Hyde working on Orioles bullpen usage in early season

TORONTO – Orioles manager Brandon Hyde isn’t asking for the world. He isn’t being unreasonable and pushing his ‘pen to perform beyond its limits.

Sitting in the visiting dugout yesterday, Hyde said, “I’m looking for guys to come in and throw strikes.”

That’s pretty much the extent of it just three games into the season.

“We need a little better strike throwing ability.”

Hyde will start there and figure out the rest.

Hyde won his 408^th game yesterday to move into fourth place in team history behind Earl Weaver, Buck Showalter and Paul Richards. Like some previous managers, he’s in the process of figuring out how to use his relievers, and what he does in late March and in April might not be replicated later.

Showalter had Zack Britton closing, Darren O’Day, Andrew Miller, Brad Brach and Tommy Hunter setting up, and Brian Matusz matching up. Hyde isn’t working within that kind of structure.

In a surprising twist, Hyde didn’t waste any time going back-to-back yesterday after bringing in Gregory Soto again. The left-hander hit a batter Friday night and got called third strikes on the next three.

“Soto’s got massive stuff and you saw it,” Hyde said. “He went through the heart of the order and punched out three in a row. He’s got that kind of ability and that kind of stuff. He got off to a slow start for us last year but picked it up toward the end, and hopefully he’s big for us this year.”

He’s gonna be big wherever he goes. The guy is an imposing figure.

Soto warmed on Opening Day but didn’t pitch after the Orioles expanded their lead. Seranthony Domínguez was warming yesterday but sat down. Soto began to throw in the seventh, entered in the eighth and was replaced by Domínguez after a walk, strikeout and walk.

Domínguez, who had a miserable spring, allowed a hit and walked two batters on Opening Day but he didn’t surrender a run. He retired both batters yesterday, striking out Ernie Clement to douse the rally.

Hyde's job becomes so much easier if Domínguez does more of that and less of the other. He can't help if Hyde is unable to depend on him in close situtations.

Keegan Akin also has pitched twice in three games. Bryan Baker got the last three outs in the opener and could be a closing option this afternoon if the Orioles carry a slim lead into the ninth. Cionel Pérez allowed two runs and two hits and walked two batters in Friday’s lopsided defeat, but a left-handed heavy part of the Blue Jays order could make him the closer. Or Hyde could go back-to-back with Yennier Cano, who tossed a scoreless inning yesterday and struck out former teammate Anthony Santander.

“From the start of the season, I wanted to strike him out, and that’s what I had in my mind in the bullpen,” Cano said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I went out and did exactly that. That was great.”

Cano was making his first appearance in 2025. Seeing him warm up in the seventh had some of us in the press box wondering who’d get the eighth and whether Félix Bautista was pitching the ninth. Our assumptions had Cano somewhere in the last two innings, but outs also are needed in the seventh.

“Good, relaxed, trying to go out there and throw strikes, get the job done, but no anxiety or anything like that,” Cano said. “Felt like the first day of school. I thought it went well.”

What we know for sure, and no one can cross us up, is that Hyde won’t use Bautista today.

Hyde is in a tricky spot because he can’t predict save situations. Bautista pitched with a four-run lead yesterday, which is how Hyde wanted to ease him back into a major league game, but it also removed him from consideration today.

Rarely does a three-out appearance in a non-save situation get as much attention as Bautista’s, but he’s obviously a special case.

Did it feel like 2023?

"Yes,” he said via Quinones. “I’m getting my rhythm.”

The Mountain’s got rhythm. He really is special.

Albert Suárez probably is down again today after throwing 39 pitches in 2 2/3 innings Friday and with his average fastball velocity diminished about two mph compared to last season. Tomoyuki Sugano makes his major league debut, a rookie at age 35 and with 12 years of experience in Japan. An early exit would have Hyde scrambling for coverage.

“I would assume anybody making their first start would be excited and have some butterflies,” Hyde said. “I haven’t talked to him about it, but we’re all looking forward to watching him pitch.”

Hyde and his staff chose to withhold Sugano until the fourth game of the season, putting him in between Dean Kremer and Cade Povich.

“When you’re slotting guys, too, you’re looking at opponents and days off and things like that for the first three weeks to a month,” Hyde said. “We felt like the No. 4 spot for Tomo was good to start the year with. He gets three games to take a look at what it’s like, and I know he’s excited about (today).”