Circling back to yesterday's happenings with the Orioles

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn’t wait to field the first question in yesterday’s pregame media session in the visiting dugout at Tropicana Field. He beat reporters to the punch, sharing Kyle Bradish’s status and the rest of his starters for the Rays series in one quick quote.

Bradish threw a bullpen session earlier in the day, which seemed to eliminate him from consideration for this afternoon. But that was incorrect.

It was light work, he felt good and he’s pitching later today.

Everyone exhale in unison.

Get rid of the injury theories and paranoia. The Orioles just wanted to give Bradish extra rest after last Saturday’s outing. They’re protecting the elbow and also trying to provide breathers for everyone in the rotation.

You can aim the blame at the people responsible for forcing the Orioles to play 43 games in 45 days, with only one break in June.

(While we’re whining, why is Monday’s game starting at 6:50 p.m. before the Orioles fly home and host the Braves the following night? Getaways should be played in the day. It isn’t complicated. And attendance isn’t a factor at Tropicana Field.)

Greed leads us to wonder about the Braves series and whether Albert Suárez and rookie Cade Povich start the first two games.

Povich remains on the roster, so of course he’s lined up to start in Baltimore after Thursday’s major league debut. But does he get the ball for the opener while Suárez shifts to the bullpen for long-relief duty? It’s the difference between a five-man and six-man rotation, with Grayson Rodriguez and Corbin Burnes handling the last half of the Rays series.

The Orioles selected Povich’s contract Thursday and he was charged with six runs and five hits with four walks in 5 1/3 innings. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. struck the big blow with a three-run homer in the third to break a scoreless tie.

The Rays series allows Povich to relax and reflect. He was nervous for his debut, telling the media about the difficulty in sleeping and eating breakfast.

“I think just watching major league baseball from the dugout or from the bullpen for a little while is always helpful, to see the rhythm of the game, see how the game is played at this level,” Hyde said. “To have that first one out of the way and just kind of be able to relax and watch for a little while, I think that’s going to benefit him.

“I was really impressed with him. I thought the poise, how he prepared, too, the poise how he conducted himself on the mound. He walked a couple, gave up a three-run homer to Vlad, but then really settled in nicely. Kind of got unlucky after that. Pitched into the sixth inning. I thought he did a fantastic job.”

* Beyond the rotation clarity, what really stood out yesterday was seeing Félix Bautista walk into the clubhouse, still such an imposing figure, and firing the ball during rounds of catch in the outfield.

Bautista won't pitch until 2025 but he did more than just lob throws. He has the confidence in his repaired elbow to bring some heat.

Also of interest was Tyler Wells visiting teammates and showing no signs of an elbow surgery.

It wasn't a huge surprise because the team would have provided an update, as it did with John Means' second Tommy John surgery on Monday. But why the delay?

Maybe we can learn more later today.

* Ramón Urías is quietly hot.

Urías was in the lineup again last night and had an RBI double to extend his hitting streak to seven games. He's 8-for-16 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs.

The average has climbed to .247 with a .717 OPS.

* Ryan Mountcastle's home run last night was his first opposite-field shot since Aug. 25, 2023 against the Rockies.

The ball traveled 333 feet, the second-shortest at Tropicana Field this season. Curtis Mead hit a 327-foot homer on April 24.

It was the shortest homer of Mountcastle's career.

Mountcastle is 6-for-15 with a double, three home runs and six RBIs in four games against the Rays this season.

* Bradish has registered a .138 opponent average and allowed only two runs through three road starts this season. Because there’s a stat for everything, he joins Jim Palmer in 1977 and Eddie Watt in 1966 as the only Orioles pitchers with a sub-.150 opponent average and two runs or fewer surrendered through three road starts to begin a season.

Watt is remembered for his crew cut and being a reliever – he allowed a three-run homer to the Reds’ Lee May in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the 1970 World Series to prevent a sweep – but all 13 of his major league starts were made in ’66. He finished with 80 saves in 10 seasons, the first 74 with the Orioles.