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.

Baltimore Orioles: Seranthony Dominguez’s five-run seventh sinks the Birds

Charlie Morton looked strong this afternoon in Sarasota for the Baltimore Orioles. With Grayson Rodriguez looking to be starting the season on the IL, Morton’s going to need to have a strong start to the season. He took a step towards that today. Morton’s line: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Save for the one walk, Morton was crisp. And that’s what you look for out of a starter at any stage of the game. But especially in spring training given the aforementioned injury problems. And he got a little bit of run support, as the O’s took a 1-0 lead in the third on Adley Rutschman’s RBI-single.

Backing up an inning however, the O’s ran themselves out of a big inning in the second. Thanks to a Tampa error, the Birds had the bases loaded with nobody out. Emmanuel Rivera popped up a flair to right which was caught. Colton Cowser tried to tag from third and score, but was thrown out at home plate – resulting in a double-play.

If that’s the product of it being an exhibition game (and I suspect it was), that’s one thing. However I would hope Cowser wouldn’t try to score on a pop that shallow in the regular season. Those are situations of which you need to take advantage, as opposed to risking the waste of an out. That changed the compass of the inning.

The Orioles brought in Seranthony Dominguez in the seventh, and promptly coughed up the lead. Following a lead off triple, Seymour’s RBI-single tied the game at one. Following back-to-back RBI-doubles, Tampa led 3-1. And in the wake of that, Morgan smacked a two-run pinch-hit home run, and the O’s trailed, 5-1.

That’s not exactly the outing one would have wanted from a guy for whom the Orioles traded last year. And was inconsistent at times as an Oriole in the second half. But that’s why they play these games in a sense. However it also reiterates what I said above…

…you can’t waste outs. The Orioles did in the second inning. Tampa took advantage of the opportunities they got in the latter stages of the game. And they took it a step further as Misner led off the ninth with a solo homer.

The Orioles did get two back. Following a walk in the last of the ninth, Jeremiah Jackson’s two-run homer cut the lead to 6-3. End of the day, it’s a loss. In a spring game. But as I said, the Birds did get a strong showing by Charlie Morton. And that’s meaningful.

The Orioles will stay in Sarasota to welcome in Minnesota to Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Simeon Richardson. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Seranthony Dominguez’s five-run seventh sinks the Birds

Charlie Morton looked strong this afternoon in Sarasota for the Baltimore Orioles. With Grayson Rodriguez looking to be starting the season on the IL, Morton’s going to need to have a strong start to the season. He took a step towards that today. Morton’s line: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Save for the one walk, Morton was crisp. And that’s what you look for out of a starter at any stage of the game. But especially in spring training given the aforementioned injury problems. And he got a little bit of run support, as the O’s took a 1-0 lead in the third on Adley Rutschman’s RBI-single.

Backing up an inning however, the O’s ran themselves out of a big inning in the second. Thanks to a Tampa error, the Birds had the bases loaded with nobody out. Emmanuel Rivera popped up a flair to right which was caught. Colton Cowser tried to tag from third and score, but was thrown out at home plate – resulting in a double-play.

If that’s the product of it being an exhibition game (and I suspect it was), that’s one thing. However I would hope Cowser wouldn’t try to score on a pop that shallow in the regular season. Those are situations of which you need to take advantage, as opposed to risking the waste of an out. That changed the compass of the inning.

The Orioles brought in Seranthony Dominguez in the seventh, and promptly coughed up the lead. Following a lead off triple, Seymour’s RBI-single tied the game at one. Following back-to-back RBI-doubles, Tampa led 3-1. And in the wake of that, Morgan smacked a two-run pinch-hit home run, and the O’s trailed, 5-1.

That’s not exactly the outing one would have wanted from a guy for whom the Orioles traded last year. And was inconsistent at times as an Oriole in the second half. But that’s why they play these games in a sense. However it also reiterates what I said above…

…you can’t waste outs. The Orioles did in the second inning. Tampa took advantage of the opportunities they got in the latter stages of the game. And they took it a step further as Misner led off the ninth with a solo homer.

The Orioles did get two back. Following a walk in the last of the ninth, Jeremiah Jackson’s two-run homer cut the lead to 6-3. End of the day, it’s a loss. In a spring game. But as I said, the Birds did get a strong showing by Charlie Morton. And that’s meaningful.

The Orioles will stay in Sarasota to welcome in Minnesota to Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Simeon Richardson. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Birds fall to Bucco’s as questions persist about rotation

Presumed Baltimore Orioles’ Opening Day starter Zach Eflin got the ball tonight in a starting role against Pittsburgh at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. I say presumed because the rotation hasn’t been set yet. But it stands to reason that it could be Eflin – pending the rest of the spring. Eflin’s line: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 0 K.

It’s easy to say that Eflin was ineffective. Maybe he was. But I always caution fans in the spring; guys sometimes go into these games honing one skill. It’s possible that he was focusing on one pitch or one move – and that only. There may well have been no game plan.

Pittsburgh put an early run on the board with a sac fly-RBI by Valdez in the second. However the Orioles’ Luis Valdez tied things back up at one in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-groundout. The third and fourth innings would tack on three more for Pittsburgh, one on a sac fly-RBI, one on an RBI-single by Rodriguez, and the last on a Pass Ball by Gary Sanchez.

But the Orioles battled back – at least as much as a team can or is necessary in Spring Training. Luis Vasquez’s sac fly-RBI in the last of the fourth cut the lead to 4-2. However Ryan O’Hearn’s two-RBI single later in the inning tied the game at five. Cedric Mullins would later score on a Pass Ball, and the Birds held a 5-4 lead.

However Pittsburgh immediately tied it in the fifth on a sac fly-RBI. They would later put four runs on the board in the eighth and ninth, including a solo homer by Peguero. However the more incriminating part was in the ninth when Pittsburgh’s Delay smacked a bases-clearing bloop RBI-single. Terrin Vavra stopped to argue a call on the base paths, and forgot to throw the relay home to get the trail runner.

That’s the sort of thing that’ll stand out to Brandon Hyde and his coaching staff. You can’t argue with the umpires while the ball is in play. If that had been a tie game in the regular season, it would cost the O’s the game.

More concerning that any of that however is the news about starter Grayson Rodriguez. He was pulled after “not feeling like himself” last week in a spring game, and today was reported to be feeling triceps soreness. Combine that with Gunnar Henderson’s injured intercostal muscle, and it appears that the Orioles are picking up where they left off last year regarding injuries.

Jordan Westburg was back in the lineup tonight after back spasms – so that’s good. However keep in mind that one reason perhaps that the Birds weren’t too aggressive with on the free agent market this off season with regard to starting pitching was due to Grayson Rodriguez. You’ll remember that the team shut him down early following his injury earlier in the summer.

Needless to say, this could be a huge problem. Should they have been more aggressive? Hindsight is always 20/20. It’s unfair to judge after the fact. But that aside, they have to hope that Rodriguez is able to go once the regular season starts.

Gunnar Henderson’s injury could require up to six weeks of rest. Notice I stress the COULD. They just have to see how he responds to treatment and rest. There’s also a chance he starts the season as the starting SS. It’s really a wait and see sort of game. Luckily the Orioles and their system are stacked.

The Birds head to Lakeland tomorrow to take on Detroit at Joker Marchant Stadium. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Keider Montero. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Things can happen when runners get on base

Dean Kremer was strong for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon against Philadelphia in Clearwater. Pitching against most of Philadelphia’s starting team, Kremer was dominant in the short amount of time he was in the game. And on that note, keep in mind that managers usually build up starters to going five or six plus innings as the spring goes on. Kremer’s line: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

Top prospect and catcher Samuel Basallo led off the third inning and reached on catcher’s interference. That’s seemingly a minor moment, however it’s also a reminder that things can happen when guys find a way to get on base. After a strikeout, a Ramon Laureano single, a Jackson Holliday groundout, and a walk, the bases were loaded.

That brought Colton Cowser to the plate, and his two-RBI single gave the O’s a 2-0 lead. Again, that rally began with a runner reaching on catcher’s interference. Seems fairly inconsequential. But when people get on base anything can happen.

Philadelphia would get solo homers from Bohm and Mercado in the fourth and fifth respectively, tying the game at two. Bohm struck again with a solo home run in the sixth, giving Philadelphia a 3-2 lead. However an inning later it was tied again on an RBI-single by Livan Soto.

That also left a runner at third base in the form of Samuel Basallo, who broke for home when Soto tried to steal second base. And he was safe due to an errant throw. Again, get guys on base and things can happen.

Sadly for the O’s on this day however, that premise also was a part of them losing the game. Philadelphia loaded the bases with two outs in the last of the ninth. And a two-RBI single by Kroon walked the O’s off on this day in Clearwater, as they fell 5-4.

The Birds return home to Sarasota tomorrow as Boston comes into Ed Smith Stadium. Charlie Morton gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Hunter Dobbins. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.