Pitchers expected to highlight today's game in Fort Myers

SARASOTA, Fla. - Nate Karns makes his first start for the Orioles today in their first road game, the team bus pointed toward Interstate 75 south and headed to Fort Myers.

Karns brings a certain level of interest and intrigue this afternoon because he missed the entire 2018 season with an elbow injury and pitched in only nine games the previous summer before undergoing thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The Orioles ideally would like to slot him behind Dylan Bundy, Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner, however they're aligned.

Bundy and Cashner pitched in a simulated game yesterday, watched by manager Brandon Hyde, and Cobb threw a bullpen session. Karns gets to do the real thing today.

Won't matter that a Grapefruit League game doesn't count. It's going to be meaningful for Karns, however long it lasts, after he missed the entire 2018 season with an elbow injury.

Karns' ability to make the rotation would intensify the competition for the fifth spot, increase the chances of a candidate spinning into a long relief role and allow the Orioles to be more cautious with some younger arms who might benefit from starting at Triple-A.

The primary goal is to get Karns through camp healthy, as Hyde has said about many of his pitchers and position players, including Hunter Harvey, who's also slated to pitch today.

Whenever I'm asked about my early impressions in camp, I respond that I don't do impressions. I wait for the laughter to die down and inevitably reference Harvey, who's created another buzz in Sarasota, as he tends to do, with his electric stuff and potential to be a true staff ace.

All it took was one bullpen session for coaches to begin raving about him. Fresh eyes widened.

Luis Ortiz sustained a hamstring injury in his first major league start and didn't pitch after Sept. 14. He, too, will be worth watching this afternoon as he tries to convince the Orioles that he's ready for their rotation and better equipped to live up to the stature of a first round pick.

Enjoy the slimmed-down version of Ortiz. He's worked hard to drop weight.

Meanwhile, Hyde and his staff are working to determine whether certain pitchers should be starting or coming out of the bullpen. Chris Lee, also on the trip today, is one of the many examples in camp.

"I think we're just trying to evaluate them because we're not really sure yet," Hyde said. "We haven't seen these guys throw to hitters from a game standpoint. Only watched video stuff, seen numbers. We're going to try to make the best decision for each guy, whether it's starting or reliever.

"This is really going to be an evaluation period the next month and it's going to be a collaborative deal with all of us in the room. We're going to do what's best for our team as well as the player and the role that we see them fit."

Former Oriole Jonathan Schoop didn't travel to Sarasota for Saturday's opener, but he can't hide today. The beat crew will seek him out during batting practice.