Leftovers for breakfast

Andrew Kittredge is familiar with many of the Orioles from his seven seasons pitching for the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. He grew close to new starter Charlie Morton while they were teammates, and they’ll be reunited in Baltimore.

Kittredge signed his one-year contract that guarantees $10 million and includes an option for 2026 after Morton agreed to a one-year deal for $15 million. Ten days separated the transactions.

“Just a fierce competitor,” Kittredge said of Morton during yesterday’s video call with local media. “Charlie is all business when it comes to baseball. I have a really good memory of a Wild Card game that he pitched in in Oakland. I think it was 2019, and just that atmosphere there in Oakland was electric. It was one of the loudest places I had been at that time in my career and it was just fun to watch him compete and almost seemingly just kind of outcompete his opponent. But that's what he brings.

“He's intense but he’s focused and he's a great guy to have in the clubhouse. He's a little quieter, he's a little reserved, but when he speaks it kind of speaks volumes. So he's a great guy to have around for leadership, but also just someone who's been there and been doing it for a really long time.”

Kittredge was an All-Star in 2021 and finished with a 1.88 ERA and 0.977 WHIP in 57 games before his Tommy John surgery. The Mariners drafted him in the 45^th round in 2008 and couldn’t sign him, but they got him as an amateur free agent three years later. He was traded to the Rays in November 2016, became a free agent and signed with them in December 2020.

“Maybe it’s a secret sauce, I don’t know,” he said. “I think they do a really good job there of putting guys in good positions to succeed, and the message is really consistent. They want you to be yourself and do what you’re really good at. That doesn’t always mean you need to add pitches or do different things or change things.

“I think they just put you in a really good spot to succeed and I think at that point in my career, I had figured out a lot of ways that it didn’t work and some things did just kind of happen to start clicking. Hearing things (with) a different message, things that maybe I had heard before, but just hearing them a different way and maybe kind of resonating a little bit more with me.

“A lot of credit definitely goes to Tampa and the way that things there. I don’t think I’d be in the position I’m in now if it wasn’t for the years I spent there with Kyle Snyder and Rick Knapp and some of the brilliant pitching minds that they have down there. I feel like I know myself pretty well now from my experiences there and hoping just to move forward and continue to hopefully have some success.”

* Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year contract with the Blue Jays that guarantees $92.5 million and includes an opt-out clause with an escalated option provision that could bring the deal to six years and $110 million, posted a farewell message on his Instagram account.

“Thank you Baltimore.

“Camden Yards and the incredible energy of Orioles fans made playing here unforgettable. Birdland’s support has meant the world to me. From my first major league hit to my first All-Star season, every step of this journey has been a blessing.

“I’m grateful to the Orioles organization for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to grow here. To my teammates and the staff, thank you for standing united, for pushing me to be my best, and for building a brotherhood I cherish.

“Though my journey with the Orioles has come to an end, I thank God for the people I’ve met, the lessons I’ve learned, and the memories I’ll carry forever. Thank you for everything.”

Santander was introduced to the media yesterday and slipped on his Blue Jays jersey.

“Looks good on me already,” he said.

It looks weird when you're used to seeing him in orange and black.

Describing his time with the Orioles, Santander said, “Of course, a lot of emotions. I’m so thankful for Baltimore because it was the organization that gave me the opportunity to show up as a player. Just hitting my first base hit, my first play, my first homers, going to the playoffs, is something that is going to be in my head.”

* The Orioles announced a couple of hires yesterday. Mark Fine is joining the organization as chief marketing officer, and Kamal Jones as chief legal officer and general counsel.

Fine, a Baltimore native who was an Orioles public relations intern during the 1999 and 2000 seasons, will lead the marketing, communications and creative content departments. Jones, born in Silver Spring, will lead all in-house legal and compliance operations for the club.

“We are thrilled to have Mark and Kamaal join our organization as we continue to expand and elevate our front office,” president of business operations Catie Griggs said in a statement. “Both Mark and Kamaal are proven leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will provide our organization with tremendous guidance, innovative ideas, and a passion for the opportunities ahead.”

Fine most recently has served as the chief marketing officer for Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the largest bull riding organization in the world, since August 2023. Jones was senior vice president and associate general counsel for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics, and operator of Capital One Arena in D.C.

"I am deeply honored to be joining the Orioles, a team that has always held a special place in my heart as a Baltimore native,” Fine said in a statement. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with one of the most passionate fan bases in sports, build on the Orioles' rich legacy, and create innovative, fan-first experiences that bring our community closer to the game we all love."

“As a lifelong Marylander, I have vivid childhood memories of Orioles games at Memorial Stadium and the iconic Camden Yards. I couldn’t be more thrilled to now join such a legendary organization,” Jones said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for the team and its passionate fans, with terrific play on the field and a potentially transformative vision for Camden Yards and its Baltimore home.”

* Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown after receiving at least 75 percent of the votes. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being unanimous. Wagner made it in his 10^th and final year.

The class of 2025 will be inducted on July 27.

Voters can choose a maximum of 10 players, which I try to avoid unless there actually are 10 obvious choices. I also keep in mind that there are no perfect ballots, though fans like to argue that point.

I selected only four: Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner and Andruw Jones, who received 66.2 percent of the votes in his eighth year. The last two already should have been inducted. Suzuki and Sabathia are first-timers on the ballot.

I need to keep considering Chase Utley, as well as Francisco Rodríguez, since I’ve cast votes for Wagner in multiple years.

Nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltrán’s candidacy is complicated by the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal that cost him the job as Mets manager before the start of spring training. He slugged 435 home runs and collected 2,725 hits in 20 seasons. He also won three Gold Gloves. Should what happened in his final year erase everything?

I also will consider him after he received 70.3 percent.

Manny Ramírez would have been suspended twice for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs if he hadn’t retired after the second one. He won’t make my ballot.  

Former Orioles center fielder Adam Jones drops off the ballot after getting three votes. A player must appear on five percent to stay on it.  

Nick Markakis is eligible in 2026 and Zack Britton and Darren O’Day in 2028.