Notes on WBC player schedules, Means, Bautista, Voth, Holliday, Gómez and more

SARASOTA, Fla. – The schedules for players leaving Orioles camp for the World Baseball Classic are clearer after this morning’s media scrum with manager Brandon Hyde.

Center fielder Cedric Mullins will play Friday and Sunday before joining Team USA in Arizona. Right fielder Anthony Santander will play Friday, Sunday and Monday before driving to Miami and beginning workouts with Venezuela.

Dean Kremer, who’s pitching for Israel, will work two-plus innings Friday in relief of starter Kyle Gibson. He’s also headed to Miami.

Left-hander John Means said his first half-mound session will be early next week, perhaps on Monday. We’re told there are no setbacks following his Tommy John surgery.

Closer Félix Bautista’s next bullpen is Saturday. The knee and shoulder are fine.

Austin Voth is following left-hander Cole Irvin today against the Blue Jays. He’s out of minor league options and coming off a remarkable turnaround with the Orioles, who claimed him off waivers from the Nationals on June 7 and watched him post a 3.04 ERA in 22 games (17 starts).

“He did a great job for us out of the rotation last year, that second half, so we see him as a starter candidate now,” Hyde said. “Going to build him up as a starter, but he has been in the bullpen in the past, so there is that option. But he is so valuable because he can do so many different things. But right now, we’re really going to look at him as a starter and then kind of see where we are roster-wise at the end of camp.”

Past bullpen experience makes Voth a more comfortable fit than perhaps some other starter candidates.

“I think it’s definitely something you think about and talk about,” Hyde said. “Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that everybody’s going to be healthy at the end of camp and we’ll make those decisions then. But right now I think you want to build up as many starter candidates as possible because we still have a month to go, and then we’ll figure it out later on.”

Hyde doesn’t know how long 19-year-old Jackson Holliday will remain in camp, but everything the first-overall draft pick has done confirms the glowing reports on him.

“I’ve said this before, but he’s a really impressive young man,” Hyde said. “First big league camp, 19, high school this time last year, the way he’s playing defense. Like that popup yesterday. Not easy, right in the sun, no panic. Just feels like he’s been out there a long time and he’s just so young.

“I don’t think he’s feeling any pressure or intimidated by playing in these games. He looks comfortable out there.”

Holliday appeared in 12 games with low Single-A Delmarva last summer and will return to the Shorebirds or take the next step with High-A Aberdeen. Either way, it’s A ball to start.

“They’re going to enjoy watching him,” Hyde said. “He’s a plus defender, he’s going to be a really good hitter and he’s got great baserunning instincts already. Been around the game a long time already for a young age. He’s going to be exciting to watch, wherever he’s at.”

Catcher Maverick Handley received more attention than he expected yesterday by catching the bottom of the ninth inning after the umpiring crew left the ballpark in Bradenton. The score and stats were official. The Orioles lost 7-4. But they wanted to give reliever Ofreidy Gómez an inning and the Pirates agreed to keep playing.

Unusual but not unprecedented. Spring training rules are relaxed. The scene turned into a workout of sorts and umpires weren’t necessary. But Handley was in charge of balls and strikes.

“I thought he did a great job behind the plate,” Hyde said. “He was surprised, but I thought him kind of relaxing and just getting through that inning, it was awesome.”

Gómez was the first Winter Meetings move for the Orioles, signing a minor league contract with a spring training invite. He appreciated the work yesterday, however it happened.

“Interesting, something different,” he said, smiling. “Just taking it like, ‘OK, no umpire here, just got to make it as quick as possible.’”

Gómez, 27, spent the 2022 season in the Phillies organization and registered a combined 5.19 ERA and 1.754 WHIP in 38 games between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Royals released him in September 2020, the White Sox signed him three months later and he entered minor league free agency twice before settling with the Orioles.

“I’m looking to show them that I’m ready to play at any (role) that they ask me to,” he said.

“I think they can give me a great opportunity this year to play in the majors.”

The Orioles brought pitchers Nolan Hoffman, Easton Lucas, Conner Loeprich, Jensen Elliott and Ryan Conroy from minor league side for today’s game.

Former Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, in camp with the Baseball Assistance Team (BAT), spoke to players in the clubhouse this morning.

Former Orioles second baseman Rougned Odor has signed a minor league deal with the Padres that includes a spring training invite.

For the Blue Jays
Cavan Biggio 2B
Otto Lopez CF
Addison Barger 3B
Vinny Capra LF
Zach Britton RF
Leo Jimenez SS
Rob Brantly C
Andres Sosa 1B
Jamie Ritchie DH

Yusei Kikuchi LHP