Another round of Orioles questions and curiosities

Questions and curiosities about the Orioles aren’t limited to a new stadium lease and whether it’s finally OK to report it as done rather than circling back again and risking motion sickness.

I’ve wondered whether Kyle Bradish could build on his breakout season, Jordan Westburg would play more regularly, Cole Irvin would keep bouncing between the rotation and bullpen, and John Means would give the club a full and productive season. I’ve asked for an update on Dillon Tate and whether Seth Johnson would debut next summer.

Here are three more:

How much does Craig Kimbrel have left in the closing tank?

This is fresh, big and quite obvious.

Kimbrel is the stopgap while closer Félix Bautista spends 2024 recovering and rehabilitating from ligament-reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. He isn’t the lone option for manager Brandon Hyde, whose bullpen also will hold Yennier Cano, Cionel Pérez and Danny Coulombe and might include Tyler Wells and/or DL Hall.

He is the only one with a contract that guarantees $13 million and could total $25 million over two seasons if the option is exercised. He’s the only one with 417 career saves, eighth on the all-time list, and a resume that could get him into the Hall of Fame.

He could make the bullpen deeper and more dangerous if Cano and others work mainly in setup roles.

Kimbrel was selected to his ninth All-Star team in 2023 and went 23-for-28 in save chances. Opponents hit .181 against him. He didn’t fade in the second half. He just had a bad showing in the National League Championship Series.

Really bad timing - again. Kimbrel has a career 4.50 ERA and 1.433 WHIP in 30 playoff games.

The Orioles will take their October chances. They wanted him from the minute he hit free agency, and they got him.

They expect to get their money’s worth.

Does Jackson Holliday make the Opening Day roster?

Jackson’s status on March 28 already was an obsession among fans and the media. Attention follows a first-overall draft pick and the No. 1 prospect in baseball. Can’t avoid it.

His age, beginning the 2023 season at Single-A Delmarva and playing in only 22 games at Triple-A Norfolk seemed to conspire against Holliday. A four-affiliate climb was ambitious. Pretty rare, too.

The Orioles will push a prospect but also demand a certain amount of at-bats and innings before making that phone call. Even a talent like Holliday figured to go through the same process.

Maybe he will, but executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias responded to yet another Holliday question at the Winter Meetings by swinging the door wide open. Almost busted the hinges.

“It’s definitely a very strong possibility,” Elias said.

The money quote in Nashville.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but he had an historic first full season in the minors,” Elias continued. “You probably have to go back into, like, the ‘80s or ‘90s to find something similar to that, in my opinion, for an American kid out of high school.

“Got to Triple-A, wasn’t there a huge amount of time, didn’t tear the cover off the ball, but he more than held his own and he did well. He’s now going to be back in spring training. He just turned 20, so to me that’s a big year of development, 19 to 20. You get taller, you get heavier, you get more mature. There’s a lot of good things that happen. So we just want to see what he looks like.”

It looks like Holliday is reporting to camp in February with a legitimate shot at making the team. This won’t be for show. This won’t be to gain more exposure to a major league atmosphere and allow Hyde and his coaches to learn more about the kid.

Go out there and fight for a job. And if it doesn’t happen, get ready for the Triple-A season and a later debut.

I don’t know if there’s another spring storyline that can top it.

What happens to Joey Ortiz?

The possibilities are widespread.

Ortiz could return to Norfolk and wait his turn. He’s a gifted defender who hit .321/.378/.507 in 88 games with 30 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 58 RBIs.

Past Orioles teams would have penciled him into the lineup with no hesitation. Would have shoved his name in front of the media at every opportunity to make the farm system look good.

The 2024 Orioles are loaded with infield talent. They signed Jorge Mateo for $2.7 million and tendered a contract to Ramón Urías. They can’t promise Ortiz a spot or a role.

They can be smart and hold onto Mateo and Urías as the competition plays out. They can trade one or both rather than just letting them walk. They can put the pair on the Opening Day roster again and give Holliday and Ortiz more time in the minors.

Ortiz could be the club’s utility infielder on March 28. He could be in Norfolk’s lineup. He could be packaged in a trade for a starting pitcher.

Elias isn’t pressured to figure it out in December or January. A pleasant problem for any executive.