O's get early lead on Philly and Hyde updates Mullins, Burnes and more in Clearwater

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins is still feeling discomfort today in his right hamstring but the club remains optimistic this will prove to be nothing too concerning or long-term at all.

“It’s still a little bit sore,” manager Brandon Hyde said before today’s game with the Phillies in Clearwater. “I think he’s really positive about it. Still a day-to-day type of thing. Obviously, we are going to be cautious with any hamstring right now. But, we’re confident. We have a lot of time left in camp. Shouldn’t be an issue.”

Mullins left Monday’s game in the last of the first at Ed Smith Stadium with right hamstring discomfort after drawing a leadoff walk and advancing to second on a groundout. He was limited to 116 games last year by two trips to the injured list with a right groin strain.

Mullins may get an MRI, Hyde said “just from a baseline standpoint. I talked to him before I came here, he feels good.”

Mullins' current issue is unrelated to anything from last year.

“Hot day, may have just tightened up on him. I don’t think it’s anything overly serious at all.”

The Orioles have had a few pitchers not throw in a spring game in a while, like right-hander Mike Baumann, for instance. But he’s fine and they’ve had several pitchers and hitters face off for both to get additional work on the back fields.

Corbin Burnes threw a three-inning sim game on the back fields this morning. Tyler Wells will do the same tomorrow.

Hyde was asked again today about Craig Kimbrel’s rough inning Monday where he allowed four runs.

"He felt good after the outing. He's got some minor mechanical adjustments and things like that he wants to work on, but he's not concerned about the velocity at all,” Hyde said. 

Hyde was asked how the spring stat sheet will factor into whether Jackson Holliday makes the Opening Day roster. He is 4-for-17 heading into today's game.

“I think honestly it's a small part,” said Hyde. “Because the sample size is so small. It's more about the quality of the at-bat he is taking. Today, we face Zack Wheeler and Keller tomorrow. That is what I want since that is what you see in the season. So to evaluate your guys against those types of arms (is a plus). How he handles those at-bats. How he handles the speed of the game defensively, you know he’s changed positions a little bit.

“We have other good players too and so, how the roster is going to look and fit. Whether it’s the start of the season with him or a month or two months into the season, six years from now no one will probably even remember that. We are just going to see when is the right time for him and us.”  

As for today's game: The Orioles took an early lead in the first today off Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler when shortstop Jackson Holliday led off the game with a double to deep right-center and scored on Colton Cowser's ground single to left.

Holliday smashed a 2-2 cutter from Wheeler and the ball had a 104.4 mph exit velocity. He is now 5-for-12 this spring off right-hander pitchers. Cowser was thrown out going for second after his single that scored the run.     

Right-hander Albert Suarez pitched around Trea Turner's one-out double to throw a scoreless last of the first for the Orioles on 20 pitches. His fastball topped at 97.5 mph that inning. 

Suarez, 34 from Venezuela, has big league experience in 2016 and 2017 with San Francisco, going 3-8 with a 4.51 ERA in 115 2/3 innings.. The Orioles signed him as a minor league free agent last Sept. 15. He has pitched mostly in foreign leagues since 2019 and last season was 4-7 with a 3.92 ERA over 173 2/3 innings in the Korea Baseball Organization.

Quite the outing: Suarez dazzled on the mound today over three scoreless innings and 48 pitches. He allowed two hits and no runs with no walks and seven strikeouts. In the last of the third, he fanned Cam Gallagher swinging at 97, Kyle Schwarber swinging at 97 and Trea Turner on a slider. 

His four-seam fastball averaged 96.3 mph and topped at 97.5 and he got 12 whiffs on 23 swings in a dominant performance. He got a whopping 10 whiffs off 17 swings against his four-seamer. 

Suarez has now thrown four scoreless this spring with nine strikeouts. 

Holliday added a triple in the third inning on a ball deep to center that center fielder Cristian Pache didn't see at the last minute. But it was another well-struck ball at 102.3 mph for Holliday. He had two extra-base hits his first 17 at-bats this spring and has two today.

In the Phils fourth, they tied 1-1 on an RBI single off Kaleb Ort by Jake Cave. 

Holliday was called out on strikes in the top of the fifth. 

Suarez on his big strikeout day: “We work hard every day and I feel like even if I’m not looking for strikeouts, it is always fun to get strikeouts. Feel good about that. I think I stayed on top of the ball the whole time and the delivery was good, so got a little run up and it was good execution."

Suarez said he made velocity gains on the O’s watch after signing with them last September: “I did some adjustments on my mechanics with the hip separation and I think that is helping me a lot to create more power towards home plate.

“I started (making these adjustments) when I signed with the Orioles last year. I came to Sarasota for two weeks and they sat down with me and talked about small adjustments and I’ve been working since then. I went to Venezuela to pitch winter ball and I was working there too. That’s a big help."

Suarez on chance to pitch in majors for first time since 2017: "I mean I like the challenge and I was working to come back. The chance opened up with the Orioles and I took it. For me, it's like right now it's very important. Plus my brother Robert with the Padres, you know it would be fun to face him or pitch against him at some point. That would be fun."

Suarez, did you open some eyes today?: "I mean, I just go there and do my job. I don't control that, so I only control what I can do on the mound."

The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Jordan Westburg doubled and later scored on Heston Kjerstad's groundout. 

Kaleb Ort allowed a Philly run in the fourth and then Andrew Suarez and Matt Krook pitched scoreless innings. Chayce McDermott came on for the last of the seventh.