The warning, or maybe it was just a gentle reminder, came from executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias on the day that the Orioles made their deepest roster cuts in spring training.

“We’re going to need more starters,” Elias said, as media crowded him outside the baseball operations center and sought an explanation for Grayson Rodriguez’s unexpected optioning to Triple-A.

Elias wasn’t breaking new ground, of course, as he stood on the concrete. No team goes through an entire 162-game grind with the same five members of its rotation. But the Orioles were only four deep into their season, the home opener on hold until later in the week, when Jonah Heim’s 104 mph line drive nailed Kyle Bradish on the right foot Monday night and made those words echo louder.

It also made a sickening thud, with initial fears that Bradish suffered a fracture. X-rays were negative for that, but further tests had to be scheduled because MRIs always reveal more.

I wonder why teams even bother with X-rays. There’s always the inevitable MRI.

ARLINGTON, Texas – As news surfaced before first pitch tonight that rookie right-hander Grayson Rodriguez was expected to make his major league debut on Wednesday afternoon for the Orioles, the club prepared to take the field against Texas. They were looking for a series win and to follow up last night’s uplifting shutout victory over the Rangers.

And they got the win and made it look rather easy, beating Texas 7-2 for their first 2023 win that did not come by either one or two runs. The Orioles improved to 3-2 tonight and Texas falls to 3-2. After sweeping defending National League champion Philadelphia to start their year, the Rangers could get swept in this series by the Orioles.

Just before the game started, multiple outlets reported that the Orioles would call up Rodriguez to make his big league debut in tomorrow afternoon’s series finale.

Rodriguez, 23, the No. 6 prospect in the sport per Baseball America, would be facing Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom, a pitcher with a career 2.55 ERA and two Cy Young Awards. He would also be pitching in his home state for his debut. The O’s drafted him in Round 1 (No. 11 overall) in the 2018 draft out of a high school in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Rodriguez was considered likely to break north with the Orioles in the Opening Day starting rotation, but late in camp was sent back to the minors after pitching to a spring ERA of 7.04 over 15 1/3 innings. He made his Triple-A season debut in Norfolk’s season opener at Durham last Friday night, allowing three runs (two earned) over four innings. He was scheduled to pitch this Thursday for the Tides at home, but now that plan has changed. Rodriguez would be pitching on normal rest tomorrow.

Ryan McKenna gets the start in left field tonight as the Orioles try to guarantee a series win in Texas.

Gunnar Henderson collected his first two hits last night, including a home run, but he's on the bench against Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney. Ramón Urías is starting at third base.

Anthony Santander is the designated hitter and Austin Hays is in right.

Cedric Mullins is the leadoff hitter rather than moving down to ninth, as he did versus Boston lefty Chris Sale.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Anthony Santander DH
Austin Hays RF
Ramón Urías 3B
Adam Frazier 2B
Jorge Mateo SS
Ryan McKenna LF

ARLINGTON, Tex. – The Orioles starting rotation, which covered just 12 innings in three games at Boston to start the year, got another short start today. But this one had nothing to do with the pitcher’s performance.

Right-hander Kyle Bradish, who went 4-7 with a 4.90 ERA last season, took a line drive off his right foot. One-time O’s draft pick Jonan Heim drilled the comebacker at 104 mph. It knocked Bradish off his feet and out of this game. The ball was hit so hard it caromed to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle who recorded an out on the play.

Lefty reliever Danny Coulombe hurried into the game and faced a second and third, two outs situation. And he struck out lefty-hitting Brad Miller on a slider to keep the game 0-0 to end the second inning.

The O’s had big hopes this year for Bradish, in large part to his strong finish to the 2022 season. Over his last 13 starts of the year, beginning in late July, he went 3-3 with a 3.28 ERA. In his last eight starts, he threw four quality starts, going 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA and .500 OPS against.

In Boston, Opening Day starter Kyle Gibson’s five innings was the longest outing by the rotation, which allowed 20 hits and 15 runs over 12 innings. That forced the O’s bullpen to throw 13 2/3 innings in that series and they will be needed heavily again tonight.

After a sluggish start to last season, Lane Thomas is full-steam ahead in the first handful of games to begin 2023.

Sorry for the Lane Train pun, but I can’t help myself.

Thomas is already pacing the Nationals offense by going 5-for-16 (.313) with a run, a double, an RBI and .917 OPS through the first four games. In a much bigger sample size, he hit only .195 with a .581 OPS and nine extra-base hits through the end of May 2022.

It’s just four games, but Thomas is second on the team in batting average and is one of only three players so far to hit for extra bases.

Thomas has been touted as a fastball hitter since his arrival in the 2021 trade with the Cardinals that sent veteran left-hander Jon Lester to St. Louis. He only hit .247 with a .220 expected batting average against the heater last year. So far this year against fastballs, he’s already 4-for-6 with an expected average of .375 and an expected .587 slugging percentage.

The Nationals understand they’re not going to hit many home runs this season. That’s just not in the cards with this particular lineup, which features nobody who hit more than 17 homers last year.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t deliver the occasional extra-base hit, some doubles or even a triple. Or, you know, hit the ball in the air every once in a while.

Even that seemingly simple act proved difficult tonight during a 6-2 loss to the Rays. Tampa Bay rode six dominant innings from starter Drew Rasmussen and effective work from their bullpen to cruise to victory on a 70-degree Monday evening in the nation’s capital. The evening would’ve been perfectly pleasant if only the home club was able to give those who attended any valid reason to believe a rally was possible.

Instead, a paid crowd of 10,754 – officially the second-lowest in Nationals history, ahead of only the 9,261 who were announced as attending the first half of a makeup doubleheader against the Diamondbacks last April – was left to watch the lineup flail away at Tampa Bay’s admittedly excellent pitching staff to little avail.

Rasmussen, the Rays’ No. 4 starter despite an 11-7 record and 2.84 ERA last season, cruised through six scoreless innings on a scant 66 pitches. The right-hander allowed two singles, didn’t issue a walk and struck out seven, pulled by manager Kevin Cash only because the organization is being careful with all of its starters early in the season.

ARLINGTON, Tex. – After losing two of three at Boston and allowing nine runs each game, the Orioles will look for immediate improvement in their pitching and defense tonight. Baltimore opens a three-game series at Globe Life Field against the Rangers.

The O’s scored 23 runs but allowed 27 at Boston and lost the last two days to the Red Sox by 9-8 and 9-5 scores.

Tonight right-hander Kyle Bradish (4-7, 4.90 ERA in 2022) will make his 2023 season debut. Bradish pitched 117 2/3 last season allowing 119 hits and pitching to a WHIP of 1.402 with a 3.5 walk rate and 8.5 strikeout rate. Bradish had six quality starts among his 23 starts and averaged 16.9 pitches per inning.

The Orioles went 14-9 in his starts last season and went 9-4 in his last 13 when he produced a very strong finish. After coming off the injured list in late July, Bradish was 3-3 with a 3.28 ERA in his last 13 games, allowing a .607 OPS. In his last eight starts of 2022, he pitched four quality starts and three scoreless outings, going 3-2 with a 2,76 ERA allowing a .169 batting average and .500 OPS. He gave up just two homers over 45 2/3 innings in those games and allowed two runs or less five times.

Bradish faced Texas just once last season and it was at Globe Life Field, where he allowed one run and three hits over five innings on Aug. 3 on 93 pitches.

The Nationals opened the season in traditional fashion, with a three-game series against a division rival. Major League Baseball’s new schedule, though, has dramatically reduced the number of division games, so get ready to see a bunch of unfamiliar opponents now. Fourteen of the next 18 games, in fact, will be against American League teams, beginning tonight against the Rays.

Because of that, there’s not a lot of familiarity between hitters and pitchers. Only four members of the Nats roster have ever faced Drew Rasmussen (Jeimer Candelario, Michael Chavis, Lane Thomas, Ildemaro Vargas) and combined they’ve only totaled seven at-bats against the right-hander. Conversely, only three Tampa Bay batters have ever faced Trevor Williams (Yandy Diaz, Manuel Margot, Jose Siri) and they’ve combined for only seven at-bats as well.

Williams makes his Nationals debut. He’s technically the No. 4 starter, but he arguably could rank much higher within the rotation when it’s all said and done. The right-hander has a track record, he got a two-year deal over the winter and he takes a leadership role on the staff. Tonight he’ll get his first chance to show the Nats what they have in him.

The Nationals lineup has Luis García back in the leadoff spot. It has CJ Abrams back at shortstop after a day off. And it has Ildemaro Vargas in left field, not Alex Call despite Davey Martinez's claim Sunday that Call would make the bulk of the starts there with Corey Dickerson on the injured list.

TAMPA BAY RAYS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: 106.7 FM, MLB.com
Weather: Partly cloudy, 68 degrees, wind 15 mph out to left field

ARLINGTON, Tex. – The Orioles scored 23 runs in Boston and had two players produce a five-hit game. They hit nine doubles and added seven homers and their team OPS of 1.033 leads the American League at this early point.

But baseball’s No. 1 prospect, Gunnar Henderson, considered a leading candidate to be the American League Rookie of the Year, is still looking for his first hit of 2023. He is 0-for-8 but has also drawn a team-leading six walks.

That is six walks out of the Orioles' team total of 15 and no other player on the roster has walked more than twice thus far.

“The hits haven’t come yet but they will,” manager Brandon Hyde said this afternoon in the visitor’s dugout at Globe Life Field. “But he’s taking good at-bats. Lot of 3-2 counts. Laying off borderline, the pitches that are off (the plate). Feel like on some of his swings, he’s just missing a few. Little bit musclely, I think he’s trying to get that first one. Once he gets that first one, he’s going to be able to relax a little bit. But his at-bats have been good so far.”

Henderson’s walk rate, which was 12.1 last year is 42.9 at this very early juncture. Last season he saw 4.08 pitches per plate appearance and that is up to 4.50 so far this year.

The MRI of Corey Dickerson’s left calf showed only a “mild strain,” according to Davey Martinez, and the Nationals manager is hopeful his veteran left fielder’s stint on the 10-day injured list won’t be a long one. History, though, suggests it may be as quick a stint as the club hopes.

Dickerson missed a full month with a calf strain last summer while playing for the Cardinals. That doesn’t necessarily mean this one will take the same amount of time to heal, but the Nats do have a potential road map for his rehab based on what happened last year.

“When I talked to him yesterday, he said he was pretty sore,” Martinez said. “We’ll take it day to day. He’s already started the rehab process, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Signed to a $2.25 million contract over the winter, Dickerson was supposed to be the Nationals’ primary left fielder entering the season. But when Alex Call started Opening Day against Braves ace Max Fried, Martinez revealed he planned to platoon the duo, with Dickerson only playing against right-handers.

The 33-year-old wound up starting only one game before his calf tightened up on him in the seventh inning Saturday afternoon.

Kyle Finnegan has once again found himself as the Nationals’ de facto closer. With Tanner Rainey and Sean Doolittle rehabbing their respective elbow injuries and bullpen mates Carl Edwards Jr. and Hunter Harvey being used in more of a setup role, the 31-year-old right-hander has been used most often in the ninth inning. Or in whatever high-leverage situation manager Davey Martinez deems as the “save” opportunity.

“Yeah, it's great,” Finnegan said of the confidence he has from Martinez in the closer’s role. “I found myself in that position the last two years. So it's familiar territory. I think getting the last three outs of a game is special and it's awesome. I don't think it's my job to win the game. Our team has already won the game at that point. It's just my job to get those last three out. I don't try to make the moment too big. We've got the game in hand, just go out there and get three outs, and limit damage and secure the win.”

Finnegan pitched to a 3.55 ERA with 11 saves over 68 appearances in 2021 and a 3.51 ERA with another 11 saves last year. Both of his first two appearances of 2023 have come in the ninth inning with differing results.

Facing the bottom of the Braves lineup on Opening Day, he issued two walks and a two-run double as part of a three-run ninth inning that turned a two-run game into a five-run Atlanta lead.

But with the season’s first save opportunity coming in Sunday’s finale, Martinez trusted Finnegan again to retire the heart of Atlanta’s order to seal the first Curly W of the 2023 campaign. While it took him 23 pitches to complete the ninth on Thursday, Finnegan needed only eight efficient pitches Sunday afternoon to get two groundouts, a flyout and the save.

ARLINGTON, Tex. – The Orioles (1-2) begin their second series of the year tonight playing unbeaten Texas (3-0) to start a three-game series at Globe Life Field.

Right-hander Kyle Bradish (4-7, 4.90 ERA in 2022) makes his season debut facing Texas right-hander Jon Gray (7-7, 3.96 ERA). In his last 13 starts of last season, Bradish went 3-3 with a 3.28 ERA and the Orioles went 9-4 in those games.

Kyle Stowers and Anthony Bemboom are making their first starts of the year with Stowers batting sixth in left field and Bemboom batting ninth and catching while Adley Rutschman hits second as the DH. Stowers is the O's fourth different left fielder in four games. 

For the Orioles

Cedric Mullins CF
Adley Rutschman DH
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Gunnar Henderson 3B
Kyle Stowers LF
Adam Frazier 2B
Jorge Mateo SS
Anthony Bemboom C

Jeimer Candelario was sitting at his locker following Sunday’s game, phone in hand, watching the highlight of one of his defensive gems from the Nationals’ 4-1 win over the Braves, when reporters approached him.

Perhaps caught by surprise, Candelario quickly turned off the phone, as if he didn’t want anyone to know he was watching his own highlight reel. Not that anyone could blame him for wanting to bask in the glow following a spectacular game at third base.

“We knew that going in. We knew he was going to make plays,” said MacKenzie Gore, the pitcher who most directly benefitted from the stellar glove work. “We’re going to play good defense. We did that in the spring, and that’s what we did today. We had double plays. Candy was making plays all around. It was fun to watch.”

After a sloppy Opening Day and a less-than-crisp Game 2 to the season, the Nationals infield was flawless during Sunday’s win. They turned three double plays, including a critical 4-6-3 started by Luis Garcia to escape a sixth-inning jam. They saw Ildemaro Vargas, filling in for CJ Abrams at shortstop for the day, handle his three chances with no problems.

But most of all, they watched Candelario put on a dazzling show throughout the afternoon at third base.

The Orioles stole five bases on Opening Day as the Red Sox battery, almost no matter who was pitching, was no match for their thievery.

They stole off catcher Reese McGuire and three different pitchers getting three bases while Ryan Brasier was on the mound and one each off Corey Kluber and Kaleb Ort.

We will see how the rest of the season goes, but for one day, they ran amok.

After the first day of the season, there were three players in the major leagues with two stolen bases each. The Orioles’ Cedric Mullins and Jorge Mateo, and Ji Hwan Bae of Pittsburgh.

And this was not all about the new rules either.

Despite an extended negotiation, MASN and its distribution partner Charter have been unable to renew our longtime carriage agreement, so effective April 1, 2023 Charter will no longer carry MASN.  MASN remains hopeful that in the future Charter will resume carriage of the network on the same terms and conditions as all of our other affiliates, including Comcast, DirecTV, Directv Stream, Verizon Fios, and Cox.  We appreciate our longtime partnership with Charter.

BOSTON – The Orioles finally set their rotation for Opening Day, which turned out to be the easy part. They might have to decide how they’re going to handle a rainout on Saturday unless the forecast improves dramatically over the weekend.

The temperatures are supposed to rise into the 60s, ruining the fun that hypothermia can bring, but there’s a 90 percent chance of precipitation. They could be off on back-to-back days including today.

Dean Kremer is supposed to pitch Saturday, followed by left-hander Cole Irvin on Sunday. Irvin could be bumped to the series in Texas, assuming the clubs wouldn’t play a doubleheader.

They could try this again in September, whether on a mutual off-day or in a doubleheader.

If that’s the case, Kyle Bradish would follow Irvin on Tuesday and Tyler Wells would close out the Rangers series if manager Brandon Hyde still uses his fifth starter with two breaks in the schedule.

Two of the first three starters for the Orioles to begin the 2023 season will be making their debuts with the club.

Left-hander Cole Irvin is confirmed for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He follows Opening Day starter Kyle Gibson on Thursday and Dean Kremer on Saturday.

Irvin posted a 3.14 ERA in spring training with five earned runs and 17 hits allowed in 14 1/3 innings. He walked only one batter and struck out nine.

The Orioles acquired Irvin and minor league pitcher Kyle Virbitsky from the Athletics in January for Single-A infielder Darell Hernaiz. He’s made two career appearances against the Red Sox, including one start, and allowed two earned runs in nine innings.

This will be Irvin’s first career game at Fenway Park.

In the final spring tuneup before Opening Day on Thursday, two starting pitchers made their first appearances as members of the home team at Nationals Park this afternoon.

Trevor Williams, who signed a two-year, $13 million contract this offseason, and MacKenzie Gore, one of the top prospects acquired from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade last summer, made their Nationals debuts on South Capitol Street during a 3-0 exhibition win over the Yankees in front of 13,012 fans.

The plan for both was to pitch three innings and throw about 50 pitches. But Williams, who had a strong spring, was so efficient, he was able to go out and complete a fourth frame, allowing just one hit, two walks and a hit batter with a strikeout of Aaron Judge and a pickoff at second base on 52 pitches, 30 strikes, over a scoreless outing.

“It was good to complete four. We were shooting for about 50 pitches,” Williams said. “So to get up there, get four ups and have some clean innings was good. It's nice to pitch in a big league atmosphere, a big league stadium. It was a fun first date wearing a white jersey here or white pants here. I took a minute to kind of look around the ballpark from a different angle today and I can't wait to get the regular season started.”

Williams has actually made five appearances (three starts) at Nats Park while being a member of the Pirates and Mets over his seven-year career. But his first appearance with the Nationals, one that still doesn’t officially count, was still about getting ready for when it actually matters.

Finally, the 2023 regular season is almost here. We’re counting down hours at this point and it’s great. Baseball that counts and a potentially very exciting season of Orioles baseball is about to begin. 

They gained 31 wins last year, finished 83-79 and were just three games out of an American League playoff berth. The last time they won more than 83 was also the last time they made the playoffs, as an AL wild-card team with 89 wins in 2016.

As the pursuit of a playoff berth begins for real tomorrow, here are a few things the Orioles no doubt hope goes well for the club in the season ahead. It is just a partial list.

Stay healthy: Captain Obvious called to suggest I didn’t need to state this one, but I did anyway. The Captain was not amused. Yes, every team could use good overall health over six months and 162 games. Some teams have a larger margin for error however. But key injuries can make the difference in the standings. The Tampa Bay Rays will begin the year without right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who could debut in May. The Yankees, who won the AL East by seven games with 99 victories last year, will be down a few starting pitchers to begin the season including lefty Carlos Rondón. He has a left elbow strain and is expected to begin the year on the injured list but could return before April is out.

The Orioles are a deeper organization on Opening Day 2023 than a year ago, but still likely need most of their key players to stay on the field to truly have a postseason shot. Getting John Means back in July, if he meets that projection and is throwing well, could be a big lift as someone coming off the IL.

There will be a lot new to fans when a new season of Orioles baseball at Oriole Park at Camden Yards begins next Thursday, April 6 at 3:05 p.m. when the O’s host the Yankees in their home opener.

From the field to the food and at several stops in between, there is newness all around.

Let’s start with the playing surface. Nicole Sherry, Orioles senior director, field operations, said the field was replaced in December.

“Huge project took place, completed December of 2022. We replaced the entire field. Five inches of old rootzone material came out and five inches of new 100 percent sand went in and brand new Kentucky Bluegrass sod was laid. It’s been a long offseason for the groundscrew, but we’ve got it looking great. So we’re excited,” Sherry said earlier today at Oriole Park, where the field looked spectacular.

“It was about three weeks worth of work. A lot of material brought in and hauled out. By far the biggest project we’ve had to do in my 20 years here,” she added. “This project has been in the process for a good three years. It was needed and thankful we were able to get it done.”