Hyde on simulated games, Trumbo, Pop and more (O's up 3-1)

SARASOTA, Fla. - Three of the Orioles' veteran starting pitchers were busy this morning.

Dylan Bundy and Andrew Cashner threw simulated games on a back field at the Ed Smith Stadium complex as the Orioles readied for batting practice, providing a glimpse at manager Brandon Hyde's plans in spring training with a schedule heavy in division opponents.

It also is a way to ease them back into competition.

Alex Cobb threw a bullpen session and Hyde said the right-hander also will pitch in a sim game before facing hitters in the Grapefruit League.

"I think it's just a low-stress, low-strain sim game to keep them sharp and build," Hyde said. "They'll be pitching in games here probably the next time through or soon."

The Orioles have listed their starters only through Tuesday afternoon in Port Charlotte.

Hyde is preaching competitiveness instead of rebuild and he knows a healthy and productive rotation can more easily get them there.

"Yeah, 100 percent," he said. "I like our guys. I'm not putting any type of, this is our goal. Our goal is really a process-based, day to day, we're going to throw out the best lineup on a nightly basis, we're going to try to win every single night. And I think the results will take care of themselves if we just focus on the process part of it."

Hyde seems pleased by Mark Trumbo's progress following right knee surgery in September, but he isn't prepared to offer an exact date for the veteran's spring debut. Trumbo told me recently that it could be a few more weeks.

"Mark Trumbo is progressing really nicely," Hyde said. "We're going to obviously be really patient with him. Coming back from a serious knee issue. He's been around a while and I think we're going to really be relying on him with communicating with us how he feels every single day.

"A really good training staff, feels really confident that he's progressing well and we met with him this morning and I think he's really happy where he's at. I can't give any kind of timetable on when he's going to be ready. It's going to kind of be how he feels these next few weeks, month, when he's ready to go."

Trumbo is seeking 25-30 at-bats that can be accumulated in exhibition games, B games and at the minor league complex.

"It's more about him, honestly. How many at-bats does he need," Hyde said. "And like I've said a lot, health is our No. 1 priority. I don't want to throw him out there unless he feels 100 percent and he's fully confident that his knee feels good. I'm not in any rush to put him out there."

Hyde noticed the pronounced drop in reliever Zach Pop's velocity yesterday, the prospect's fastball climbing only into the upper 80s. The club will act accordingly by adjusting his work schedule.

"I think we're going to be careful with him," Hyde said. "His velo was down a little bit yesterday and we recognized that right away and I think we're going to slow-play him a little bit, make sure he's feeling 100 percent next time he comes out.

"If anything is going to happen, you want it to happen now for sure. I think that Zach was just a young kid that was probably just trying to do maybe a little too much early on, maybe had a little bit of fatigue, so we're just going to back off him. But you want anything to happen now instead of the middle of the season for sure."

The Orioles will continue to monitor the situation to make certain that the issue isn't related to Pop's shoulder.

Pop, coming over in the Manny Machado trade with the Dodgers, made 14 appearances with the Orioles and registered a 2.53 ERA and 0.938 WHIP in 21 1/3 innings at Double-A Bowie. He had a combined 1.53 ERA and 0.897 WHIP in 64 2/3 innings spread over three levels of the minors.

Nate Karns starts Monday's game against the Twins in Fort Myers after missing the entire 2018 season. Hunter Harvey will pitch in relief after being shut down in June.

"Nate, I just want him to pitch and be healthy after his outing, I want him to feel good about it. And the same goes for Harvey, to be honest with you," Hyde said.

"I'm really looking forward to watching both of those guys pitch. It's going to be fun to watch. They've both been really impressive in their live BPs and they've shown really good stuff, so I think to go face hitters in a stadium against another team, we're all looking forward to that."

Mike Wright receives the start on Tuesday against the Rays after throwing two scoreless relief innings yesterday, getting out of the third unscathed despite surrendering three hits.

"I thought he was aggressive," Hyde said. "That's something we talked to him a lot about is being aggressive in the strike zone and trusting his stuff. I thought he did that yesterday. I was impressed. Quick (fourth) inning, attacked hitters, so a really good first outing for him."

Hyde continues to preach aggressiveness on the basepaths, praising Cedric Mullins for yesterday's showing that included a stolen base and advancement on a throwing error. He also confirmed that the speed guys have the green light.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "I want to see them run. As we get into the season we learn from maybe that wasn't the right count to go or what were you thinking about this situation? And we talk about it and we tighten things up and we start making little bit better decisions. But I want them to make aggressive mistakes right now."

Hyde and his staff haven't discussed whether to bring over players from minor league camp in order to evaluate them in Grapefruit League games. There's usually a few pitchers summoned to prevent a shortage. But Hyde has no immediate plans to add prospects from Twin Lakes Park.

"We're focusing on the 60 guys we've got here right now," Hyde said. "My focus is soley on their development. What's the best thing for their development? If that's come up here and pitch two innings in a major league spring training game, then we'll consider it, but right now they're still developing and that's a collaborative effort what we're doing with those guys."

Update: Rio Ruiz hit a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. He copied Chance Sisco, who did the same yesterday.

Update II: Dalton Pompey led off the top of the second with a home run off David Hess to reduce the lead to 3-1.