KANSAS CITY – Among the series of pregame drills this afternoon at bitter-cold Kauffman Stadium was outfielder Tyler O’Neill throwing to the bases. The early work is done to sharpen skills and that’s an area where the two-time Gold Glove winner wanted to focus.

The Royals sent nine batters to the plate last night in the eighth inning and scored five times against left-hander Cionel Pérez to expand their lead to 8-2. A sloppy game created its final mess when Vinnie Pasquantino singled down the right field line with the bases loaded and two outs, and all three runners scored.

O’Neill didn’t find a cutoff man, with the first and second basemen also chasing the ball, and fired to second. Bobby Witt Jr., who drew an intentional walk, raced home and dived across the plate.

“Tyler understands,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’ve had similar kind, three times now, where we threw the ball to the wrong base on a ball in the corner situation. And that’s a little bit of not understanding batter runners, runners on base. You’ve got Bobby Witt at first base and a ball drops like that, Tyler understands that ball needs to go to the plate. We threw to the wrong base in the left field corner in Toronto. We did it at home, also.

“(O’Neill) has played well, just a couple mistakes there that he understands. But you have to know the runners on base, you have to know the batter runner speed, etc., to make the right decision.”

KANSAS CITY – Tomoyuki Sugano gets his second chance in the majors this afternoon after leaving his debut with cramping in both hands.

Sugano allowed two runs and four hits in four innings at Rogers Centre in Toronto in the fourth game of the season. He faces the Royals today in the bitter cold, but at least it's dry.

Gunnar Henderson is serving as the designated hitter today and Gary Sánchez is catching. Adley Rutschman is on the bench.

Ryan Mountcastle moves up from eighth to cleanup. Cedric Mullins is batting third.

Heston Kjerstad stays in left field. Ramón Urías is at third base and Jordan Westburg is at second. Jackson Holliday is the shortstop.

KANSAS CITY – Having Gunnar Henderson back on the active roster creates a ripple effect that pushes an infielder to the bench.

No one is making waves over it. That’s just how it works with a full-time, All-Star shortstop in the lineup.

Jackson Holliday returned to second base last night in the series opener against the Royals, and Jordan Westburg made the start at third. One of them could sit this afternoon, or both could stay on the field while Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo remain in reserve roles.

Optioning Dylan Carlson yesterday left the Orioles with four outfielders and seven infielders, the original math expectation before they signed Ramón Laureano. Henderson’s stint on the injured list and Mateo’s ability to get ready for Opening Day changed it.

Urías is hitting like an everyday player but doesn’t receive that kind of treatment. He’s 9-for-21 (.429) with a .976 OPS in six games after collecting two more hits Thursday against the Red Sox. Urías and Westburg began last night tied for the team lead with nine hits.

KANSAS CITY – Gunnar Henderson swung at the second pitch of his 2025 season and lined out to short at 106.8 mph. He didn’t get on base, but he was back.

The Orioles are lagging behind with three losses in a row after tonight’s 8-2 defeat in Kansas City.

Henderson went 1-for-4 with an infield single in his last at-bat and also committed a fielding error on Salvador Pérez’s ground ball that he charged in the fourth. The game was as ugly as the weather with a start-time temperature of 47 degrees and rain falling all night, and the Orioles dropped to 3-5.

They haven’t been two games below .500 since their record stood at 42-44 on July 9, 2022.

The offense stalled again with two runs scoring in the second and nothing else. Henderson beat out a grounder with one out in the eighth and the Royals turned a 1-6-3 double play with Adley Rutschman at the plate.

KANSAS CITY – Gunnar Henderson wore a hooded sweatshirt and wool stocking cap as he charged ground balls at shortstop during today’s infield drills. The weather at Kauffman Stadium is cold and damp, but he managed to work up a sweat.

Henderson wiped his hair with a towel and pulled the cap onto his head again. The conditions are miserable, but he couldn’t have been happier. He’s playing for the Orioles again, ready to make his 2025 debut after recovering from a strained right intercostal. He didn’t need the sun to shine.

The Orioles reinstated Henderson from the injured list earlier today and optioned outfielder Dylan Carlson. Henderson is batting leadoff to start a three-game series against the Royals.

“It sucks having to watch your team play on TV. I’ll tell you that much,” said Henderson, who returned from a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk.

“Obviously, was very disappointed that I wasn’t well enough for the Opening Day roster, but I was able to get my work in and I’m ready to go now.”

KANSAS CITY – The Orioles reinstated shortstop Gunnar Henderson from the 10-day injured list this afternoon and optioned outfielder Dylan Carlson to Triple-A Norfolk.

Henderson is recovered from the strained right intercostal that he sustained on Feb. 27. He appeared in five games on his injury rehab assignment and went 5-for-19 with two home runs.

Carlson was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. He started in left field yesterday and had a sacrifice fly.

Henderson is leading off. Cedric Mullins is the cleanup hitter.

Jordan Westburg is at third base and batting third. Heston Kjerstad is in left field.

The forecast in Kansas City is calling for rain and cold temperatures throughout the day. The Orioles are supposed to start a three-game series and the last time that I checked, Kauffman Stadium isn’t equipped with a retractable roof. Then again, I wasn't invited to the ballpark tour. Maybe there's an upgrade like the Camden Yards sound system.

If not, think warm and dry thoughts.

The mailbag isn’t waterproof and must stay indoors while I’m gone. I decided to dump out some of its contents to prevent an overflow when I get home. Hopefully, I haven’t covered a doubleheader.

You ask, I answer (most times), and we have the latest sequel to the beloved 2008 original.

Editor’s note: Some questions have been edited for … well … there was this one time that I … nope, nothing. I’ve just withheld the ones with the words “Roch” and “sucks.” Does that count as editing?

The mysterious uptick in Charlie Morton’s velocity didn’t return in the first inning today. His four-seam fastball was 93.3 to 94.6 mph against leadoff hitter Jarren Duran and topped at 94.7. And his third strikeout came on a curveball to Trevor Story, a pitch that produced only one out in his Orioles debut in Toronto.

If Morton was getting back to normal, he couldn’t enjoy it. Rafael Devers walked with one out in the first and Alex Bregman hit the next pitch, a sinker, to deep left field for a quick Red Sox lead.

Wilyer Abreu led off the second with a full-count walk, Kristian Campbell also worked the count full, and Morton hung a curveball that was launched to left at a distance of 389 feet.

The new dimensions in left aided Campbell. Bregman’s ball traveled 397 feet and didn’t need the benefit of a drawn-in wall. But both swings stung the Orioles in an 8-4 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 16,656 at Camden Yards that dropped them below .500 heading into their next road trip.

Morton struck out 10 batters in five innings, four short of his career high and the 28^th time that he’s reached double digits, and he exited with his pitch count at 98. He allowed five runs and six hits and walked two batters, and his ERA is 9.72 in two starts with the Orioles.

The Orioles wrap up their first homestand of the season with a lineup that doesn’t include Gunnar Henderson.

Henderson wasn’t at his locker this morning and he had a box and mail sitting on his chair.

Cedric Mullins is leading off today. Jordan Westburg is batting third.

Tyler O’Neill is the designated hitter, Heston Kjerstad is in right field and Dylan Carlson is in left.

Jackson Holliday is playing shortstop.

Tyler O’Neill knew that he’d move around the outfield after signing his three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Orioles. He won two Gold Gloves in left with the Cardinals but has made four of his five starts in right this season.

Last night’s original lineup had O’Neill in left and Ramón Laureano in right, the same setup as Monday for home Opening Day, but they switched positions in the updated lineup less than an hour later.

Left field is up for grabs after Colton Cowser fractured his left thumb Sunday in Toronto. He’s expected to be out six-to-eight weeks at a minimum. But the Orioles have the same flexibility in their outfield as they do in the infield.

Long gone are the days of Don Buford in left, Paul Blair in center and Frank Robinson in right. Or two-thirds of the outfield consisting of Al Bumbry in center and Ken Singleton in right, or Adam Jones in center and Nick Markakis in right.

O’Neill is most likely to play where Markakis used to roam.

The Orioles love that their offense can go on a home run binge, as it did in record-setting fashion on Opening Day, or be content to keep the line moving. Baseballs sail into the seats or tear through the alleys. They are anything but one-dimensional.

They just need to level out rather than ride the highs and lows. Consistency is a work in progress.

Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet held them down tonight with eight shutout innings in a 3-0 win over the Orioles before an announced, chilled crowd of 18,146 at Camden Yards.

Crochet was making his second start with the Red Sox and his first since signing a six-year, $170 million extension. He surrendered only four hits among his 102 pitches and struck out eight. Aroldis Chapman earned the save.

Manager Brandon Hyde had described a game against Crochet as “quite a challenge” and it was too much for his club.

Gunnar Henderson is playing for Triple-A Norfolk again tonight in Charlotte. It could be the last game on his injury rehab assignment.

The Orioles need a little more time to decide.

Henderson is 5-for-16 with two home runs in four games with the Tides. He’ll stay on the field for seven-to-nine innings tonight.

The complication in reinstating Henderson is the 1:05 p.m. start time for Thursday’s game against the Red Sox. The travel is a consideration.

Otherwise, Henderson would make the trip to Kansas City for the weekend series against the Royals.

Tyler O’Neill has limited exposure to Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, who faces the Orioles tonight at Camden Yards. Only two at-bats – and one home run.

O’Neill is going to play anyway. He’s one of the primary outfielders and he hits .273/.378/.549 against lefties. But he’s hitting everybody so far in his brief Orioles career.

Given a day off in Toronto to keep his legs fresh, O’Neill has made four starts and gone 8-for-14 with double and prerequisite Opening Day home run. The eight hits are the most for an Oriole through his first four games with the club since José Iglesias had eight in 2020.

Four of O’Neill’s hits came in Monday’s home opener to tie his career high.

“Driving the ball the other way once, a little blooper the other way, not just being pull happy but opposite-field homer in Toronto. Playing really good defense for us,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Jorge Mateo is the shortstop tonight and Jordan Westburg is playing second base in a right-handed heavy Orioles lineup against the Red Sox.

Jackson Holliday is on the bench.

Gary Sánchez is catching, with Adley Rutschman serving as the designated hitter. Tyler O’Neill is in left field and Ramón Laureano is in right. Cedric Mullins, batting ninth, is the only left-handed hitter.

Zach Eflin started on Opening Day and held the Blue Jays to two runs and two hits in six innings. He’s 3-0 with a 5.10 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox covering 30 innings.

Rafael Devers is 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts this season but he’s 6-for-16 with three doubles and two home runs lifetime against Eflin. Wilyer Abreu is 5-for-10 with a double and home run.

Baseball has a way of cleaning up messes even while creating more turmoil.

The Orioles must decide how to find a roster spot for Gunnar Henderson, who’s eligible to return Thursday from the injured list. They are off today and have one more game without their All-Star shortstop.

“We got like one of the best players in the world coming back,” said first baseman Ryan O’Hearn. “So that’s a good thing.”

The bad thing was losing a teammate to make it happen.

The Orioles want to hold onto Jorge Mateo for his elite speed and defensive versatility. They want Ramón Urías getting bulk starts at third base, and he keeps hitting, singling twice yesterday to make him 6-for-15 in four games. They won’t option Jackson Holliday, who also singled twice yesterday and drove in a run, because this is his time to show that he can be as special as advertised.

The Orioles used their home Opening Day to fish for compliments.

Fans had to be done complaining about a series split in Toronto and another injury. This was a time to party. The team was back at Camden Yards, the sun came out and players circled the bases in the first inning. The good times rolled, and no one got run over.

Cade Povich warmed to Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” and looked like the real deal with eight strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, but the pitch count got him – 94 of them. Manager Brandon Hyde was left to piece together the rest.

The first four relievers combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings and the Orioles had another offensive surge in the eighth in an 8-5 win over the Red Sox before an announced sellout crowd of 45.002.

Félix Bautista warmed with the Orioles ahead 4-3 and had to pitch the ninth, no longer in line for his first save since Aug. 24, 2023. He entered to Omar's whistle and a rousing ovation, and he allowed two runs on a leadoff walk, wild pitch, Romy Gonzalez double and two-out broken-bat single by Jarren Duran. Rafael Devers walked but Alex Bregman popped up.

The freshness and boundless optimism of a new season haven’t kept another series of injuries from striking the Orioles.

They can run and dive, but they can’t hide.

The latest blow arrived this morning with outfielder Colton Cowser going on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left thumb. Manager Brandon Hyde expects Cowser to miss a minimum of six-to-eight weeks.

This isn’t how the Orioles wanted to begin their home Opening Day.

“It’s a big loss,” Hyde said. “This is a guy who was second in Rookie of the Year last year. … It’s going to be at least a couple months and gives other guys opportunity. It’s not gonna be the last injury we have this season. We’re gonna have things pop up and that’s why you create depth, and it gives other guys opportunities. But it’s a blow because Colton’s a really good player.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said outfielder Colton Cowser could miss six-to-eight weeks minimum with a fractured left thumb. Cowser was placed on the 10-day injured list this morning.

The injury occurred yesterday when Cowser dived into first base in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. He was removed for a pinch-hitter in the ninth and underwent tests.

Outfielder Dylan Carlson was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. He's on the bench today for the home opener against the Red Sox.

Jordan Westburg is leading off today. He’s back in the lineup after sitting out yesterday’s game.

Hyde said Westburg is feeling a lot better after dealing with some “minor things.”

TORONTO – The Orioles are four games into the 2025 season and manager Brandon Hyde has found rest days for Tyler O’Neill, Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg. Adley Rutschman received a partial one by serving as designated hitter.

Westburg apparently got his due to some sort of physical issue that made him available yesterday only in an emergency. He's expected in today's lineup.

The turf is staying at Rogers Centre, where it can put a strain on another opponent’s legs. The Orioles will welcome playing on their grass field and hope it remains dry for home Opening Day.

Cedric Mullins and Colton Cowser were in the lineup each day of the Blue Jays series, but the Red Sox are starting left-handers Sean Newcomb and Garrett Crochet in the first two games. Hyde has a chance/excuse to rest them separately and get Ramón Laureano in the lineup.

Cowser is more likely now because his left thumb bent back yesterday in the seventh inning after he went head-first into the bag trying to beat out a ground ball. I don't know whether it's actually proven that diving slows you down, but it does put your hands at risk.

TORONTO – Tomoyuki Sugano smiled this morning as he walked in and out of the clubhouse and down a hallway, nothing about his expression or mannerisms hinting at a first major league start and accompanying case of nerves.

He warmed up, faced his first batter and issued a four-pitch walk.

It wouldn’t be the worst part of his day.

Sugano made it through four innings and 73 pitches, went back to the mound for the bottom of the fifth and couldn’t continue. Manager Brandon Hyde, pitching coach Drew French and head athletic trainer Scott Barringer checked on him, and Sugano flexed his right hand before heading to the dugout.

Matt Bowman, whose contract was selected today with Albert Suárez going on the injured list, took over in the Orioles’ 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays before an announced crowd of 21.069. Sugano allowed two runs and four hits, with two walks and one strikeout before exiting due to unspecified “cramping.”