Zimmermann gets first spring chance to reset after 2022 season

SARASOTA, Fla. – Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann broke camp last spring as the Orioles’ fourth starter, lining up the Baltimore native to pitch in the home opener. Couldn’t have worked out better for him.

Zimmermann tossed four scoreless innings against the Brewers and five more against the Yankees. A quality start followed with two earned runs allowed in Anaheim.

Couldn’t have worked out much better for the Orioles.

The ERA and home run total began to climb, and the Orioles optioned Zimmermann to Triple-A Norfolk on June 16 after he allowed six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings in Toronto.

Zimmermann worked one relief inning on July 9 and started Game 2 of a Sept. 5 doubleheader, when the Jays inflicted more damage with five runs – including three homers to give him 21 for the season – over six innings.

That was it for Zimmermann with the Orioles. They didn’t use him again until this afternoon’s exhibition game against the Rays in Sarasota.

What must be done to reverse the slide?

“I think he lost a little bit of confidence,” manager Brandon Hyde said this morning. “He had a really good start for us last year, did a great job. He gave up a bunch of homers kind of late there in his last handful of starts. I think the stuff was still good. He got knocked around a little bit and got his confidence shaken a little bit, so we wanted to send him out at that point, try to get him back on track.

“We’ve talked with him so far this spring. It’s a fresh start for him, there’s jobs to be won on our pitching staff. Hopefully, he can go out and show the kind of pitcher that we think he is, which is, made a bunch of really good starts for us that first half.”

The Orioles might have recalled Zimmermann more often, or held onto him, if there was a need.

“Our rotation stayed pretty healthy and we were making some pretty good starts,” Hyde said. “I thought our rotation did a good job last year. We wanted him to go down and work on things in Triple-A, but our rotation pretty much stayed intact after that.”

A long relief spot could open for Zimmermann, with the Orioles wanting to head north with at least two left-handers. Cionel Pérez has one spot secured.

“Hopefully, we have a good competition there,” Hyde said. “Pérez is going to be in there. Let’s hope we stays healthy throughout camp and breaks healthy. But there’s opportunity after that.

“(Keegan) Akin had a great first half last year. That was overlooked a little bit, what he did for us the first half. We know what he can do, as well. So yeah, I think it’s a good competition in camp.”

Hyde said the second lefty doesn’t have to provide length. That role can be filled by right-handers.

“I definitely need some guys that can go multiple innings in our bullpen, especially early in the year when our starters might not be all the way built up,” he said. “I think long guys are important. It’s not important that it’s a left-hander, but somebody that can give us some length out of the bullpen is important.”

Ramón Urías is starting at third base today, with Adam Frazier at second. Urías also will play second in camp, but might be confined to those two positions.

“He’s going to play primarily third and second this spring,” Hyde said.

“I’ll make sure he’s comfortable at both spots before we leave.”

Urías has made 44 career starts and 61 appearances at shortstop in the majors. Hyde indicated that Jorge Mateo will be used exclusively at short, at least in the earlier portion of camp, rather than moving around the infield. Gunnar Henderson will get the starts there when he isn’t at third base.

“I think (Urías) can definitely play shortstop,” Hyde said. “Last year, he played short a lot in spring because we weren’t sure who our shortstop was and we wanted to make sure we saw everybody. But this year with Mateo and Gunnar, I’m not in a hurry to put Ramón over there right now.”