The Baltimore Orioles’ exhibition game at Nationals Park was rained out today. The teams sat through a rain delay of well over an hour before the announcement was made. It will not be made up. So the lasting impression of Spring Training 2025 was a 5-5 tie against Atlanta yesterday. Opening Day is Thursday in Toronto.
Baltimore Orioles: Grapefruit League finale with a hue of Cherry Blossoms
Cade Povich takes the mound this afternoon in the Florida Grapefruit League finale for the Baltimore Orioles. Today’s game was a late add to the schedule, but it isn’t even in Florida. It’s at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, against the Washington Nationals.
Of course starting next year, the two teams will begin an annual home-and-home exhibition series (one game in both parks) to conclude Spring Training. This game is a “standalone” in a sense – but it’s a no-brainer. You have two teams in the region; why not conclude the spring with a “no-stakes game” in a big league park?
It’s low-stakes for sure…but is it? The Battle of the Beltways is a series that plays out more in offices and around holiday tables than it does on the field. And that includes in my own family gatherings; I’m the grandson of a former catcher in the Washington Senators’ system. (I say that using contemporary nomenclature; back in those days what we know as the minor leagues was called “semi-pro.”) You’ll see a great mix of orange and red at Nationals Park if you watch or attend today’s game.
I’m not sure this series will ever be comparable to the Subway Series or Chicago’s Cross-Town Rivalry. However you can’t totally draw more of a parallel with something such as the Texas rivalry either. You have two cities that are both well defined and independent of one another. Yet they’re both cornerstones of the same mid-Atlantic region. This unlike New York or Chicago, where both teams are part of the same city.
Let’s start with the food aspect. Both cities love crabs, and I’m sorry…I take umbrage when people from other parts of the country say that they have decent crabs. Maryland Blue Crabs begin and end the discussion about crabs! That said, ever tried a Half-Smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl?! If you like frankfurters and chili (which I do), it’s a delicacy.
I suspect there’ll be a hearty crowd at today’s game. And it’ll be somewhat of a carnival-like atmosphere. But it’s still an exhibition game. I’ll actually be really interested to see how many innings Cade Povich goes today. Brandon Hyde has actually been shortening his starters the last few days. Does that trend continue, or does he play today’s game like a true dress rehearsal? Time will tell. Play ball!
Baltimore Orioles leave Florida with a tie
The Baltimore Orioles completed the Florida portion of their Grapefruit League schedule this afternoon in a fitting fashion for a game that doesn’t count: a tie. They say it’s like kissing your sister, but in this case you kind of say what are you going to do? Charlie Morton wasn’t in the game long, but he did get the start. Morton’s line: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K.
I think most pitchers would take that in their final spring outing. So would most managers. Especially when the pitcher is 41 years old. If anything the Orioles have been shortening their starters going into this weekend, opting to get them some almost light work, and get them out.
Morton got an early lead when Ramon Urias smacked a two-run homer in the top of the second. However he surrendered it back in the bottom of the inning. Albies’ RBI-double got Atlanta on the board, followed by a two-RBI single by Kelenic. And Atlanta led 3-2.
The real start of the game for the Birds was Dean Kremer, who came in to pitch in relief. It wouldn’t shock me if Kremer is the third starter, and the Orioles are lining him up to pitch on Saturday in Toronto. While giving up two runs, Kremer pitched five innings. And was solid in the strike zone.
The Birds tied the game back up in the third on Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI-single. Two innings later they would take the lead when Tavian Josenberger reached on an error, scoring a run. Jackson Holliday would tack on a run-scoring single, and the O’s held a 5-3 lead.
However Atlanta would score two on Profar’s two-RBI double in the seventh. Neither side could muster a run past that point, ending the game in a 5-5 tie. And nobody batted an eye in the game ending at that point.
Before the game Brandon Hyde told the media that Gunnar Henderson would begin the season on the Injured List. He has to stay there for seven days, meaning he would be eligible to come off next Thursday. He could stay there longer, and but he’ll be evaluated at that time. However the Orioles are hoping he’ll be there for “days and not weeks.”
Hyde also said that Felix Bautista would break camp with the team. So he’ll be on the active roster on Thursday in Toronto. Which is what the Orioles have hoped for since he was injured at the tail end of 2023.
The Orioles will play one final exhibition game tomorrow against Washington at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. Cade Povich gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Washington’s Jake Irvin. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Meaningless game? No-No!
Zach Eflin was dominant in his final spring tuneup this afternoon against Pittsburgh in Bradenton for the Baltimore Orioles. Then again, so was every other Oriole pitcher. The story that matters is that the Birds’ de facto staff ace looked about as solid as one could look in a tuneup. But is that the real story of today’s game? No-no! Eflin’s line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.
What I found interesting is that Eflin only pitched three innings. And they were three quick and dominant innings at that. It isn’t as if Eflin reached his pitch limit.
It used to be that teams wanted their starters to pitch deeper in their final spring start. Now it seems teams are doing things almost like the NFL – where a starting pitcher pitches less in the final game. No reason to risk injury.
The first part of this game was all pitching. To be clear, the pitching across the entire game was pretty decent on both sides. But one team shined above the other all game long.
After Ramon Laureano was hit by a pitch to begin the seventh, the Orioles pinch-ran Enrique Bradfield Jr…who promptly stole second and third bases. Bradfield is fast. His speed got him to third base, this while Jackson Holiday walked himself. Bradfield would score on an RBI-single by Dylan Carlson. Livan Soto would add an RBI-single of his own later in the inning, and Vimael Machin would tack on an additional run while hitting into a double-play.
None of those runs scores if not for Bradfield’s speed. That wins you games. He also timed his steal attempts properly. Don’t underestimate that skill in regular season games.
The Birds would add an insurance run in the ninth on a sac fly-RBI by Griff O’Ferrall. However the real action came in the last of the ninth. You see, the Orioles hadn’t allowed a hit over the course of the ballgame. Granted six guys had pitched and more importantly it was a spring training game, but it was something.
Riley Cooper pitched the ninth for the Orioles, and sent Pittsburgh down 1-2-3. To be clear, a spring no-hitter means as much as a run-of-the-mill spring training victory. All it really means is that the entire pitching staff was really dialed in today. But it’s something.
The last time the franchise completed this feat in spring was 1951 – when they were the St. Louis Browns. In this case, seven pitchers combined to share the no-hitter – including Zach Eflin. Come next week, nobody will even care about it.
The Orioles conclude their Florida slate of games tomorrow against Atlanta at CoolToday Park. Charlie Morton gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Atlanta’s Spencer Strider. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Birds drop spring power-fest
Tomoyuki Sugano made what I suspect will be his final spring start for the Baltimore Orioles tonight. I would submit that he’s an outstanding candidate to pitch Friday night in Toronto. His numbers don’t look great tonight, but they were also wind-aided. In fairness, so were the Orioles’. Sugano’s line: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
The game began in a 50-55 minute rain delay. Which is odd for a spring game, but a flash storm popped up in the greater Sarasota area. A lot of times when it rains in spring training teams have a quick hook and cancel the game. Not the Orioles and New York.
New York got on the board early with an RBI-double by Chisholm in the first. Keep in mind, many pitchers work on different things in spring starts. So whether or not Sugano’s pitch selection was what it would have been in a regular season game is another story. He had good stuff, but as we saw later the wind also played a factor.
The Orioles cut that lead in half with a solo homer by Dyan O’Hearn. In fairness, that may or may not have been wind-aided as well. But Chisolm’s second at-bat definitely was. He smacked a three-run home run in the third, giving New York a 4-1 lead.
But one good turn deserves another. Adley Rutschman put the O’s to within one with a three-run home run in the last of the third. Two innings later Volpe’s solo homer extended the lead to 6-4. Again pitchers for both sides appear to have been tattooed in this game. But the reality is that the wind didn’t help anyone who pitched this evening. Not surprising in the wake of a coastal storm.
The O’s closed back to within one at 6-5 on Luis Vasquez’s RBI-single in the sixth. However New York would tack on three runs in the eighth. For their sake, it’s probably good that they did. Because Vimael Machin’s RBI-double and Jorge Mateo’s RBI-single in the ninth cut the lead to 9-7. The O’s had the tying run in scoring position before recording the final out.
I think end of the day, the story is that both teams got on the field and competed. In short, they got their work in despite the foreboding weather conditions. And at this point in the spring, that’s the real goal.
You could argue that this game ended 2-1 with New York in the lead – when many of the starters cycled out, that was the score. That plus the wind. Plug in Gunnar Henderson among others, and this game was pretty even.
The Orioles will close their home slate of spring games tomorrow evening at Ed Smith Stadium when Detroit comes in. Albert Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Tarik Skubal. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Disjointed loss
A bit of a disjointed performance for Baltimore Orioles’ starter Zach Eflin. Eflin left several runners on base when he was lifted in the third, and those runners came into score. Yet Eflin came back and pitched in the fourth – a courtesy given to teams in the spring. Eflin’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (3 earned), 2 BB, 4 K.
The O’s started off in a positive manner. Ramon Laureano’s solo homer in the last of the second gave them a 1-0 lead. However if runs count for anything in the spring (which incidentally they don’t), that was the end of the competitive part of the game for the Birds today.
Philadelphia would tie the game on an RBI-double by Turner. Eflin would be lifted with the bases loaded, and Sosa’s bases-clearing double gave Philadelphia a 4-1 lead. Clemens would follow down the line with a two-RBI double. And the Birds were in a 6-1 hole.
Especially when you’re dealing with reserves going in and out of the game, that’s a tough hole out of which to dig. The O’s couldn’t do that, but we did see a great play by prospect Vance Honeycut in the sixth inning. With two runners on the Orioles should have surrendered another run on a single by Rojas. However Honeycut fired a strike to the plate, gunning down the runner.
Marachan’s RBI-single in the fifth extended the lead to 7-1. And Philadelphia would put up an additional five runs in the eighth inning to close out the scoring on the Orioles’ 12-1 loss. Especially coming off of 15-5 yesterday in Bradenton, that seems like a problem. But it had its benefit.
Jorge Mateo started at shortstop today for the O’s. Of course, he hasn’t been in the lineup since last July when he got hurt in Miami. He went 0-for-2 in the game with a strikeout, but his mere presence should give Orioles’ fans hope.
Whether he, along with Gunnar Henderson among others, is ready to go on Opening Day remains to be seen. It really boils down to at-bats and reps in the field. But the fact that he’s getting there and is able to play is meaningful.
The Orioles head to Fort Myers tomorrow to take on Boston at JetBlue Park. Randy Contreras gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Tanner Houck, Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Problems in the bullpen?
Thaddeus Ward got the start in Bradenton this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles in Bradenton against Pittsburgh. Maybe the O’s were giving him a look, or maybe they needed a stopgap starter. But he took the ball today, and with rough results. Ward’s line: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K.
The Birds did take the lead early, on the first at-bat of the ballgame. Dylan Carlson, who had a great game, smacked a solo homer, and the O’s led 1-0. However Pittsburgh immediately tied it in the last of the first on Cruz’s RBI-single.
Frazier would plate a run in the second, on an RBI-groundout. Ward would then surrender a third run on an errant throw on a pickoff attempt. Gonzales would add a run-scoring single, and the O’s trailed 4-1.
But a big fourth inning put them right back into the swing of things. Vinael Machin continued his great spring with an RBI-single, cutting the lead to 4-2. He would later score on a pass ball, and suddenly it was 4-3. Dylan Carlson would tack on a sac fly-RBI, tying the game back up at four.
Pittsburgh would immediately take the lead back however, as Cruz grounded into a force out with a runner on third. Gutierrez’s RBI-single in the sixth extended the lead to 6-4. Seranthony Dominguez would eventually lose a 12-pitch battle with Pittsburgh’s Suwinsky, extending the lead to 8-4. Pittsburgh would tack on three more runs in the seventh, and the Birds would add a run in the eighth on a HBP, but Oriole pitching would surrender a grand slam in the eighth, as they fell 15-5.
Seranthony Dominguez you’ll remember was acquired from Philadelphia at the deadline last year as part of the Austin Hays deal. He was inconsistent for the Orioles down the stretch. Notice, I said inconsistent. There’s a difference between that and bad.
However that sixth inning left him with a spring ERA north of 23. It’s tough to gauge how that translates into the regular season. Plenty of guys have rough springs followed by solid regular seasons. But Dominguez came to the Orioles with the hope that a change of air would be good for him. Again, he was inconsistent down the stretch in 2024. Now this spring…needless to say, there are questions.
The Orioles return home to Sarasota tomorrow to take on Philadelphia at Ed Smith Stadium. Opening Day starter Zach Eflin gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Philadelphia’s Jesus Luzardo. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Add-on runs help
Albert Suarez got the start this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles against New York. And he was effective. Suarez mowed down New York hitters, and when he didn’t he limited the damage. Needless to say, he’s going to be in the rotation. And that should make the Orioles feel secure. Suarez’s line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K.
The Orioles jumped in front from the beginning, and in dramatic fashion. Ryan Mountcastle’s three-run homer gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead early. Cedric Mullins’ fielder’s choice-RBI extended it to 4-0 in the fourth as well. Early and often, the Birds were on the board.
New York put two on the board in the last of the fourth on an RBI-double and an RBI-single. But as I stated above, Suarez limited the damage. He got back on the bench, and the Birds regrouped.
Granted, these spring games are marked by young minor leaguers playing in the later innings. But a great thing to see in this one way the Birds adding on runs late. Hudson Haskin’s RBI-double in the eighth gave them a 5-2 lead. That was followed by Vinael Machin with an RBI-single, and the O’s wound up with a 6-2 win in Tampa.
Especially in the AL East, insurance runs are important. So the fact that they tacked on two late is meaningful. Or as meaningful as it can be in the spring, that is.
Several Oriole regulars made the trip to Tampa today and appeared in the game. First off to see how they stack up against an AL East foe. But also because Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field of course will serve as the makeshift home of the Tampa Rays this year – also an AL East rival. It helps to get acclimated with a ballpark.
The O’s return home to Sarasota tomorrow to take on Atlanta at Ed Smith Stadium. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Atlanta’s Ian Anderson. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Baltimore Orioles: Big night for Samuel Basallo
Presumed reliever Matt Bowman took to the mound tonight for the Baltimore Orioles in Bradenton against Pittsburgh. Keep in mind, folks, the idea is to get guys innings in the spring. There’s no rotation in spring training, so sometimes relievers will end up starting games – especially on the road. Bowman’s line: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K.
Bowman was strong – yes, in a starting role. For one game, at least. Bowman, a Chevy Chase, MD native, stabilized things out of the gate. The idea for a pitcher is to keep the opposition off the board. Bowman did that.
The Orioles sent Daz Cameron to the plate with two on in the second, and his two-RBI single gave them a 2-0 lead. Jordan Westburg would clean up what the Birds still had on base later in the inning, extending the lead to 3-0 with an RBI-single.
Pittsburgh would get an RBI-double from Suwinsky, and an RBI-single from Reynolds in the last of the third. If you’re keeping score, that cut the Orioles’ lead to one. This at 3-2.
However it was the final splurge of Oriole rubs that’ll have fans talking. Catcher Samuel Basallo is a top 15 prospect in MLB, and the top prospect overall in the Oriole farm system. And he made his presence known to Pittsburgh in a big way.
Basallo’s three-run home run in the top of the fifth opened up a 6-2 Oriole lead. Needless to say, the Birds tacked on some runs late. But the fact that it was off the bat of Basallo is meaningful. He gives the Birds a lot of leverage in their farm system.
Pittsburgh would tack on an RBI-single in the end, but the Birds cruised to a 6-3 win. This on the road, in Bradenton against Pittsburgh. But again, wins and losses are meaningless at this stage.
The Orioles now head to Tampa tomorrow to take on the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field. Albert Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Clarke Schmidt. Game time is set for just after 1 PM,
Baltimore Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano sharp in Birds’ win
The Baltimore Orioles sent Tomoyuki Sugano to the mound this afternoon in Sarasota against Minnesota. And Sugano showed why the Orioles signed him, and are so excited about him. Similar to Charlie Morton yesterday (albeit in a losing effort), Sugano was crisp. Sugano’s line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K.
The O’s took an early lead when Adley Rutschman hit into a fielder’s choice with two runners on in the third. However Minnesota first baseman Julien committed a throwing error, and two runs scored. Everyone was safe, as they say. Later in the inning Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI-single extended the lead to 3-0.
Minnesota would get on the board in the fourth on a wind-aided solo home run by Wallner. However the Orioles struck right back. Jackson Holliday’s RBI-single extended the lead to 4-1.
Minnesota would tack on two additional solo home runs in the fifth. One wind-aided, and one legit. And the Oriole bullpen held the rest of the way, giving the home standing Birds a 4-3 win.
However the takeaway from this game should be Sugano, who had a very strong outing. With as many injury concerns as the pitching staff is shaping up to have this year at the beginning, he really needs to be able to make a name for himself in the rotation. If today is any indication, he will.
The O’s head to Bradenton tomorrow night to take on Pittsburgh at Lecom Park. Matt Bowman gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.
Birdland Crush 