As it turns out, maybe the opponent in the American League Division Series doesn’t really matter to the Orioles.

The front office, manager Brandon Hyde and his coaching staff could argue that point based on the roster decisions shaped by the team in the other dugout, but the players sound like they just want to play.

They gathered again this afternoon at Camden Yards, the third different start time in three days, to perform some drills and engage in the latest simulated game with a plate umpire.

No fans allowed today after a few thousand walked through Gate E yesterday and cranked up the energy level. It felt sluggish today by comparison.

Infielders caught popups and the outfielders shagged fly balls from the machine stationed at home plate. Catchers worked on their throwing. Very similar to spring training but without the extra fields.

Word began trickling to players in the dugouts during today’s workout and simulated game at Camden Yards. Their start time on Saturday. A resolution to the concert conflict.

Game 1 of the American League Division Series begins at 1 p.m. at Camden Yards, six hours before music legends Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks perform at M&T Bank Stadium.

The only way to handle huge crowds and shared parking lots.

One player wondered about Sunday’s Game 2, checking with a reporter for further information. Major League Baseball hasn’t divulged any other start times.

The Orioles don’t know whether they’re facing the Rangers or Rays, with the former winning yesterday in the best-of-three Wild Card Series.

The Orioles are holding their first workout this evening at Camden Yards in preparation for Saturday’s Division Series opener. The opponent to be named later. Game 1 to be played in Baltimore, the first time that the city has hosted in the postseason since Oct. 11, 2014.

The Royals scored twice in the top of the ninth against Darren O’Day and Zack Britton to win 6-4 and take a 2-0 lead in the Championship Series. They swept it by posting back-to-back 2-1 victories at Kauffman Stadium. The “We Won’t Stop” Orioles were grounded.

You know what happened in 2016. The wild card game in Toronto, the Edwin Encarnación three-run, walk-off homer against Ubaldo Jiménez in the 11^th inning, Britton warmed but never used. The window for contention slamming shut and shattering.

One of the most vivid images is catcher Matt Wieters bolting from his crouch as soon as Encarnacion made contact and turning toward the visiting dugout. His own walk-off.

Anyway, that’s in the past.

To live in the moment is only a part-time endeavor for Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. His baseball world isn’t that narrow.

Earning a spot in the playoffs and winning the division are spinning him in every direction. Much of it willingly.

The games still mattered to Hyde after the Orioles clinched the American League East for the first time since 2014. Three remained on the regular season schedule. Don’t lose focus. Don’t give away anything.

Permission felt granted to actually think about and talk playoffs. To consider how the roster would be constructed depending on the opposing team. How to set up the rotation. Which players to rest.

And then, there’s the past, which requires a strong stomach. Maybe one hand covering his eyes, fingers separated if brave enough to peek.

Kyle Bradish struck out five batters in a row today, walked off the mound and went straight into workouts this week and a likely Game 1 start in the Division Series.

A planned short outing kept Bradish in his routine and on his roll. A last regular season reminder that he’s matured into an ace.

Bradish tossed two scoreless innings, the only baserunner on Rafael Devers’ walk. Four of the five strikeouts were produced with his sinker, the other his curveball. A nice side session in front of everyone at Camden Yards.

The rest of the game played out as a parade of relievers, seven of them in the Orioles’ sloppy 6-1 loss to the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 36,640. The total attendance for the season is 1,936,798, their highest since 2017.

The win total locks in at 101, tied for fourth-highest in franchise history. The Orioles went 49-32 at home, the third-best record in the ballpark's history.

Cole Irvin watched his Triple-A Norfolk teammates celebrate their Triple-A national championship from afar last night, as he’s done with two other clinching games.

Irvin wasn’t with the Orioles after they officially made the playoffs and won their division. His only chance to pop some corks happened after the Tides won the International League crown.

“It’s part of the game,” he said. “The game moves on without you, whether you’re there or not, and I’m rooting for this team to do good things. And I was a part of it for a lot of the season. So, it sucks in the moment but at the same time, you want that team to celebrate and you want to win the division.

“The job’s not done, so there’s plenty of opportunity to maybe share in those festivities down the road, but at the same time, however, we can get those days off, give ourselves a little bit of a break and stay ready and be ready to go for the divisional series, that’s part of it.”

The Orioles recalled Irvin today, after instructing him to stay off the flight to Las Vegas, and optioned Bruce Zimmermann. He could pitch today in the regular season finale and stick around for the Division Series, whether on the active roster or taxi squad.

The Orioles have reached one finish line. The end of the regular season.

Game 1 of the Division Series is Saturday at Camden Yards. The Orioles will play the winner of the wild card series between the Rays and either the Blue Jays, Astros or Rangers – the identity revealed later this afternoon.

They made a roster move this morning, recalling left-hander Cole Irvin from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning lefty Bruce Zimmermann, who tossed two scoreless innings last night.

Irvin also didn’t make the trip to Las Vegas for Norfolk’s 7-6 victory over Oklahoma City in the Triple-A championship game.

The Orioles want another fresh arm that can provide some length in the bullpen. Irvin has registered a 4.54 ERA and 1.314 WHIP in 23 games, including 12 starts.

Bruce Zimmermann started Tuesday night for Triple-A Norfolk in the opening game of the International League championship series, was removed after only two innings and told not to pack his bags for the trip to Las Vegas.

Zimmermann is a pitcher, not a detective, but he figured it out.

The Orioles wanted the Baltimore native to stay available for a return to his hometown. Limit his innings and restrict his travel to the East Coast.

Informed last night that the Orioles were recalling him, Zimmermann had clearance to gather his belongings and walk through the clubhouse doors at Camden Yards. Leave his teammates behind as they tried to win a title, and join a club that’s celebrated two clinchings.

“It’s a little bit different, but it’s definitely a positive,” he said. “Feels good to be back up here and I know those guys are going to take care of business out in Vegas. Definitely going to have to try to find a way to get updates or something on them. It was a great season down there, and to watch these guys finish it off up here, to be able to come up and contribute and feel the environment of what’s going on and getting ready for the playoffs and everything, it’s great.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn’t agree that Kyle Gibson’s start tonight could influence how the playoff rotation and bullpen are constructed for the Division Series that begins Saturday at Camden Yards. He wasn’t going to put that much emphasis on it.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a big start,” Hyde said, responding to a reporter’s question. “I think we know what Kyle can do, and if he doesn’t pitch well today it’s not really going to impact anything. A lot determines the postseason roster on who we play, where we’re playing and those types of things.”

The Orioles played the Red Sox again tonight, Gibson tossed five shutout innings, and they scored three times in the eighth in a 5-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 43,150.

Gibson scattered seven hits and left after 80 pitches. Baltimore native Bruce Zimmermann, recalled earlier today, made his first appearance in the majors since July 4, didn’t allow a run through two innings and earned the win.

"He did a great job of minimizing damage," Hyde said of Gibson. "I thought it was actually a perfect workload for him heading into the playoffs."

Closer Félix Bautista won’t pitch for the Orioles in the upcoming playoffs.

He won’t pitch in 2024, either.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias confirmed this afternoon that Bautista will undergo surgery next month to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Dr. Keith Meister will handle the procedure in Dallas.

The club delayed its decision until allowing Bautista to rehab the injury and begin throwing again, first on flat ground and most recently against minor leaguer Ramón Rodríguez on Tuesday at Camden Yards. He threw 25 pitches in his first action against a hitter.

Ineligible for the postseason and unable to recapture his All-Star form from last summer, reliever Jorge López was designated for assignment this afternoon and replaced by left-hander Bruce Zimmermann.

The Orioles recalled Zimmermann from the Norfolk Tides, who are in Las Vegas for tonight's Triple-A championship game against Oklahoma City. The Baltimore native hasn’t pitched in the majors since making his sixth relief appearance on July 4 at Yankee Stadium.

Zimmermann allowed seven earned runs and eight total with 15 hits in 11 1/3 innings with the Orioles and posted a 4.42 ERA and 1.545 WHIP in 21 starts with Norfolk over 99 2/3 innings.

The last two outings in the regular season were rough, with Zimmermann surrendering a combined 14 runs and 24 hits in 9 1/3 innings. He started Game 1 of the best-of-three series against Durham in the International League championship and allowed one run in two innings.

The Orioles haven’t announced a Sunday starter. Kyle Bradish would be working on his normal turn but could be rested, with Zimmermann a candidate to replace him.

Gunnar Henderson graduated from being baseball’s top prospect and is favored to win the Rookie of the Year award in the American League.

He’ll prep for that honor by walking onto the Camden Yards field before tonight’s game and receiving his Most Valuable Oriole award.

Keep ‘em coming.

Media covering the club selected Henderson first on a three-player ballot. The 22-year-old infielder is batting .257/.326/.492 in 148 games with 28 doubles, nine triples, 28 home runs and 82 RBIs. Baseball-reference gives him a team-leading 6.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), the highest in Orioles history for a rookie.

The 28 homers are tied with Anthony Santander for first. His nine triples are six more than Cedric Mullins and Ramón Urías have totaled. He’s second in RBIs and tied for second with 55 walks. He’s first in slugging and OPS (.818) and tied for second in OBP.

The emotions sneaked up on Brandon Hyde again. Made his eyes water and the words stick in his throat.

The fifth-year Orioles manager keeps experiencing firsts on the job that make him reflect on the hard times and challenge him to maintain composure. Hold it together while hugging anyone who’s close to him.

“It’s really a weak point of mine,” he said yesterday with a smile. “It’s something I need to work on.”

His players wouldn’t change a thing. They appreciate the soft side that’s exposed after wins to clinch a playoff berth and division title. How he treats them. How much he cares.

If tears are shed, that’s fine. Let them trickle or flow.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde arrived at the ballpark today knowing that a victory didn’t really matter in the grander scheme. His team clinched the division title last night. It already established home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The original lineup was missing Anthony Santander and Gunnar Henderson to let them rest. Adley Rutschman and Ramón Urías were scratched due to being “under the weather,” per the club.

The Orioles could coast and not get hurt, but Hyde didn’t expect them to roll over.

“I still want to play well, you know? I want to play to win,” he said.

“Last night was special, and so today you reflect a little bit in the morning and still have a job to do tonight. Want to play well in front of our home fans.”

The Orioles are starting veteran Kyle Gibson on Saturday and remain undecided about Sunday, which would be Kyle Bradish under pre-clinching circumstances.

Uncharted territory for the franchise under the current regime.

“We’re still kind of playing with some things,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

Hyde isn’t ready to detail how the Orioles are handling their regular season finale or compensating for the extended break before Saturday’s Game 1 of the Division Series.

“It will be a lot of scheduled bullpen appearances for a lot of these guys,” Hyde said. “I didn’t want to schedule too much stuff, honestly, because I didn’t want to jinx anything. I wanted to make sure we clinched first. But now a lot of discussions are in place.”

The playoffs are clinched. The division is clinched. And now, the Orioles can intensify their focus on getting the rotation and roster prepped for the American League Division Series, and reveling in the rest that’s coming to them with the bye.

Cedric Mullins is batting leadoff tonight with Gunnar Henderson out of the lineup. Heston Kjerstad is in right field, Adam Frazier is the second baseman and Ramón Urías is at third.

Ryan Mountcastle gets the start at first base, with Ryan O’Hearn serving as designated hitter.

John Means is making his fourth start since coming off the 60-day injured list. He didn’t allow a hit for 6 2/3 innings in Cleveland. He’s allowed two runs in 12 innings in his last two starts to seemingly thrust himself into the postseason rotation.

Means owns a 3.70 ERA and 0.992 WHIP in eight career games (seven starts) against the Red Sox. Rafael Devers is 3-for-20.

Heston Kjerstad grabbed a bat to hit on the field yesterday afternoon but paused to satisfy a reporter’s request for a minute of his time. That’s exactly how much of it he could spare, doing so with the usual smile and polite nature.

Kjerstad would begin the game on the bench, hours after learning that he made Baseball America’s Minor League All-Star Team, along with shortstop Jackson Holliday and catcher Samuel Basallo. He delivered a pinch-hit, RBI double in the eighth inning. Three of his first six career hits have gone for extra bases.

The honors keep finding him, even in Baltimore.

“I spent the majority of the season down there, and you consider that I’ve only been up here a little bit,” he said. “Definitely a solid year, cool to be a part of that and everything. There’s a lot of O’s players on that list, too. It just shows the organization we’re in.

“It’s awesome to be up here and getting things rolling. It’s been awesome to be a part of this clubhouse so far.”

The wait is over.

For the last magic number to hit zero. For the first American League East championship since 2014. For the Rays to accept their wild card fate.

Pop those corks again.

Anthony Santander homered in the first inning, his fly ball traveling 405 feet to left field and clearing the wall. The crowd roared. Dean Kremer tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Pinch-hitter Heston Kjerstad dumped a double into left field that scored Adam Frazier in the eighth.

The ballpark kept getting louder, reaching its peak volume when Trevor Story grounded out against Tyler Wells to seal the Orioles’ 2-0 victory over the Red Sox before an announced crowd of 27,543. The 11^th shutout of the season. The latest reason for the city to embrace its team and not let go.

The final out was made in the bottom of the third inning tonight and Orioles chairman and CEO John Angelos and Governor Wes Moore appeared on the video board in center field. They were applauding. Big smiles on their faces. Huge news printed below them.

The Orioles, Moore and the State of Maryland, and the Maryland Stadium Authority agreed to a deal that will keep the team in Baltimore and at Camden Yards for at least the next 30 years.

The current lease was set to expire on Dec. 31. Angelos, Moore and commissioner Rob Manfred kept insisting that the club wasn’t moving, but fans wanted a commitment.

They got it on a night when the Orioles are trying to clinch their first division title since 2014.

The agreement covers a guaranteed 30 years, with two five-year extension options, according to the Baltimore Banner, and enables the Orioles to unlock the $600 million in state bonds for stadium improvements. Same as the NFL’s Ravens, who signed a 15-year extension with options on Jan. 4.

The last two spots in the Orioles rotation this weekend remain vacant in case they clinch the division title early and manager Brandon Hyde can tweak it. Perhaps hold back Kyle Bradish, whose next turn is Sunday. Maybe give Jack Flaherty a start. Go against where it normally would flow.

Hyde knows that a win tonight or Friday, when John Means is listed, comes with certain perks.

“There’s a lot of reasons why you want to, whether it’s to rest guys, schedule some bullpen innings, those types of things,” Hyde said this afternoon. “But we’re a game away from that, so I’m just really focused on trying to win. Try to win tonight, hopefully that goes well, if not, try to win tomorrow.”

Players have traveled different roads to reach tonight’s possible clincher, the fourth at home in club history. Only one is a former All-Star who returned this summer from elbow ligament-constructive surgery.

Means has his own story and emotions.