Critiquing camp again as O's creep closer to opening day (updated)

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles get their first and only off-day of spring training, closing the Ed Smith Stadium complex and encouraging a mental and physical break from the grind.

Cuts may not happen today, but more are coming now that the Orioles moved past Saturday's split-squad games. They can afford to continue thinning out the camp roster.

Five catchers remain and fewer are needed as pitchers are optioned and reassigned. However, Austin Wynns is shut down, leaving only four who are available.

For that exact reason, I didn't expect Martin Cervenka to be reassigned yesterday. I thought he might stick around a little while longer.

Cervenka is a big part of the improved catching depth in the system. Don't judge him on the three errors in one inning Saturday in Port Charlotte.

Jesús Sucre is late to the party, but he's got a legitimate chance to win a spot. His work behind the plate is impressive. And in front of the dugout, judging by the underhand grab he made yesterday at the railing on a foul ball.

"He can really catch and throw, and he's got a great presence behind the plate," said manager Brandon Hyde. "He's going to shut down a running game. He's going to really work well with pitchers."

Sucre caught Josh Rogers yesterday in the left-hander's first spring start.

"He's awesome, man," Rogers said. "He's really, really good behind the plate. Gave me a lot of confidence having a guy like that calling the game. Just a lot of trust in that."

Wynn's injury is one of the bigger disappointments because of its quirky nature - straining the oblique while taking batting practice - and its impact on his chances of making the club. Sucre has arrived at the right time. Wynns has been sidelined at the wrong one, though he's feeling better.

Meanwhile, infielders and outfielders who earned the chance to make the club will be cut, which is both unfortunate and encouraging.

I've covered teams with players heading north by default. The last men standing. But there are plenty of worthy candidates here who are leaving Hyde with some hard decisions.

"I've just been really impressed," Hyde said. "I think a lot of those guys have big futures ahead of them. Whether they break with the team or not or go to Triple-A, I think they're going to be productive major league players. They're working the right way. I know that. And this environment is allowing them to really be free and to showcase and I think they've all taken advantage of it."

Trey Mancini is a lock for left field, of course, and let's put Cedric Mullins in center for now because that's been the assumption all winter. Right or wrong. He isn't hitting, but he has other ways to impact a game, as he demonstrated Friday afternoon with his stolen base, sacrifice bunt and leaping catch at the fence.

Joey Rickard has done nothing to hurt his chances, collecting two more hits yesterday and raising his average to .357. Eric Young Jr. has done nothing got hurt his chances, providing exactly what the Orioles wanted when they signed him to a minor league deal.

Austin Hays is healthy, running better than ever and back to looking like a star. Anthony Santander and Yusniel Diaz, given no shot back in January, have been sensational.

We're not supposed to fall in love with spring numbers, but the cartoon bird on their caps should be replaced with the heart eyes emoji.

It's also more than their statistics. Check how they're handling their outfield assignments. The distributing of the ball to all fields. How it jumps off the bat.

Diaz was reassigned yesterday, as expected, but that sound you hear later could be the organization's top prospect kicking down the door. Or at least knocking on it, depending on his level of aggression.

DJ Stewart had a decent chance of grabbing at least half of the right field job, but he was 6-for-26 before his RBI single yesterday in the first inning and leadoff double in the sixth, and the Orioles optioned him yesterday.

The two Rule 5 infielders, Richie Martin and Drew Jackson, stepped up their games and made it acceptable to carry both on the opening day roster. It should be encouraged. It's going to happen.

"Obviously, that's the goal," Jackson said, "but I told myself just come in and do work every single day and leave it all out there, so no matter what happens I look back knowing I did my best. That's all I can do."

Martin has to start at shortstop, with Jonathan Villar staying at second base. Jackson has to be at least one of the utility players. Whether they can handle a full season in the majors will be revealed later, but they've earned the chance.

Alcides Escobar would be a solid choice as a second utility-type player, a nice veteran complement to the kids. But check what Jace Peterson is doing.

I'm placing Rio Ruiz in the "underrated" category in spring training. Not much buzz about this guy, but he's 8-for-26 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs.

Ruiz has two minor league options remaining, Renato Núñez has none. Núñez also has four errors and his throwing remains a concern.

Other positive developments in camp include the decision to try Ryan Mountcastle at first base. Should have been done earlier, and not as a concession that third base won't work out. It just makes sense to try it.

I don't know what the Orioles are doing with Jimmy Yacabonis. He isn't stretched out enough to start - he covered 2 2/3 innings Saturday night - but he could work out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever. Unless they prefer having him start at Triple-A to remain an option for their rotation later in the summer. He does have experience as a 26th man.

He could write a book about it. Teach classes at the local community college.

The Orioles don't have immediate plans to give Yacabonis a start down here.

"We're going to continue to stretch him out innings-wise and have multiple inning type of opportunities," Hyde said.

As I've written and blabbered, the Orioles can decide that a specific pitcher should be starting in the majors or minors without consideration for a bullpen role. Other pitchers can be deemed as candidates for long relief if unable to crack the rotation.

"That factors into all of those decisions is how do they fit on our club, what's best for the player, do we want him to start the year in Triple-A to make more starts," Hyde said. "Maybe to repeat the level. There's all kinds of things that factor into that for sure."

Left-hander Tanner Scott is having a weird spring training. A really bad debut outing, three straight scoreless appearances and another dud Saturday in Port Charlotte.

In the two games he'd like to toss back, Scott has allowed seven runs and six hits in one inning and he's saddled with a 15.75 ERA.

Dylan Bundy has walked only one batter in 6 2/3 innings, so he's got that going for him. But he's surrendered 10 runs and 15 hits in 6 2/3 innings in his three starts.

Bundy allowed six runs and six hits in 1 2/3 innings Saturday against the Rays, a game the Orioles won 17-15 on a late field goal.

"I think he was battling himself a little bit," Hyde said. "He got hit with some soft contact in the first and his pitch count got really high, so he was on the verge of me taking him out in the first inning, and then we hit for 35 minutes in the top of the second. So it was like, out there for 30 pitches, kind of scuffling a little bit, sit for 35 and then go back out. It wasn't an ideal situation for him. That's why we had him finish up in the 'pen, let him get a breather and finish up in the 'pen.

"I just think he wasn't real crisp yesterday. I don't think he had his best heater and he was kind of fighting himself with his off-speed. So just didn't work out real well for him in a lot of ways."

Miguel Castro averaged 5.2 walks per nine innings last season. He hasn't walked a batter or allowed a run this spring in five innings.

Mike Wright has extended his scoreless innings streak to 10 heading into Tuesday night's start against the Yankees in Tampa. Rotation or bullpen, he's got a spot on the team.

Don't press him for specifics on his turnaround. The data he's receiving from the analytics side is making a huge difference in production and confidence, but it's not to be shared.

The final push for roster spots begins Tuesday night in Tampa. No more days off for the club. And Hyde will change up the routines of some players.

"These next two weeks guys will start getting more at-bats, you'll start seeing some pitchers go back to back. I think you'll see position players going back to back, which they haven't done a whole lot. The guys are just going to be on the field more," Hyde said.

"We're really going to zero in on the guys that we're probably going to take to Baltimore or have a chance to go to Baltimore and they're going to play a lot. This is the time you really gear up for the season."

Note: The White Sox claimed left-hander Josh Osich off waivers from the Orioles, who designated him for assignment to make room for outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. on the 40-man roster.

The Orioles claimed Osich off waivers from the Giants on Feb. 19 and he tossed two scoreless innings with two hits allowed.