No game today, but it was an eventful day for the Orioles and MLB

No game today, but it was an eventful day for the Orioles and MLB
SARASOTA, Fla. - For at least one day, rotation battles, utility roster spots and bullpen competitions took a back seat. One that was way, way in the back. Today was eventful and even emotional, filled with uncertainty and producing some answers but also even more questions. Today was a day we found out much more about Trey Mancini's medical situation. That news came less than three hours after we found out that Major League Baseball canceled the remaining spring training games and would start...
Continue reading

Bruce Zimmermann pushing for current, future O's rotations

Bruce Zimmermann pushing for current, future O's rotations
SARASOTA, Fla. - Some of the minor league pitchers he played with last year have long since been sent back over to the Orioles' minor league camp. But Ellicott City native Bruce Zimmermann is still in the O's big league camp and seems to be building some momentum with each outing. The lefty's ERA is 4.70 over three spring games, but he threw three scoreless innings while allowing just one hit in Port Charlotte, Fla., against the Rays last Saturday. He fanned three and retired the last seven...
Continue reading

DL Hall on his 2019: "It was really big for development"

DL Hall on his 2019: "It was really big for development"
SARASOTA, Fla. - If you look at the first two full seasons for young left-handed pitching prospect DL Hall, you can see better stats in 2018 at Single-A Delmarva than in 2019 at Single-A Frederick. But in Frederick, as he faced better hitters he also was challenged to do things he had not before, and he might have gained a lot to benefit his future even as his ERA and walk rate spiked up. Hall had a 2.10 ERA with Delmarva and a walk rate of 4.00. With Frederick his ERA was 3.46 and the walk...
Continue reading

Lefty Keegan Akin on his outing against Braves

Lefty Keegan Akin on his outing against Braves
SARASOTA, Fla. - Making his fourth spring appearance tonight, Orioles lefty pitching prospect Keegan Akin fanned four - and threw one pitch he'd like to have back. An 0-1 fastball with two men on to the Braves' top prospect went a long way. Center fielder Cristian Pache belted the blast to put Atlanta ahead 3-0 on Akin and the Orioles in the second inning at Ed Smith Stadium. One bad pitch marred his pitching line tonight. Over three innings, Akin gave up four hits and three runs with one...
Continue reading

Richie Martin on strong spring, learning from José Iglesias

Richie Martin on strong spring, learning from José Iglesias
SARASOTA, Fla. - He can be optioned this spring, as the Rule 5 restrictions no longer apply when it comes to infielder Richie Martin. It's just that so far in camp, he's doing all he can to keep that from happening. He made more starts at shortstop last season than anyone on the Orioles, but the club has since acquired José Iglesias to play there. Martin could stick as a second baseman and/or utility candidate. The end of camp numbers game might get him and he might be sent to Triple-A - a...
Continue reading

A look at some non-roster invitees pushing for spots

A look at some non-roster invitees pushing for spots
SARASOTA, Fla. - After Monday's off day, the Orioles resume spring training games tonight when they host Atlanta at 6:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium. They have played 17 games, going 8-6-3, and they have 16 left in Florida, plus the exhibition game at the Naval Academy against the New York Mets on March 24. Opening day is March 26 in Baltimore versus the New York Yankees. At this point, several non-roster players are posting good stats and making solid impressions. They are pushing for roster...
Continue reading

Wade LeBlanc has made solid case for rotation spot

Wade LeBlanc has made solid case for rotation spot
SARASOTA, Fla. - At 35, left-hander Wade LeBlanc is the oldest player in Orioles camp. But just like some pitchers much younger, he is simply just trying to make the team. There is a track record and resume there. One that saw him pitch to an ERA of 3.91 over a three-year run from 2016 through 2018. But in 26 games last season with Seattle, he went 6-7 with a 5.71 ERA. He's pitched well in his first two spring games as he tries to win a rotation spot. Over five innings, he has allowed two hits...
Continue reading

A few notes from Twin Lakes Park

A few notes from Twin Lakes Park
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-handed pitching prospect DL Hall, who ended last year on the injured list, begins this season fully healthy. The 21-year-old Hall didn't pitch in 2019 after Aug. 8 due to a lat strain. In 19 games for Single-A Frederick, the club's 2017 top draft pick went 4-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 80 2/3 innings. Hall said it didn't take too long to fully recover from that issue. "About a month and a half, two months," he said Saturday at the Buck O'Neil Complex at Twin Lakes...
Continue reading

After anxious free agent moments, Kohl Stewart ready for O's debut

After anxious free agent moments, Kohl Stewart ready for O's debut
SARASOTA, Fla. - Baseball free agency is not great for all. The players that will not be getting big-dollar contracts sometimes have to sweat out the process, not sure where their next opportunity will come or if that opportunity will be a good one. Right-hander Kohl Stewart, signed by the Orioles on Dec. 29, admits he had some anxious moments . The Minnesota Twins outrighted him off their 40-man roster Nov. 4 and he elected free agency. Then came a few weeks when he weighed his options before...
Continue reading

Thomas Eshelman on solid outing against Yankees (O's win 5-1)

Thomas Eshelman on solid outing against Yankees (O's win 5-1)
TAMPA - Right-hander Thomas Eshelman had a third straight solid outing for the club tonight as the Orioles built an early lead on the New York Yankees. Eshelman went three innings, allowing two hits and one run with one walk and two strikeouts. He threw 43 pitches, 30 for strikes. He's allowed two runs and four hits over eight spring innings. He might be considered a fringe rotation candidate, but the O's keep giving him the ball and he keeps putting up solid results. Although he said he's...
Continue reading

Hays feeling good about his game even as hits are slow to come

Hays feeling good about his game even as hits are slow to come
SARASOTA, Fla. - There is almost certainly no reason to have any concern about a player in spring training after only 18 at-bats. But Orioles outfielder Austin Hays, who had a big spring last year, is batting .111 so far at 2-for-18. He does have four RBIs and he feels like the hits will be coming shortly. He's still penciled in as the center fielder and likely leadoff hitter come opening day, March 26 in Baltimore against the New York Yankees. "I actually feel really good," Hays said before...
Continue reading

Keegan Akin on his outing today against Minnesota

Keegan Akin on his outing today against Minnesota
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles lefty pitching prospect Keegan Akin made his second spring start and third appearance this afternoon. He touched 94 mph with his fastball and threw some nice changeups as he went 2 2/3 innings allowing one run against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. Were he at minor league camp at Twin Lakes Park, Akin might be, as they say, getting his work in. But here at big league camp for the first time, after being added to the 40-man in November, he is trying to earn a rotation...
Continue reading

O's lefty John Means: "It saved my career"

O's lefty John Means: "It saved my career"
SARASOTA, Fla. - In the 2018 season on the farm, lefty John Means pitched to a 3.72 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A, with a 1.26 WHIP and .268 opponent average against. In 2019 - in the major leagues - he pitched better. He posted a 3.60 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP and a .234 average against. That ERA was the lowest by a Baltimore starter since Wei-Yin Chen posted a 3.34 mark in 2015. That ERA would have ranked seventh in the American League if Means had thrown seven more innings to qualify for league...
Continue reading

Valaika homers, LeBlanc gets win, bullpen strong late as O's beat Miami

Valaika homers, LeBlanc gets win, bullpen strong late as O's beat Miami
JUPITER, Fla. - On a day when the Orioles got just three hits, they beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 to split two games on their swing through the east coast of Florida. They head back to Sarasota with a record of 7-5-1 after a loss to Washington and win over Miami. Today they scored two runs on Pat Valaika's third spring homer and two more on a throwing error. Four bullpen pitchers put up zeros from the sixth on to lock down the win. Non-roster invitee lefty Wade LeBlanc continued his bid for a...
Continue reading

Pregame injury/illness notes and lineup changes (O's win 5-3)

Pregame injury/illness notes and lineup changes (O's win 5-3)
JUPITER, Fla. - The Orioles changed their original lineup today ahead of this game with the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Catcher Austin Wynns and shortstop José Iglesias were scratched. Wynns took a foul ball in the groin area the other day, so the Orioles left him back in Sarasota. "He (Iglesias) has a little cramp in his upper quad, we just pulled him out precautionary and hopefully he'll be in there tomorrow," manager Brandon Hyde said in the visitors dugout. "Wynns...
Continue reading

Mike Elias on Chris Davis, other topics during Orioles.com coverage

Mike Elias on Chris Davis, other topics during Orioles.com coverage
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias joined our live streaming coverage of the game on Orioles.com and MLB At-Bat on Tuesday. He discussed several topics including the hot-hitting start of first baseman Chris Davis. "Well, we don't get caught up in spring training results, but that said, he looks better this spring than he did last spring," Elias said. "Just the freeness of his at-bats. He's not getting locked up like we saw last spring....
Continue reading

Slow day on offense as Orioles lose to Nationals

Slow day on offense as Orioles lose to Nationals
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - After scoring 36 runs in a three-game stretch last Thursday through Saturday, the Orioles have been held to exactly three runs in each of the last three games. Today they lost for the first time in a week, 5-3 to the Washington Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The Orioles did not score after the fourth inning and the last 10 batters were retired in order by Nats' pitchers. The last losses before today for the Orioles were a week ago in split-squad...
Continue reading

Brandon Hyde updates Mancini and other notes (O's lose 5-3)

Brandon Hyde updates Mancini and other notes (O's lose 5-3)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Over the next two days during this east coast trip, the Orioles will get every position player, except Trey Mancini, into the game either today against the Washington Nationals or tomorrow versus the Miami Marlins. Mancini came out of yesterday's game not feeling well after two at-bats. "He's just not feeling great," manager Brandon Hyde said before today's game. "The right thing to do was leave him back there and not come on an overnight spring training trip. Be...
Continue reading

J.J. Hardy on instructor role, possible coaching future at O's camp

J.J. Hardy on instructor role, possible coaching future at O's camp
SARASOTA, Fla. - It is a nice sight for Orioles fans. Former O's shortstop J.J. Hardy back in the orange and black. He was back wearing team colors Monday as he began a week-long run in camp as a guest instructor. A very popular Oriole from 2011-2017, Hardy was known for airtight defense and remarkable consistency at shortstop. He's also remembered for the great slide at home to score the go-ahead run on the Delmon Young three-run double in the 2014 American League Division Series. He was a...
Continue reading

Asher Wojciechowski on his scoreless start against Tampa Bay

Asher Wojciechowski on his scoreless start against Tampa Bay
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are starting to stack up some good outings from their starting rotation candidates. Right-hander Asher Wojciechowski was the latest to deliver today. In his second spring start, he pitched three hitless and scoreless innings, facing the minimum nine batters against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. This followed John Means with his nine up and out outing yesterday against the Phillies. And Keegan Akin with a run allowed over two innings Saturday and Brandon...
Continue reading