SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles are playing their fifth exhibition game this afternoon, hosting the Tigers with Grayson Rodriguez making his first start.

Among my camp observations prior to the opener were Jackson Holliday prepping to play second base, teammates being excited to have Dillon Tate back, Cedric Mullins resembling the pre-injury version of himself, players being angry about the Division Series sweep but moving past it, no one worrying about Gunnar Henderson’s oblique or John Means being a month behind, no one showing panic over Kyle Bradish’s elbow injury, Yennier Cano’s stuff remaining filthy, roster composition remaining a mystery, hard-throwing reliever Wandisson Charles being a popular camp dark horse pick, former Orioles infielders in camp loving Holliday and Henderson, and my lame confusion over Albert and Andrew Suárez.

Also, I didn’t get to meet Peyton Burdick before the White Sox claimed him on waivers. I’m sure he’s equally bummed.

Henderson keeps improving from the left oblique soreness that’s kept him out of games. He worked out again yesterday and said he’s feeling much better. His 2024 spring debut is drawing near, though the Orioles aren’t rushing him.

Bradish is long-tossing and saying that his elbow recovers nicely the following day. It’s the ol’ so far, so good.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Cade Povich received a mound visit from his catcher this afternoon after only 14 pitches.

Povich issued back-to-back walks to Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Aranda and Curtis Mead with one out in the first inning and fell behind 2-0 to Junior Caminero, prompting Adley Rutschman to call time and offer some counseling.

It worked.

Povich missed the zone again, Caminero fouled off the next pitch, and the Rays’ designated hitter flied to center fielder Cedric Mullins. Jose Siri struck out, and Povich escaped the jam with his pitch count at 21. Only nine strikes, but also no runs.

The organization’s No. 9 prospect per Baseball America tossed two scoreless innings on 31 pitches, 16 strikes, for the split-squad Orioles. He walked two and struck out two.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles are playing their first split-squad games this afternoon, at home versus the Rays and in North Port versus the Braves.

Adley Rutschman is catching left-hander Cade Povich at Ed Smith Stadium. Ramón Urías is starting at second base and batting cleanup.

Coby Mayo is starting at third base and Colton Cowser is in right field.

Ryan McKenna is leading off and playing center field in North Port. Anthony Santander is the designated hitter, Jordan Westburg is the third baseman, Heston Kjerstad is in left field and Jackson Holliday is the second baseman again.

Kyle Stowers is in right field. Michael Pérez is catching Seth Johnson.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The name rang a bell. In all of its mispronounced Louisiana glory.

The Orioles selected catcher Silas Ardoin in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Texas. The mind immediately shifted to Danny Ardoin, the father who played in 165 games in the majors, including five with the Orioles in 2006.

Same position, too.

Silas is in his first major league camp after batting .238/.366/.361 in 385 plate appearances between High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie.

“I wouldn’t say that I was expecting it,” he said, “but I’m just excited for the opportunity to be here.”

BRADENTON, Fla. – Cole Irvin’s first exhibition start today featured a significant increase in velocity and routine disposal of the six Pirates batters that he faced.

Irvin struck out three, on a 95.3 mph sinker, 92.2 mph fastball and 88 mph cutter. His four-seamer touched 95.

All five of his pitches showed an increase over the 2023 season. The cutter jumped 3.5 mph from the norm.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “All in all, just blessed. A lot of the hard work in the offseason is starting to pay off. That’s what I attribute it to. It was a longer offseason for me because I gave myself no breather of rest, because I just wanted to get better. And so far we’re starting to see the labors of the work, and I’m just thankful for the gifts of God.”

“He’s in great shape,” said catcher James McCann. “I know he made a few little mechanical changes and it’s led to him … Just talking to him, I don’t think he sought to increase velocity. I think that it’s just kind of a byproduct of the few things he was working on in the offseason. He looks really good.”

BRADENTON, Fla. – Second baseman Connor Norby downplayed the soreness in his left side that caused the Orioles to shut him down, and he planned on swinging a bat today to test it.

Norby said he felt some discomfort four or five days ago and wanted to remain active, but the club obviously chose to be careful with him.

“It’s not bad at all,” he said this morning. “I begged and pleaded with him (manager Brandon Hyde) not to stop my workload pretty much and just lower it, but they were pretty persistent on not rushing me right now.

“I’ve been throwing, I’ve been doing everything else as everyone and I feel fine.”

The discomfort surfaced after a round of batting practice.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles closer Craig Kimbrel cut short yesterday’s live batting practice session by about five pitches due to some tightness in his lower body. He said this morning that he’s fine and is scheduled to pitch again on Monday.

Kimbrel was facing James McCann when the discomfort became apparently. He threw one more pitch and a member of the athletic training staff approached him near the bench after he walked off the mound.

“The live BP session went all right yesterday,” Kimbrel said. “The ball was coming out like I wanted it to for the most part. Toward the end, started getting a little tight in my lower body, so instead of kind of trying to push through it, being where we are now … I thought it would be beneficial to come in and just start my workout and get ready to come back for Monday instead of questioning whether I need to keep going out there.

“It’s early in camp. There’s no reason to do that. I was happy how the ball was coming out of my hand before that, so I just shut it down and came in and had some things worked on and feel better today and should be good to go tomorrow.”

This type of discomfort isn’t uncommon for Kimbrel in spring training, as he told a teammate yesterday after it surfaced.

SARASOTA, Fla. – A finality of a two-run walk-off homer has to begin somewhere. For the Orioles in yesterday’s exhibition opener, Colton Cowser couldn’t send everybody home unless a batter ahead of him reached base.

Errol Robinson, who’s going to be working out at Twin Lakes Park, dumped a single into left field and moved up on a wild pitch before Cowser cleared the left-center field fence in a 4-3 win over the Red Sox.

Cowser was mobbed at home plate. Robinson was thrilled to be counted among the extras and used as a pinch-runner and shortstop replacement for Jorge Mateo in the fifth inning.

(How do you know it’s spring training? When Jorge Mateo is removed for a pinch-runner.)

The Orioles announced 20 non-roster invites and Robinson wasn’t on the list after he signed a minor league deal on Jan. 10. He played in Triple-A for parts of three seasons. He seemed like a slam dunk to enter the infield and utility competitions.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The first pitch thrown by Corbin Burnes as an Oriole was a strike. The first batter he faced struck out looking.

So did the second batter.

Burnes was intent on making a quick impression in the club’s exhibition opener against the Red Sox. Announce his presence with authority and walk off the field.

The much-anticipated start lasted only one inning, with Burnes pulled after 22 pitches, 13 for strikes. He allowed one hit before Mike Baumann replaced him.

Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu took called third strikes, Bobby Dalbec lined a 1-2 pitch into center field for a single and Pablo Reyes grounded out. A large, sun-soaked crowd cheered him.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Triple-A second baseman Connor Norby isn’t available to play due to some soreness in his side.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Norby is out “a few days.”

“He’s starting to hit,” Hyde said, “and he should be back in there in a few days.”

Norby would be generating a lot more talk in camp if he wasn’t in an organization that’s so rich in young infield talent. He batted .290/.359/.483 with 40 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs and 92 RBIs last summer in 138 games with Triple-A Norfolk.

“It’s funny because a couple years ago we still had Darell (Hernaiz), (César) Prieto and Joey (Ortiz), and we were talking then about how stacked it was, and we’re still talking about it and we have less guys than we used to,” he said. “That’s a credit to the front office. They draft really well, really good players, really good guys. But coming to work every day with these guys, I’m super loyal to them, so it’s a competition. We understand that. We’re fighting for one spot, essentially, but we don’t treat each other like that.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Jackson Holliday is starting at second base this afternoon and batting seventh in the Orioles’ exhibition opener against the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium.

Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and serving as Holliday’s double play partner.

Anthony Santander is the designated hitter, Austin Hays is in left field and Cedric Mullins is in center. Ryan McKenna is playing right field.

Ryan Mountcastle isn’t in the lineup. Ryan O’Hearn gets the start at first base.

Adley Rutschman is catching Corbin Burnes.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The 10^th day of Orioles spring training also brings the first exhibition game. Blowing past another mile marker. A home game for a team that wants to do more traveling in the playoffs after October’s brief stay in Arlington, Texas.

Corbin Burnes is the surprise starter this afternoon against the Red Sox in Sarasota. Manager Brandon Hyde explained that Burnes is lined up in camp to pitch today. And Burnes obviously had some input in it.

He wanted to ball on the stadium mound instead of a back field. And Hyde clearly has no qualms about a division opponent seeing Burnes.

Yeah, let’s do away with that concern. Teams have scouts and video, and certainly a working knowledge of an ace like Burnes. There are no secrets here.

The lineup will be posted later this morning, along with other pitchers available behind Burnes. We only know that Adley Rutschman is catching, but many of the regulars are expected to play. It’s the first game and it’s airing on MASN. Don’t hold back.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles announced this afternoon that Ben Wagner has joined their broadcast team for the 2024 season.

Wagner spent the last six seasons as a play-by-play announcer with Sportsnet television and the Toronto Blue Jays Radio Network. Before that, he spent 11 seasons with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in the Jays’ system.

According to the news release, Wagner will appear on radio and select MASN broadcasts throughout the year.

Former Orioles Mike Devereaux, Brian Roberts, Brad Brach and Dave Johnson will be used as guest analysts.

* Geoff Arnold returns for his fifth season with the Orioles broadcast team, serving as the primary radio play-by-play announcer.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Dillon Tate threw his second live batting practice session this afternoon in his bid to make the Opening Day roster after missing the 2023 season with elbow/forearm injuries.  

Tate faced six batters. Ramón Urías flied to deep center field, Adley Rutschman bounced a ball up the middle, Ryan O’Hearn produced a sharp grounder past the mound, Ryan Mountcastle and Daniel Johnson lifted fly balls to the outfield and Kyle Stowers struck out.

“That’s a knock,” Anthony Santander yelled from the dugout on Rutschman’s ball.

Tate remains mostly satisfied with his results. More important is his good health.

“So far so good,” Tate said. “The movement is there on all the pitches that I want. At this point, I feel like I need to do a better job just landing my other pitches for strikes. Some I feel better than others right now, but landing the other pitches for strikes.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Bradish will extend his flat-ground throwing to 90 feet on Saturday in the latest tweak to his progression.

Bradish played catch Tuesday from 75 feet in the stadium outfield, with media in the press box trying to calculate the distance, and hasn’t experienced any discomfort in his right elbow.

“I feel good,” he said this morning. “No pain, no soreness when I’m throwing. Recovery has been good. So yeah, feeling pretty normal.”

Exactly what the Orioles want to hear, even a week into spring training.

Bradish became one of the bigger camp stories after his platelet-rich plasma injection last month and confirmation from executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias that last year’s Game 1 starter in the Division Series would go on the injured list.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles reliever Nick Vespi was eager to plunge into a normal offseason workout program. To be full-go over the winter rather than shut down or slowed by pain that led to a surgical procedure in January 2023.

Vespi began making the short drive to TBT Training in Boca Raton, Fla., joining teammate Coby Mayo for sessions with Tom Flynn, the facility’s director of strength and conditioning.

“Mayo has been working out with him in the past and it’s two exits down the road,” Vespi said this week, “so I figured I’d try it out and everything was great.”

Hernia surgery a year ago forced Vespi into a less aggressive routine. He vied for a job in camp and made nine appearances with the club, the first resulting in three scoreless innings on June 30 against the Twins. His last outing in the majors was Aug. 20 in Oakland.

Vespi is trying again to make the Opening Day roster. It may not happen, but his body is geared for it.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The honor of pitching the first exhibition game doesn’t really resonate with Corbin Burnes, owner of a Cy Young Award and two Opening Day assignments. He's fried bigger fish.

Stepping on the mound Saturday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium is more about preparation and bonding as the Orioles’ new staff ace.

“It’s exciting to get games going,” he said this afternoon following the latest workout, “and getting the first one gives me a chance to get an extra outing this camp just to get to know these guys and better prepare for the season.”

Burnes wasn’t the Brewers’ first starter last spring but he pitched on that day. It sort of counts, but not entirely.

“It was just like an extended live BP on a back field,” he said.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles starter in exhibition openers usually isn’t projected to make the club, or isn’t cast as a likely inclusion in the rotation. We’re warned against reading too much into the choice.

Read plenty in Corbin Burnes.

The new ace is starting Saturday against the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. And he’s starting Opening Day against the Angels on March 28 at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde only confirmed this weekend’s assignment and offered an explanation.

“Just because it’s lining up to the beginning of the year and we’re just kind of putting guys in places,” Hyde said. “He’s on turn, bottom line.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles reliever Jacob Webb earned his first win about seven weeks before Opening Day.

Webb was victorious in his arbitration hearing in Arizona, setting his 2024 salary at $1 million instead of the $925,000 filed by the club.

No hard feelings on either side. From Webb for having to go through the process or the Orioles for paying the extra $75,000.

“It was just business,” he said. “Just worrying about stuff I can control on the field. All that stuff, I let my agents take care of that side. I like to just focus on what I’m doing here and making sure I’m ready to go.

“You kind of have to be there for the hearing, and it was an interesting process. It was good to get a little win right there, but either way, I know the team’s not trying to do anything harmful or anything. I think it’s just part of the business and how it goes.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – Grayson Rodriguez and Craig Kimbrel pitched today in the same live batting practice session on the stadium field. The starter with ace stuff, and the closer with a Hall of Fame resume.

The pairing could be replayed many times over the 2024 season.

Rodriguez got two “ups” this afternoon, with a shortened first inning that featured Anthony Santander’s line drive to right-center field, Ramón Urías’ strikeout and Ryan O’Hearn’s ground ball to the right side of the infield.

Asked what he could take away from his appearance, Rodriguez said, “Practice, I guess is really all you could say about it.”

There was more.