Santander ready to make his move into the outfield

SARASOTA, Fla. - Anthony Santander is expecting to make his spring outfield debut on Tuesday after serving only as the designated hitter in eight games.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has been careful with Santander, who didn't play after Sept. 23 last season due to soreness in his right shoulder.

The former Rule 5 pick finally gets to wear a glove for the 6:05 p.m. game against the Braves in Sarasota.

"I've been working on my strength so when the day comes, I'll be ready and 100 percent," he said this morning, "and that day is going to be Tuesday. I'm going to start playing.

"I'm looking forward to it."

The bat is fine. Santander has gone 8-for-24 with three RBIs.

Getting the camp roster down to 54 players has allowed the Orioles to empty the auxiliary clubhouse and put everyone on the same side.

Pitcher Chandler Shepherd is back after the overflow swept him across the hall, where young non-roster players usually reside. He didn't get the same locker but is in the same row, now occupying the corner space vacated by pitcher Dean Kremer.

"That was just part of it," Shepherd said. "There's a lot of guys in camp, as you guys know. It just boiled down to, I was a younger guy and that's how it was. I never really felt like I wasn't part of anything. It was the same. We all walked out on the field together at the same time. But it's nice to be back.

"I hung out here a lot anyway."

Shepherd tossed two scoreless relief innings last night against the Yankees in only his second appearance in a Grapefruit League game. He's been busy on the back fields with side sessions and simulated games.

"I felt good," he said. "Obviously, I'm never going to complain or have anything bad to say when you put up scoreless innings and win a ballgame. There's just a few things I need to work on still. Just the consistency.

"I keep going back to same thing anytime we talk. Just having trouble being consistent with a couple of those breaking balls yesterday. I think one of them got a hit in the first inning and I left a couple up, fell behind in the count in the second inning. But fastball felt really good coming out of my hand and everything else, I was happy with it."

Shepherd, who allowed three runs in two innings on Feb. 22 in North Port, doesn't know how long he'll stay in camp. He's made it through two rounds of cuts. There could be a spot for him in the bullpen if he can't crack the rotation, or he might be part of Triple-A Norfolk's staff.

"I know that I've got to go out every day and just keep getting better at these things that I keep mentioning and it will all work itself out," said Shepherd, whose fastball was 90-93 mph last night. "If I start worrying about stuff like that, then it takes away from my focus of what I've got to do on a daily basis to get better.

"It's not necessarily like, 'What's going to happen? What's going to happen?' I just have to go and get better. I know I have to pitch better. If I do that, things will work out."

Cody Carroll, Eric Hanhold and Branden Kline are listed as available relievers today behind starter Bruce Zimmermann. Kohl Stewart makes his spring debut with Sunday's start versus the Yankees in Sarasota.

For the Rays
Austin Meadows DH
Willy Adames SS
Brandon Lowe 2B
Yandy Díaz 3B
Yoshi Tsutsugo LF
José Martinez 1B
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Mike Zunino C
Manuel Margot RF

Sean Gilmartin LH