Wrapping up a 6-5 win and Grapefruit League schedule (updated)

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Orioles are going to make a few more cuts later tonight following a 6-5 win over the Phillies. Two of the more vulnerable players are outfielder Cedric Mullins and infielder Luis Sardiñas, who can be reassigned to minor league camp while the team inches closer to a set opening day roster.

The camp roster will be down to 30 players and only one more cut is required with Zach Britton on the 60-day disabled list, Gabriel Ynoa and Mark Trumbo headed to the 10-day DL, and Alex Cobb about to get optioned.

Alex Presley, who's exploring other opportunities, will go to another organization or report to Triple-A Norfolk, leaving Pedro Álvarez to claim the last spot. However, the Orioles aren't done checking the waiver wire.

They came extremely close last night to signing Ryan Flaherty to a minor league deal, but the Braves stepped up with a better offer and are putting him on their major league roster.

Here's the anticipated opening day roster if no one is signed or acquired in a trade:

Pitchers
Dylan Bundy
Andrew Cashner
Kevin Gausman
Chris Tillman
Mike Wright Jr.
Brad Brach
Darren O'Day
Mychal Givens
Richard Bleier
Miguel Castro
Pedro Araujo
Nestor Cortes Jr.

Catchers
Caleb Joseph
Chance Sisco

Infielders
Chris Davis
Jonathan Schoop
Manny Machado
Tim Beckham
Danny Valencia
Pedro Álvarez

Outfielders
Adam Jones
Trey Mancini
Colby Rasmus
Craig Gentry
Anthony Santander

Cortes allowed one run and four hits today over three innings, with no walks or strikeouts. Rhys Hoskins led off the second with a long home run to left field. Cortes also threw a wild pitch.

Twenty-four of Cortes' 36 pitches were strikes. His fastball reached 91 mph on the stadium gun.

"I'm happy," he said. "I gave up the home run, but it's going to happen. Time and time again, they told me that solo home runs aren't going to beat me, so I was happy with the results."

Cortes ends camp with a 4.67 ERA in 17 1/3 innings.

"Here and there, I flashed some potential," he said. "It could have been better, obviously, but I know that I can get big leaguers out. I showed time and time. Maybe there was one outing that didn't look as great, but all the other ones, I think were pretty decent."

Manager Buck Showalter said Cortes was "fortunate today." That includes catching Carlos Santana's line drive near his head with a runner on third base and one out in the third inning.

"Some hard-hit balls, but survived with one run," Showalter said. "Glad he had a glove up, huh? That was an impressive play."

The Orioles are likely to use Cortes in a relief role as one of their three Rule 5 picks on the opening day roster. Santander retains his status through the first 44 days of the season. Araujo was informed last week that he made the club.

Cortes hasn't been told that he's heading north and won't allow himself to get too excited about opening day, the orange carpet and all of the festivities at Camden Yards.

"Not yet," he said. "I'd rather hear the news and then celebrate after. I don't want to take anything for granted as of now.

"It's a little frustrating since it's my first spring training. I wish I knew, but it's just how it works, so we'll see what happens."

Castro really brought the heat today with his fastball in the 97-98 mph range. He allowed one hit and struck out six batters in three scoreless innings.

"That's about as sharp as you want to see a pitcher in the spring," Showalter said. "That was fun. He's ready to go."

In his best outing of the spring, Castro struck out the side in the fourth and got Maikel Franco looking at a 98 mph fastball to end the inning.

"I was aggressive, especially with the first-pitch strike," he said via translator Ramón Alarcón. "I was consistent today. I felt really well with my arm, healthy, in control of the whole situation, so I think that was the difference today."

Castro allowed a combined eight earned runs (nine total) and nine hits with six walks in 6 2/3 innings in his last two outings, but he seems to have avoided a trip to the minors.

"I think there have been ups and downs," he said. "I've been learning from those down moments and trying to improve every single day, trying to learn something and do better in my next start. I think overall ups and downs, but with a positive mind."

Castro's also waiting for Showalter to give him good news.

"It's possible," he said. "It's the manager's decision, a team decision. Hopefully, I get the opportunity to show what I can do, but I will leave it up to them."

The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. Sisco singled for the second time and scored on Santander's double to left-center field. Ruben Tejada singled and Santander scored on Sardiñas' double play bouncer.

Franco hit a two-run homer off Brach in the seventh, but the Orioles scored three times in the eighth while the Phillies trotted out four relievers.

Tejada doubled, Sardiñas singled and Jaycob Brugman delivered an RBI single. Jake Ring singled to loaded the bases with no outs and Zac Curtis walked Jomar Reyes with two outs and threw a wild pitch to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead.

Bleier allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a double, single and fielder's choice, and his throwing error put the tying run on third base with two outs. Adrian Marin, the replacement at second, made a diving stop up the middle to keep the lead intact.

Marin doubled with two outs in the ninth and scored on Brugman's single. Lucas Long allowed a run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Orioles finished their Grapefruit League schedule with a 17-12-2 record.

Showalter implied that he's happy where the Orioles are today and he wasn't referencing Clearwater.

"Coming in here, where we were when the season ended and where we are now ..." he said.

Meanwhile, Cobb threw around 60 pitches in his three-inning simulated game in Sarasota.

"The trainer texted back and forth," Showalter said. "The velocity was good, strong. Good to see."

Update: The Orioles reassigned Mullins, Presley and Sardiñas.