TORONTO – Jorge Mateo had a locker set up this morning in the visiting clubhouse at Rogers Centre that belonged to Livan Soto for yesterday’s workout. The media saw Mateo as he walked into the room before the Orioles headed onto the field for stretching and batting practice.

His arrival in Toronto was confirmed. And he wasn’t here just to visit teammates.

Mateo made the Opening Day roster. He overcame elbow surgery and odds that didn't favor him.

“At the beginning of camp I thought it was doubtful, just because he hadn’t done a whole lot and there was still some rehab left to accomplish,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We got him a lot of at-bats over the last seven-to-10 days, and he played a lot of shortstop, played a lot of second base, stuff people couldn’t see. There was a lot of back field. We had a lot of arms throw to him and Gunnar (Henderson) just to get those guys a lot of at-bats.

“I thought it was getting closer to being an option of him breaking with us a few days ago, and then the last few days he had good at-bats, he played a lot defensively, he recovered really, really well, so we made the decision to have him start with us.”

TORONTO – Orioles reliever Bryan Baker hasn’t been told anything.

Infielder Livan Soto hasn’t been told anything.

They have lockers in the visiting clubhouse at Rogers Center and they participated in this afternoon’s workout. However, they didn’t receive confirmations that they’re on the Opening Day roster. Those conversations are on hold.

The assumptions are understandable, of course.

Matt Bowman and Roansy Contreras, the in-house competitors with Baker for the last bullpen spot, didn’t have lockers and they weren’t seen in the clubhouse or on the field.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles made more roster cuts heading into their second off-day of the spring, getting down to 41 players. Six of them are non-roster invitees

None of the players in that latter group were expected to break camp with the team. Catcher Samuel Basallo is a high-profile prospect, tops in the organization, who had no chance at age 20 and with only 86 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. But he was fun while he lasted.

Who’s left?

Reliever Matt Bowman

The Orioles re-signed Bowman to a minor league contract on Dec. 23 after he declined an outright assignment a month earlier and elected free agency. He pitched for four teams last season. For a brief time he had none.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde finally could joke about it.

The closing of southbound I-75 due to an accident involving two semis that caused a significant hydraulic oil leak. His arrival in the visiting clubhouse at Hammond Stadium about an hour after first pitch. Sunscreen and a look of aggravation on his face.

Asked after the game about Grayson Rodriguez’s sluggish start, Hyde said, “On the radio, it was …”

He laughed for the first time – a few minutes after sharing the news of Gunnar Henderson’s strained right intercostal muscle. Someone needed to break the tension.

Losing Henderson for any length of time would hurt, and intercostals can bring a lengthy recovery period. But Hyde stressed how the diagnosis was a “very mild” strain, and that Henderson was improving “every single day.”

The 26 players announced as non-roster invitees to spring training weren’t on a locked list of names. The Orioles had the freedom to expand it, which they did after infielder Luis Vázquez cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.

Reliever Dylan Coleman announced his signing to a minor league deal on Instagram, the Orioles confirmed it and he’s an invite. Infielder Emmanuel Rivera cleared waivers, was outrighted and also received an invitation. And there could be more.

Here’s the updated list:

Pitchers

Raúl Alcantara
Justin Armbruester
Matt Bowman
Dylan Coleman
Jakob Hernandez
Yaramil Hiraldo
Corbin Martin
Robinson Martinez
Levi Stoudt
Carlos Tavera
Thaddeus Ward
Nathan Webb

So, anything going on today?

We’re still waiting for an outcome with infielder Livan Soto, who was designated for assignment on Jan. 10 when the Orioles claimed right-hander Roansy Contreras on waivers from the Reds.

A week has passed, which could bring an announcement later today. Catcher René Pinto was designated on Jan. 3 and the Diamondbacks claimed him on the 10^th. But catcher Blake Hunt was designated Monday, and the Orioles traded him to the Mariners Wednesday for cash considerations.

In one of those baseball twists, the Orioles designated Contreras for assignment yesterday while claiming infielder Jacob Amaya, a former top 30 prospect, on waivers from the White Sox.

There will be a quiz later.

Right-hander Roansy Contreras is on the move again this offseason, with the Orioles being his fifth organization since 2024.

The Orioles claimed Contreras on waivers from the Reds this afternoon. He’s out of minor league options and could report to spring training trying to compete for a bullpen spot.

Contreras, 25, split the past season between the Pirates and Angels and posted a 4.33 ERA and 1.288 WHIP in 37 games, including three starts. He debuted for the Pirates in 2021, his lone appearance producing three scoreless innings in a start, and he’s registered a 4.72 ERA in 90 outings.

The Yankees signed Contreras as a free agent in 2016 and traded him to the Pirates five years later in the Jameson Taillon deal. The Angels selected his contract in May 2024, the Rangers claimed him on waivers Oct. 31 and he landed with the Reds on Dec. 19.

Contreras was designated for assignment this week after the Reds acquired infielder Gavin Lux from the Dodgers. He has a 5.47 ERA since the beginning of 2023, a 18.5 percent strikeout percentage and 10.5 percent walk rate.

The unpredictability of baseball, and so often the Orioles organization, were on full display again yesterday. Trying to guess along is a dangerous game, bound to burn its participants.

News leaked that the Orioles were optioning corner infielder Coby Mayo to Triple-A Norfolk, and the immediate assumption had utility infielder Ramón Urías rejoining the club from the 10-day injured list. Two rehab games at Triple-A Norfolk, where Urías homered Friday night, seemed sufficient.

I jumped to that conclusion so hard that I may have qualified for the next Olympics.

Instead, the Orioles selected outfielder Daniel Johnson’s contract from Norfolk because Cedric Mullins’ status was uncertain due to the neck soreness that kept him on the bench Friday night. Mullins and right fielder Austin Slater attempted diving catches simultaneously the previous night and collided.  

Johnson made sense based on the circumstances, but Urías’ return is imminent, perhaps by this morning. Urías and Jordan Westburg were removed from last night’s game by design in the fifth inning. It’s just a matter of which players are bumped from the roster.

DETROIT – The pressure was most definitely on the Orioles Saturday night at Comerica Park. On this night, they stood up to it with an important and impressive 4-2 win over a hot Detroit Tigers team that had won 21 of 30 coming into play.

The O’s were three games back of the Yankees for the division lead and Kansas City had pulled within two games for the top American League wild card seed.

They needed a win to gain a game on one team after the Yankees lost Saturday afternoon and hold off another. Now they are two back of the Yankees and two up on the Royals.

They were 2-6 over the last eight games and not scoring much. The clubhouse was trying to stay together and avoid the outside criticism the team was getting.

After the win Saturday, catcher James McCann said they have stayed strong as a team.

DETROIT – An Orioles starting rotation that had been pitching well recently kept it going tonight behind their ace.

With the team losing and not scoring many runs in dropping six of eight games, it was harder to notice the solid rotation outings. But in the last three games, O’s starters had an ERA of 1.37. Over their past seven games their ERA was 2.57 with five quality starts.

Right-hander Corbin Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner and 2024 All-Star game starter for the American League, took that up a notch today.

Burnes allowed two singles over seven scoreless innings tonight as the Orioles beat Detroit 4-2 to bounce back after their one-hit loss Friday night.

Baltimore improved to 84-65 and moved to within two games of first-place New York, which lost today. The win keeps the O’s two games ahead of Kansas City for the top AL wild card spot.

Coby Mayo started at third base Sunday afternoon in Denver after rejoining the Orioles on their expanded roster and he lined a single the opposite way for his second major league hit. He also scored his third run. He seemed comfortable in the box and in the field.

The Rockies started left-hander Ty Blach. The Orioles placed Ramón Urías on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right ankle. Mayo was pretty much a lock to be in the lineup.

Yesterday’s series opener against the White Sox offered a different story. Mayo sat while right-handed hitter Emmanuel Rivera played third base against right-hander Chris Flexen. Mayo didn't make an appearance in the blowout win.

I saw theories floated that Mayo could work in a platoon with left-handed hitting Nick Maton, who had his contract selected yesterday from Triple-A Norfolk, but they shared bench space yesterday. First base presents an option for Mayo with Ryan Mountcastle on the injured list due to a sprained left wrist, and he’s made 21 starts with the Tides.

The Orioles might be hesitant to transfer that experiment to the majors, but it isn’t clear what they plan to do with him.

The Orioles can’t keep playing with a short bench. They can’t keep waiting for Ryan Mountcastle’s status to shift from day-to-day.

They also can't maintain a healthy stretch in 2024.

Mountcastle was placed on the 10-day injured list this afternoon, retroactive to Friday, with a left wrist sprain. Infielder Livan Soto was recalled again from Triple-A Norfolk.

The injury occurred Thursday night against the Astros after Mountcastle slid head-first into second base with a double in the second inning. He was removed in the top of the ninth and didn’t play in the next three games.

The earliest that Mountcastle can return is Sept. 2, a day after rosters expand to 28 players.

The Orioles were short one reliever yesterday at Citi Field and apparently are making a move to correct it.

Left-hander Nick Vespi is joining the Orioles today, per sources. And there could be more roster changes coming after yesterday’s waiver claim of infielder Emmanuel Rivera.

Vespi made the Opening Day roster with Jacob Webb on the paternity list. He was optioned two days later, recalled May 22 as the 27^th man in St. Louis and immediately returned to Triple-A Norfolk, recalled May 24 when Dean Kremer went on the injured list with a triceps strain, optioned three days later, recalled June 3 and optioned three days later when the Orioles selected Cade Povich’s contract, was recalled June 15 when Kyle Bradish went on the IL with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, and was optioned again July 3 when Kremer was reinstated.

Teams can’t option a player more than five times in a season without going through the waiver process. Sending him down after the 27th-man designation doesn’t count against the total.

Vespi has appeared in 10 games and allowed four runs and 10 hits in 11 1/3 innings. Three runs were surrendered over 1 1/3 innings in his last major league outing on June 30 against the Rangers.

Tracking Liván Soto with the Orioles is becoming a full-time job.

They claimed him twice on waivers and lost him twice. They traded for him at the deadline, optioned him immediately, recalled him Aug. 1 and optioned him the next day while selecting Coby Mayo’s contract, and recalled him again yesterday while optioning Mayo.

The circle of baseball life can make you dizzy.

Soto could stick around a while or just pass through town. Predicting his next move is a dangerous little game.

“It’s been a little difficult, but it’s part of the process and all I can do is learn from it, get mentally tougher, mentally strong and just learn from this experience and be ready to go,” he said yesterday via interpreter Brandon Quinones.

Jackson Holliday played in 10 games in his first stop in the majors before the Orioles sent him down. Coby Mayo made it to seven.

They hit .059, with Holliday going 2-for-34 and Mayo 1-for-17. The Orioles want to see other similarities.

Holliday was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, hit a grand slam in his first game and homered five times in 10. He strung together three consecutive multi-hit games. The at-bats and the confidence were improved.

Now it’s Mayo’s turn after the Orioles optioned him early this afternoon and recalled infielder Liván Soto, who was batting .355/.412/.581 (11-for-31) in nine games.

Young prospects who return to the minors take with them valuable information and experience, Holliday, Colton Cowser and Grayson Rodriguez just a few of the examples.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Selected the contract of INF Coby Mayo from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 16 and his first appearance will be his Major League debut.
• Optioned INF Livan Soto to Triple-A Norfolk.

Additionally, LHP Matt Krook has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

Liván Soto finally is going to play for the Orioles in his third stint in the organization.

The circumstances, however, are crushing.

Soto will be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk for Thursday night’s series opener in Cleveland as the injury replacement for Jordan Westburg, according to an industry source.

Westburg was hit on the right-hand today by a 95.2 mph fastball from Blue Jays reliever Yerry Rodríguez in the fifth inning. X-rays revealed a fracture.

Westburg circled the bases on Jackson Holliday’s first major league home run, a grand slam onto Eutaw Street in the Orioles’ 10-4 win. Ramón Urías replaced him at third base.

The roster reshaping by the Orioles isn’t over.

No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday is headed to Baltimore, multiple sources have confirmed. He could join the active roster before Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Blue Jays or accompany the team to Cleveland before he’s officially recalled.

Holliday was removed from tonight’s lineup, as MASNsports.com reported earlier, following the Connor Norby trade that also sent outfielder Kyle Stowers to the Marlins in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers.

This will be Holliday’s second stint in the majors. An unpopular camp cut, Holliday had his contract selected on April 10 and he went 2-for-34 with 18 strikeouts before the Orioles optioned him April 26.

Holliday missed almost two weeks with right elbow inflammation and was eased back into action as the designated hitter before returning to second base. He’s batting .271/.431/.477 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs, 38 RBIs, 75 walks and 77 strikeouts in 73 games.

With about 15 minutes until the trade deadline, Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias found his right-handed hitting outfielder to check another box.

The Orioles are trading for White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez, with Triple-A reliever Trey McGough leaving the organization in return, according to an industry source.

Jiménez missed a month of the season with a hamstring injury and has appeared in 65 games, batting .240/.297/.345 with nine doubles, five home runs and 16 RBIs. He’s a career .270/.321/.469 hitter in six seasons since his debut in 2019. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 31 home runs.

The following season brought a Silver Slugger Award during the COVID year.

The Orioles are inheriting the remainder of Jiménez’s $13 million salary. The contract includes club options for 2025 at $16.5 million and 2026 at $18.5 million with a pair of $3 million buyouts.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Selected the contract of C David Bañuelos from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 91 and his first appearance will be his Major League debut.
• Placed RHP Tyler Wells on the 15-day Injured List (right elbow inflammation), retroactive to April 13.
• Designated INF Livan Soto for assignment.

The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.