through a long rehab, Kittredge knew the drill this time around. 

Reliever Andrew Kittredge is on the verge of finally making his Orioles debut.

The Orioles reinstated Kittredge from the 15-day injured list this morning and optioned Chayce McDermott to Triple-A Norfolk.

Kittredge made only one appearance in spring training before undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He signed for $10 million over the winter.

McDermott allowed three runs and walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings in his third career major league appearance and was optioned after the game.

The bullpen has an extra reliever today as the Orioles try to snap an eight-game losing streak and avoid a third consecutive sweep. They’ve fallen 17 games below .500.

MILWAUKEE – It’s been quite the 72 hours in Birdland.

Tony Mansolino found out that he would be the Orioles' interim manager on Saturday morning. Without much time to settle and adjust, Baltimore had two afternoon games against the visiting Nationals. 

“Being totally honest, just an absolute ton of anxiety Saturday and Sunday,” Mansolino said today. “Didn’t sleep a whole lot. Just going through the information and getting my mind prepared for what the job is. I slept last night, which was a really nice feeling waking up today.” 

Now the Orioles find themselves as visitors in Milwaukee for a three-game series, the first in which Mansolino has found himself at the helm from the jump. 

“Last night, getting on the plane, I pulled out the advanced binder, and I was able to just start looking at what’s going on in terms of the strategy of the game," he said. "I was able to pull out my computer and start looking at lineups and players and things that would help us get ready for the next day. I think that exercise, just kind of strangely, settled me down.”

A 2-4 road trip through Minneapolis and Anaheim isn’t cause for celebration. Lockers weren’t covered in plastic yesterday. And to be clear, last-place teams don’t have soft spots in their schedules, especially one with a worse record than the opponent.

However, Zach Eflin’s return to the rotation, Cedric Mullins’ emergence from a slump and Gunnar Henderson wearing a pirate hat while drinking from the homer hose created a more festive mood for the Orioles heading into the off-day and return home.

Being swept at Target Field felt like a death blow, though it’s only May, but the Orioles claimed two of three against the Angels and won their first Sunday game. They improved to 3-9 against left-handed starters.

“Gotta start somewhere,” manager Brandon Hyde said in his media scrum.

“Today was a good day." 

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill was reinstated from the injured list yesterday and Zach Eflin should follow on Sunday to start the final game of the road trip. Reliever Andrew Kittredge made his second rehab appearance on Thursday. Infielder Ramón Urías is trending toward a return perhaps by Tuesday or Wednesday after the latest break in the schedule.

Unable to get on a roll that moves them out of last place, the Orioles are implementing a new tactic this month - subtracting from the IL instead of adding to it.

Can’t hurt to try it.

Fifteen different Orioles have gone on the IL this season, only two fewer than in 2024. That’s the most in the American League and second in the majors to the Dodgers’ 17.

The White Sox and Reds have 15 different players, and the Marlins and Mets have 14.

MINNEAPOLIS – Zach Eflin accompanied the Orioles to Minneapolis and will throw a bullpen session tomorrow afternoon at Target Field as a follow-up to Sunday’s rehab start with High-A Aberdeen.

Eflin will make his return this weekend against the Angels in Anaheim. He’d be on normal rest Friday night if that’s the chosen date.

“I’m feeling great, obviously, here traveling with the team,” he said. “As close as I can be to being ready and kind of just waiting to get back out there.”

Eflin made three starts with the Orioles, completing six innings in each appearance and posting a 3.00 ERA. He went on the injured list with a right lat strain after holding the Diamondbacks to one run on April 7 in Arizona, vowing to make it a short stay and doing everything possible to get back quickly.

“I’d like to say so, but at the same time I have to listen to the training staff,” he said. “It’s an amazing training staff and if it was my way, I would have liked maybe a day or two extra and then not even go on the IL, but I understand there was something there in my lat and I had to listen to the trainers, I had to listen to my body. Nothing that you ever want to do, go on the IL. You just don’t feel like you’re a part of the team. You want to be out there kind of in the trenches with the guys every day, so it’s hard to kind of have that reality, but at the end of the day, I think it’s what my body needed to be able to go out and make every start for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

Orioles executive vice president Mike Elias spent about 15 minutes in the dugout today talking about the state of his 12-18 team and why he thinks it can get back to playoff form and meet the high expectations carried into the season.

He blames injuries and inconsistencies among players. And he continues to take responsibility for the record based on his role in the front office.

“It’s been really disappointing for all of us in the organization,” he said. “It’s been very difficult and we have not performed to expectations, so we all feel that. I feel that. I look at the team, look at things, and with the offense, the position player group, I think we’ve had obviously a lot of health issues. We’ve had some guys individually with just literally tough luck on the balls that they’re hitting. And then we’ve got a lot of players and guys with long major league track records who just aren’t performing to their norms. So all those being the case, I’m really optimistic and we’re optimistic that we’re gonna work out of that and things are gonna get better.

“With the starting rotation, having injuries and also starting so poorly and putting us in a bad spot because of that, it is difficult to contend with that level of injuries. But even that aside, they’ve had a poor start and that’s my responsibility and I’m in charge of baseball operations and when we have a bad record to start the year, that’s my responsibility. But we are all working very hard and we have a lot of faith in this very talented group, and piece by piece, step by step, we’re gonna get guys healthier, we’re gonna get guys performing more to their norms.

“If there’s something we can fix with a player, we’re working on that. And I’m very optimistic and confident that we have a lot better baseball ahead and we’re gonna play like the way that we should be this season.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde provided the media with the latest injury updates a few days ago, rattling off the names and progressions – if any advancements were made – in rapid-fire fashion. Recording devices were essential. Lacking shorthand skills made it almost impossible to keep up with the frantic pace.

Side sessions for Kyle Bradish, Zach Eflin and Tyler Wells. Live batting practice for Andrew Kittredge. Adley Rutschman staying in the lineup despite a bruised hand. Colton Cowser improving but not cleared for baseball activities. Jordan Westburg’s day-to-day status due to a sore hamstring that later forced him onto the injured list.

Oh yeah, and confirmation that Kyle Gibson would start Tuesday night. He wasn’t injured, but feelings could get hurt from the Yankees’ treatment of him.

Gary Sánchez was omitted from the roll call but he joined Westburg on the IL with wrist inflammation. The discomfort is felt when he swings a bat.

Also, no mention of Albert Suárez, who’s on the IL with a right subscapularis strain. In simpler terms, it’s a type of rotator cuff injury and expectations for a speedy recovery don’t exist. He’s on the 60-day injured list and eligible to return May 28.

Charlie Morton appears to be staying in the bullpen.

For how long is the question.

Morton has worked in relief in his last two appearances, following opener Keegan Akin in Detroit in Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader and holding the Yankees to an unearned run last night in 2 1/3 innings. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped a line drive with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh.

Not much went right for the Orioles in a 15-3 loss, but Morton lowered his ERA to 9.45 and can provide much-needed length. A fifth starter isn’t needed until May 10 due to a few more off-days, though a rainy forecast this weekend could cause some shuffling.

“We haven’t closed the door on him starting still,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’re trying to get him going a little bit. I wasn’t expecting going into the game that he was going to be able to pitch and he completely saved us. So for him to go 2 1/3 innings after throwing 80 (pitches) just a few days prior, I thanked him multiple times because he allowed me to not use other people.

The only update today on Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez is that he’s seeking other opinions after undergoing an MRI on his sore right shoulder.

Rodriguez’s bullpen session was canceled and he had imaging done yesterday after waking up this week with the discomfort. He’s on the injured list with inflammation in his elbow/triceps.

“We got the results back,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’re gonna get some opinions on it, so there’s really nothing to report at this time. We’re gathering information from second opinions from other doctors and we’ll have more to give you sometime next week when all that stuff comes back.”

Brandon Young will fill a hole in the rotation on Saturday in his major league debut. He replaces Zach Eflin, who’s on the injured list with a right lat strain.

Young, the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020. The draft was shortened to five rounds because of the pandemic.

Among the nine Orioles on the injured list, reliever Andrew Kittredge appears to bring the most promising outlook, and that’s as much a statement about the team’s misfortunate as his recovery.

Grayson Rodriguez seemed to be trending in the right direction, with multiple bullpen sessions indicating that he might be getting closer to facing hitters in live batting practice and on a rehab assignment. However, yesterday’s session was nixed because of soreness in his right shoulder that cropped up earlier in the week.

A pause of any length is significant, since it interferes with the ramp up process, and having to restart his progression would be a painful blow. There’s also a worst-case scenario that doesn’t need to be verbalized.

The Orioles need top starter Zach Eflin’s stay on the IL to be relatively brief, but he’s recovering from a lat strain and won’t be ready for reinstatement when eligible on Wednesday. He threw in the outfield for the first time two days ago, so facing hitters isn’t an immediate goal.

“I’m hopeful at this point that his stay on the IL will be measured more in weeks than in months,” said executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias sat on the dugout bench this afternoon, media crowded around him, and held a piece of paper that he referred to as his “crib notes.”

To memorize the injuries and updates would require a special skill that’s rare in baseball circles, though the Orioles keep testing their front office and manager.

Elias covered 11 players, including a pair of minor leaguers. The injured list has no limits. The same must apply to the Orioles’ collective patience.

Zach Eflin
“He continues to feel really good after coming out and hitting the IL with what we hope is a very mild lat strain. He’s going to start playing catch in a few days. We’ll have to see how that goes and kind of take it from there. But so far encouraging with the way he’s felt since being injured and I’m hopeful at this point that his stay on the IL will be measured more in weeks than in months. But again, kind of see how he responds. He’s starting to play catch.”

Grayson Rodriguez
“Recuperating from the sore tricep/elbow injury that he had in spring training. He’s thrown two bullpens now. His most recent one had off-speed pitches, spins as we say, and he’s got another bullpen day after tomorrow. So far he is tolerating everything well physically, so that’s good news, but we still have a lot ahead of us in terms of bullpens, buildup, live BP, ultimately rehab assignment, and I’m not ready to assign a timetable to his recovery yet. I know that he’s doing everything he can to strengthen up and get back to help the team as soon as possible, but we’re not at the point yet of kind of ballparking when that’s going to be. But he continues to feel pretty good.”

The Orioles haven’t confirmed their rotation plans beyond left-hander Cade Povich on Sunday. However, the need for a fifth starter next Saturday apparently won’t tempt them to call up Kyle Gibson.

Gibson has made one start with Triple-A Norfolk and allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings.

“He’s gonna need a little more time,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Down the road a little bit.”

Hyde added that the Orioles want to get through Monday’s off-day before setting the rotation for the next two home series.

“We’re talking about a lot of things,” he said. “Povich tomorrow and then clear some things out.”

Tomoyuki Sugano will be decked out in the all-orange uniform, last worn by the Orioles on Aug. 13, 2010, for today’s home debut against the Blue Jays.

Sugano faced the Blue Jays in his first major league game and allowed two runs in four innings before exiting with cramping in both hands. He held the Royals to one run in 5 1/3 innings in his next start.

Heston Kjerstad is in left field and Ryan Mountcastle is batting eighth. Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Jordan Westburg is batting cleanup again and playing third base. Jackson Holliday is at second.

Mountcastle is 5-for-7 with two doubles and two home runs against Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis. Gunnar Henderson is 2-for-5 with a double.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Charlie Morton will start the second game of the season on March 28 against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Two-thirds of the rotation is confirmed.

Zach Eflin is the Opening Day starter on March 27. Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano, who pitches tonight, will slot further down.

Morton, 41, has tossed six scoreless innings in his three spring starts. He signed a $15 million contract in January and is entering his 18^th major league season.

“He’s been everything,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “He’s been an amazing influence on our team so far already. Just with his interactions with guys. He’s throwing the ball extremely well, he looks great. That’s just Charlie Morton.

“The stuff he’s thrown out every time out has been really good. He’s brought a lot to our team already.”

The baseball gods are hardly ever kind.

Over the last few weeks, the Orioles have been hit with significant injuries. We’re not talking 2024 depths of despair level, but important enough to conjure similar emotions. Agony, dread, synonyms.

This week on “The Bird’s Nest,” Annie Klaff and I broke down the injuries and what they mean for Baltimore moving forward. While the topics will be introduced in this article, you can hear more in-depth analysis by watching the full episode here.

Andrew Kittredge 

Let’s start with the devil we know rather than the ones we don’t. Kittredge underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure last week to repair cartilage in his left knee. The reliever told reporters yesterday that his original timeline was sometime between June and the All-Star break, but that early indications point to the earlier side of that. That’s good! What’s not good is losing one of the best setup men in baseball for multiple months. Kittredge is coming off a season in which he posted a 2.80 ERA, an off-the-charts chase rate and was money in high-leverage situations.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Reliever Andrew Kittredge is walking around the Orioles clubhouse without crutches or a brace on his surgically repaired left knee. A black sleeve is the only evidence that something is different.

Kittredge underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure Friday to repair cartilage in the knee, with Dr. Leigh Ann Curl handling the procedure in Baltimore. He could miss most or all of the first half.

“Not really sure,” he said this morning while sitting at his locker. “It was a broad timeline, I guess. According to the doctor, the real thing that kind of drives the timeline is if the swelling can go down and so far I haven’t had much swelling, so I think that’s really encouraging on that front.

“I know the original timeline was kind of June to All-Star break, so it was kind of broad in that sense, but everything so far is leading to believe that it will be on the earlier side of that. But it’s a little more probably on the trainers and how it’s going as it unfolds, I guess.”

Kittredge said he’s never experienced any issues with his knees, and this year marks his ninth in the majors and 15^th in professional ball. The discomfort became noticeable around the time of the live batting practice sessions.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Charlie Morton worked three scoreless innings today against the Rays with only one hit allowed, a double on a fly ball to left field that Daz Cameron had difficulty tracking in the wind and high sky. Morton hasn’t surrendered a run in six exhibition innings. Everything looks impressive.

That’s the simple surface observation. There’s much more going on with Morton, a veteran entering his 18^th major league season.

“I’ve been working on some pitch shape stuff, maybe trying to understand where I’m at a little bit more with movement and stuff, and how my mixes play together,” said Morton, always ready with a thoughtful and detailed answer. “Like today, it was good. I threw a couple pretty good four-seamers, a couple ones that I think didn’t necessarily play. I think the two-seamer, we’ve been talking about that, maybe mixing that a little bit more, especially to righties, because last year especially, righties were giving me fits. And to see some swing and miss on my breaking ball.”

Morton struck out the side in the first inning on 15 pitches, topping at 95 mph and touching 94 four times. A fourth strikeout ended the second inning, with Morton’s fastball again reaching 95 mph. Josh Lowe’s two-out walk in the third didn’t hurt.

“All in all I feel pretty good, but I think probably another few weeks, even into the regular season, until I’m really, truly and honestly aware of where I’m at,” said Morton, who threw 46 pitches, 26 for strikes.