Elias talks about spending, trade deadline, Kjerstad's beaning, All-Star Game in Baltimore, and Basallo

The Orioles are playing a game today that starts before noon, and it isn’t Patriots Day in Boston. The season is a marathon, but that’s it.

The Roku Channel is streaming from Camden Yards with first pitch at 11:35 a.m. Pajamas are acceptable attire.

The media had lots to report yesterday with the roster move that returned Cade Povich to Triple-A Norfolk, Heston Kjerstad scratched from the lineup after being hit on the batting helmet the previous night and later going on the seven-day concussion injured list, the follow-up questions about the bench-clearing incident, and executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias being made available in the dugout.

Elias wouldn’t bite when asked to share his draft board – can’t blame a guy for trying - but he noted how it’s a “thin” high school class in the first round. The Orioles hold the 22^nd and 32^nd picks.

Baseball America’s 6.0 mock has the Orioles selecting University of North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt with their first selection. An earlier mock had University of Iowa right-hander Brody Brecht.

Kansas State University shortstop Kaelen Culpepper also is tied to the Orioles.

OK, so a college player?

Elias said the new ownership group led by David Rubenstein is prepared to support pursuits at the trade deadline and beyond that could expand payroll, but let’s tap the brakes. Elias added, and I understand that it isn’t good for headlines, “It doesn't mean it's definitely 100% going to happen.”

Continue to breathe normally.

Of course, Rubenstein and company would be willing to spend. Did anything think payroll would be reduced?

“I view our ownership situation as being a positive,” Elias said. “As we've seen, they're very passionate, very robust group. And they see the talent on the team and they want to support that but they also understand that, you know, baseball ops, there’s discipline involved. We don't want to be emotional actors. So I think the type of support that we're going to get from them both on this deadline and going forward is going to be the right kind of support.”

The trade deadline keeps moving after years of falling on July 31. This year it’s the 30^th, and pitching is the club’s priority. That much was known before Elias’ latest dugout chat that almost reached the prerequisite 20-minute mark.

(A final question about Albert Suárez’s contract status beyond this season almost got us there. No, he isn’t automatically a free agent after 2024. Again, with the breathing … )

An ideal scenario would be to acquire a starter under team control beyond this year, since the Orioles won’t have Kyle Bradish, John Means or Tyler Wells on the 2025 Opening Day roster. Three elbow surgeries, plus Means is a free agent.

“I think that’ll definitely be viewed as a positive, and when there’s extra years of control, usually it means the acquisition cost is going to be a little bit higher, but that’ll be viewed as a positive,” Elias said.

Again, slow down and wait for the rest.

“I think that we’ll be approaching this deadline with 2024 front and center, and anything beyond that, we’re going to get another bite at the apple for addressing it over the winter,” Elias said. “So it’ll be valued and it’ll be a big bonus, but I think first and foremost the concern will be the second half of the season and the playoffs that we’re hopefully going to be playing in.”

Finalizing a deal brings enough complications without the expanded playoff field.

“Everything's supply and demand, and a big part of that is how many buyers and how many sellers there are,” Elias said. “There’s no question that that extra wild card spot three years ago has pushed more people either to the buyer column or at least not into the seller column. And we may see some teams just kind of stand pat and that's harmful, too, for supply and demand. So that's been a significant factor.”

Kjerstad can return Saturday with the Orioles in Texas, costing him only three games due to the break if he passes a series of concussion tests.  

“It’s always scary,” Elias said. “I jumped out of my seat, and you’re watching a young player lay on the ground, and thankfully it’s not appearing that it was serious right now, but you never want to see anyone get hit, let alone hit in the head.”

The Yankees have drilled 10 Orioles this season but Elias indicated that the club wouldn’t file a complaint to Major League Baseball.

“No, I think it’s two teams playing competitive baseball and pitching inside,” he said. “Obviously, there’s emotion and passion on both sides, and you know what? That’s what this is all about.”

The butting of heads between the top two teams in the division.

Just don’t bounce fastballs and sinkers off it.  

Elias wants the All-Star Game back in Baltimore for the first time since 1993. The change in ownership and upcoming renovations to the ballpark work in the Orioles’ favor.

The next two Midsummer Classics are booked for Atlanta and Philadelphia.

“I don’t have any special knowledge about that,” Elias said of Baltimore’s chances. “I know everyone here would love it and we talk about it a lot. The last time the game was here, which was a long time ago, it was a really memorable All-Star Game, and this is a special ballpark and it’s one of the crown jewels of Major League Baseball, and we need to have the All-Star Game here again soon. I’m sure that’s coming soon. I’m really hopeful that it is.

“Our management team’s making every effort, but also we have these new voices in the ownership group that I’m sure will be pushing for that, as well.”

Double-A Bowie catcher Sameul Basallo batted cleanup yesterday for the American League in the All-Star Futures Game and went 0-for-1 with a walk. MLB Pipeline rates him as the organization’s No. 2 prospect and 12^th in baseball.

“This kid is a pretty special talent,” Elias said, “and to have him representing us at the Futures Game is great.”

Basallo, 19, was limited in spring training by a stress fracture in his right elbow, but he’s full-go behind the plate and earning positive reports.

“Honestly, the sentiment and the confidence in his defense has just gone up and up and up the last year in particular,” Elias said. “Jeff Kunkel, who’s our field coordinator, he’s also kind of our catching coach in the minors, he’s done a lot of great work with him and he’s very confident. Sam’s handling the pitching staff well, he receives great, he has a huge arm, and we think he’s a catcher. But he’s also got a bat that we’re very confident would play at first base and that’s helpful because you can’t catch six games a week.

“Whether he’s at first base or DH, this is possibly a middle-of-the-order bat, but it’s also a guy that can catch. He’s in a really good spot.”