How will baseball's delay determine what Orioles do with roster?

The opening day roster is supposed to hold 26 players, but a delayed regular season might prompt Major League Baseball to expand it again.

There's a precedent, with teams permitted to carry 30 to begin the truncated 2020 season.

The Orioles aren't remotely close to setting their roster as the spring training delay is upon us. The sport remains in shutdown mode except for minor league transactions. They haven't moved away from the free agent market and certainly could renew trade talks with a new collective bargaining agreement.

The Rule 5 draft is delayed but not denied, and the Orioles typically use it to fill holes or provide depth in the minors if able to carry a player through the season. Holding it at spring training would be another dash of dysfunction. A pinch of preternatural.

The updates have been scarce with the Orioles limiting their 2022 transactions to international signings - an important endeavor for sure, but nothing that impacts the 2022 season. Camp battles have been outlined, knowing there will be more competitors arriving.

What's left to say?

If we're going to toy with the roster this morning and keep it at 26 for now, it would help to know how many pitchers and bench players break camp.

A shorter spring training could motivate teams to carry extra pitching through the early weeks, if not months, of the season. Whittling the number of reserves to three in order to keep nine relievers. That's an extra catcher, infielder and outfielder, with more value placed on a super-utility player who can move between the infield and outfield.

Otherwise, the Orioles could go with an even split of 13 pitchers and position players. Eight relievers and a four-man bench.

An increase to 28 or 30 players opens so many other possibilities, of course.

My suggested four-man bench in December for a national publication took into account a left side of the infield manned by Ramón Urías and Kelvin Gutiérrez. No one has been signed to really challenge them, but there's going to be a stampede to the free agent market after the lockout.

My four reserves were infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo, outfielders DJ Stewart and Ryan McKenna, and catcher Anthony Bemboom - with Jacob Nottingham behind the plate on opening day. They could flip-flop. Perhaps only one makes it. Perhaps none. The club isn't done with the catching market.

We aren't any closer to figuring out the rotation behind John Means and Jordan Lyles. We're still speculating that left-hander Bruce Zimmermann could reprise his role as No. 3 starter, with the pool of staff candidates also including Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer, Zac Lowther, Alexander Wells, Mike Baumann and Jorge López, if the latter isn't in the bullpen.

Don't be surprised if another veteran starter is signed.

We aren't any closer to knowing the total composition of the 'pen. How many relievers and which fringe arms have improved odds based on the numbers.

Tyler Wells, Cole Sulser, Dillon Tate, Paul Fry and Tanner Scott are closest to being locks, with López included if he isn't starting. Then it gets fringy.

Isaac Mattson, Bryan Baker, Joey Krehbiel, Cionel Pérez, Félix Bautista and Logan Gillaspie are on the 40-man roster. Marcos Diplán will be an invite. Baumann could be used in relief rather than starting or be inserted into Triple-A Norfolk's rotation. At least one of the other young starters could work in long relief. A Rule 5 selection is possible.

Perhaps the 2020 opening day roster can be used as a blueprint for 2022 if MLB expands it to 30 players. The Orioles broke summer camp with 16 pitchers, two catchers, seven infielders, and five outfielders.

Means, Tate and reliever Hunter Harvey went on the 10-day injured list. First baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini and infielder Richie Martin went on the 60-day IL.

The roster was reduced on 28 players on Aug. 6 and never got back down to 26.

Let's hope that it doesn't inflate to 30 this year or the reasoning is likely a drastically shortened spring training, a lengthy delay to opening day and a vast reduction in games.