SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles are playing under the lights again tonight, which allows the team to report to the clubhouse later than usual. Temperatures are supposed to dip into the 50s. Also a good way to prepare for a March 30^th Opening Day in Boston.

Left-hander Cole Irvin gets the start against the Blue Jays and Kyle Bradish could find his innings on the Camden Yards field. Two starters who are in the Opening Day rotation. No need to proceed with caution regarding Bradish. He’s done everything required to hold onto his spot.

We’ve gotten clarity on some topics and remain in the dark on others.

The last bench spot is an example of the latter, with me saying again that I’m sticking with my original and follow-up mocks but also am intrigued by the performances from backup first base candidates Ryan O’Hearn, Franchy Cordero and Josh Lester. And especially how Lester went from disappearing to dominating.

The Undertaker being flat on his back and then sitting up in the middle of the ring comes to mind.

I’m flying back into Sarasota this afternoon, with the only off-day of spring training allowing for a later arrival time.

The Twins have three off-days and the Rays have two. How did the Orioles miss out on this?

No rainouts so far, and just one split-squad game with a delayed start while the other was halted early.

The camp roster is down to 51 players after the Orioles optioned left-hander Drew Rom on Monday and optioned shortstop Joey Ortiz and reassigned shortstop Jackson Holliday, infielder Connor Norby and pitcher Kyle Dowdy the following day.

Rom was a long shot to make the Opening Day roster and appeared in only one exhibition game, with the rest of his work done on the back fields. He’s returning to Triple-A Norfolk, with the possibility of making his major league debut this summer.

The Orioles wanted Kyle Gibson to do more than cover innings out of the rotation when they signed him as a free agent. They wanted to improve their chances of winning on the days that he pitched. They wanted his leadership in a clubhouse that lost influential veterans Jordan Lyles, Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos.

They sought a character guy, drawn to his makeup as much as his arm.

Gibson was the Phillies’ nominee last year for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, bestowed annually to the player who best represents the sport through community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions on and off the field.

Per Major League Baseball, Gibson raised more than $108,000 for charities during his 1 ½ seasons in Philadelphia. His impact was immediate, his qualifications for the award indisputable.

Within his first week, Gibson invited teammates and fans to join him as he organized a campaign to assist local families and children struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through his #ALLWIN initiative, he made a personal donation for every win and strikeout through the rest of the season, with two local charities the biggest benefactors – “Cradles to Crayons,” which supports low-income and homeless children, and “Philabundance,” which serves those facing food insecurity in the Philadelphia area.

Ryan McKenna is one of those unique guys in baseball who has a defined role without knowing exactly where he’s playing on any given day. Or if he’s playing.

He’s as set as an unsettled player can be, if that makes sense.

The Orioles don’t need McKenna to hit .300 or to be an on-base machine, though they’d gladly take it. They just want him to bring his speed, his tools to handle every outfield position, and his commitment to stay ready for any situation and any point in a game.

The Ferrari parked in the garage. Eagerly waiting to rev the engine.

“Me and Brandon (Hyde) have a pretty good relationship,” he said recently. “He’s been pretty open with what I’ve been doing and saying, ‘Hey, I like what you’re doing, we really like you as a player.’ And it’s been awesome to have that open communication.

Opening Day is less than three weeks away and the Orioles remain on hold with their most important roster decisions before flying to Boston.

Don’t ask them about the five starters in their rotation or the composition of an eight-man bullpen. Don’t ask about the primary backup for first baseman Ryan Mountcastle or whether a non-roster invite could be introduced on March 30 or put feet on the orange carpet for the first home game.

They just don’t know.

I still don’t know how Tyler Wells got bumped from the five leading candidates to start after his impressive first half in 2022, except that someone must go and the Orioles have Kyle Gibson, Cole Irvin, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer and Grayson Rodriguez. Rodriguez starts this afternoon against the Red Sox's split-squad in Sarasota.

What in the world would have happened if DL Hall hadn't experienced lower-back discomfort before arriving in camp, which prevented him from accumulating the necessary innings to be a starter?

SARASOTA, Fla. – The initial round of camp cuts in Clearwater this week weren’t complicated. The groupings were some young prospects who can get more work at Twin Lakes Park as they prepare for the season, and other players who had little or no shot at heading north and didn’t force the issue.

That was it.  

Three more cuts were made late last night following a 5-5 tie with the Twins. Right-handers Noah Denoyer and Seth Johnson were optioned and left-hander Cade Povich was reassigned to minor league camp.

The battles for final spots haven’t subsided.

The World Baseball Classic trimmed the original 71-man roster with Cedric Mullins joining Team USA, Anthony Santander and Darwinzon Hernández reporting to Team Venezuela and Dean Kremer leaving Thursday for Team Israel after throwing one last bullpen session with the Orioles and winning the ping pong tournament. John Means and Dillon Tate eventually will go on the injured list.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Bradish became the first Orioles pitcher tonight to make three starts this spring. He’s the first to work four innings.

No one has done it better.

Bradish shut out the Twins over the first three frames before Matt Wallner homered with one out in the fourth. He struck out the next two batters to give him eight for the game.

“Pretty pleased,” he said. “Everything was really good. Commanded the zone from the second on.”

"Showed really good stuff again," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Some deep counts there early but I thought he got better as the game went on. Really good breaking ball. Love that he's throwing that two-seamer that he introduced second half of last year that made a huge difference. He's just carried that work into this year. He's doing a great job so far this spring."

SARASOTA, Fla. – The 12 roster cuts that followed yesterday’s 7-6 loss to the Phillies included infield prospects Coby Mayo and César Prieto, who weren’t making the club and now can get more at-bats and reps over at Twin Lakes Park before likely assignments to Double-A Bowie.

Mayo went 2-for-14 with a 111.5 mph double, two RBIs, two walks and five strikeouts. Prieto was 3-for-11 with a double and three RBIs.

MLP Pipeline ranks Mayo as the organization’s No. 10 prospect and Prieto 18^th. The top nine players remain in camp.

Also reassigned were first baseman Curtis Terry, outfielder Robert Neustrom, catcher Ramón Rodriguez and right-handers Wandisson Charles, Ofreidy Gómez, Morgan McSweeney Kade Strowd, Cole Uvila, Chris Vallimont and Ryan Watson. The official spring training count is down to 59 players.

“It’s time to just kind of starting reducing our camp size,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “I’m going to try to bring those guys over as much as possible. We’ll have some innings at the end of games to continue to have them play in some of our games, but we just felt like it was important to reduce the camp size a little bit. Want to see those guys get a lot of reps.”

SARASOTA, Fla. – Terrin Vavra has recovered from the discomfort in his left shoulder and is starting at third base tonight against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.

Vavra is 6-for-11 with a double, triple and home run as he fights for a spot on the bench. He was supposed to start in left field the day that he was scratched.

Ryan McKenna gets another start in center field with Cedric Mullins away from camp and playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Kyle Stowers is in right field and Austin Hays is in left.

Adam Frazier is leading off as the second baseman. James McCann is catching Kyle Bradish, who’s allowed one run and two hits in five innings over two spring starts.

Joe Ryan is starting for the Twins.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The rest of Jackson Holliday’s teammates who stuck around for Wednesday’s exhibition game were gone from the complex or back indoors to shower and change into their clothes. The kid wasn’t ready to leave the field. He couldn’t just walk away from fans who lined up to get his autograph.

They handed him pieces of paper or baseballs shoved through a gap in the protective netting. One after another. Adults and children.

Holliday has looked the part since he arrived at his first major league camp, with maturity that belies his youthful face. And he’s keeping his locker, surviving yesterday’s first round of cuts that claimed 12 non-roster invites.

He came off the bench again yesterday in Clearwater, replacing Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and grounding out in the eighth inning. He’s 3-for-9 with a double, three walks, two strikeouts and a handful of impressive plays in the field that highlight his range and cannon arm.

“It’s been great,” he said. “It’s been a good learning experience and been pretty awesome to be part of this organization and with all these talented guys and getting to know them and building relationships for the future.”

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Spring stats don’t appear to carry much weight with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. He’s only checked the number of plate appearances. Otherwise, he has no interest.

It’s more about the quality of the at-bats and a pitcher’s control in the strike zone, he says.

“Put very little stock in what their numbers are like.”

Some of the competitors for the backup job at first base probably wish the figures counted for more in the final evaluations.

Josh Lester was 1-for-12 before stepping off the bus Wednesday in Fort Myers. Better to turn away. But he went 3-for-3 with two RBIs against the Twins, and he singled twice today in his first two at-bats.

CLEARWATER, Fla. – DL Hall can only express confidence that he’s going to be available to the Orioles if they want him on the Opening Day roster.

He won’t be a starter. Time is too short to stretch him out. But he’ll be healthy and able to pitch.

The rest is up to the team.

Hall threw his first bullpen session yesterday in Sarasota, his spring training a slow play due to the lower-back discomfort that he experienced before reporting to camp.

“I feel good,” he said. “I’m moving in the right direction. Just trying to take it day by day and just feel better each and every day, whether it’s one percent or 25 percent better. As long as I’m moving in the right direction.”

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Gunnar Henderson is leading off today against the Phillies in Clearwater.

Adley Rutschman is catching Tyler Wells, who’s making his second spring start.

Josh Lester is starting at third base after collecting three hits in Fort Myers. Kyle Stowers is in left field, Ryan O’Hearn is playing first base and batting cleanup, and Jordan Westburg is the second baseman.

Franchy Cordero is playing right field.

Also listed as available pitchers today are Bruce Zimmermann, Joey Krehbiel, Andrew Politi and Eduard Bazardo.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The number surprised Coby Mayo, and he’s grown accustomed to his power being translated beyond the loud sounds.

Mayo lined a double off the left-center field fence Tuesday in Fort Myers with an exit velocity of 111.5 mph, per Statcast data. Hit the padding on the fly. Or more accurately, on a line.

There are frozen ropes in baseball and there are ropes from Mayo with flickering flames.

“Just trying to hit something hard,” he said yesterday morning.

We can pause here to consider how Mayo, with his ridiculous raw power, doesn’t really need to try. It’s going to happen naturally. He could do it in the middle of a nap. OK, to continue …

SARASOTA, Fla. – Kyle Gibson didn’t overwork his outfielders today during his three innings on the mound. Two balls made it through the infield for singles. Colton Cowser, playing center, fielded one of them and fired to second base to prevent a double.

Greed might be good, but it also can cost you.

Gibson is costing the Orioles $10 million after signing as a free agent, the largest contract negotiated by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias. He could be the Opening Day starter, an honor he wants but isn’t obsessing over.

The Pirates managed two hits off Gibson, didn’t draw a walk and struck out twice. He threw 40 pitches, 23 for strikes, and got more work in the bullpen.

The veteran right-hander sat down with pitching coach Chris Holt and assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes to study video of a delivery that didn’t satisfy him.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde provided some significant health and workout updates this morning, rattling off the morning advancements from a sheet of paper.

Got to keep it straight, and there were quite a few.

Left-hander DL Hall, who’s recovered from the discomfort in his lower back, completed a bullpen session today. Hyde said it “went well,” and Hall will throw live batting practice in a few days.

Closer Félix Bautista, who’s been restricted to bullpens while receiving treatments on his left knee and working to strengthen his right shoulder, also will threw live BP in the next few days.

Left-hander Nick Vespi, who underwent hernia surgery in January, will pitch in a simulated game later this week. Vespi remains confident that he’ll be ready for Opening Day if the Orioles want to bring him north.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Colton Cowser is starting in center field today against the Pirates, and Adam Rutschman is serving as the designated hitter.

Cowser is 2-for-11 with one home run, seven walks, six strikeouts and six runs scored.

Adam Frazier moves up to the leadoff spot.

Ryan Mountcastle is the first baseman, Ramón Urías is playing third base, Jorge Mateo is the shortstop and Austin Hays is in left field. An infield alignment that will be repeated at times in 2023, when Gunnar Henderson is on the bench.

Kyle Gibson makes his second spring start, both against the Pirates. The Orioles will extend him to three innings if his pitch count allows it.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Do not fall in love with spring training or September stats. Managers have warned us about it for centuries. Or at least since I’ve been a full-time beat reporter in 1997.

The same rule or sage advice applies to overreactions on the negative side. Do not fall out of love.

Here are a few examples, beginning with a hitter who left camp to play in the World Baseball Classic.

Outfielder Anthony Santander
Santander was hitless in 10 at-bats before joining Team Venezuela in Miami. He went 0-for-2 Monday as the first baseman.

Is anyone worried about Santander after six exhibition games? After he hit 33 home runs last season? Don’t be silly.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Grayson Rodriguez left his glove on the ground as the crowd reacted today to a line drive hit up the middle of the field. Rodriguez hustled after the ball, threw out the Twins’ Donovan Solano and began flexing his hand. The Orioles dugout began to hyperventilate.

The medical check from manager Brandon Hyde and an athletic trainer kept Rodriguez in the game, and he finished the second inning with back-to-back strikeouts with his changeup. A scary moment but nothing that would prompt executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, sitting behind home plate, to again scan the starting pitching market.

Rodriguez returned for the third as the club intended, but he exited with two outs and his pitch count at 55. He allowed one run, on José Miranda’s leadoff homer to left field in the second, and three hits with two walks and four strikeouts, the last against Carlos Correa.

The Twins loaded the bases in the third and Blaine Knight struck out Solano.

“Hit the palm of my glove, so I was able to get leather on it, ultimately make the play,” Rodriguez said. “Just glad nothing is injured.”

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Orioles infielder Terrin Vavra is making steady progress after being scratched from Saturday’s lineup with discomfort in his left shoulder.

Vavra said this morning that he’d attempt to hit for the first time. He’s been shut down and receiving treatment.

“Feel good, kept getting better,” Vavra said. “Just trying to keep treating it and make sure it’s not an issue down the road. But definitely some improvements and I swing today, so shouldn’t be off the field too much longer.”

Vavra didn’t know how much he’d hit and whether it was just off a tee or in the cage.

“I think we’re just going to see how it goes,” he said. “We’re going to go as far as I can, but also not try to stretch it too far. Should be not too long before I’m back in the lineup.”