Matusz has blood pressure under control as he readies for start

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz is making his first spring start on Saturday against the Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. He may have flashbacks to his rotation days.

Matusz has allowed one run and three hits in 3 1/3 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts, over two relief appearances.

Why is he starting?

Manager Buck Showalter said he wanted to stretch out Matusz this spring so the lefty could work on his changeup. Fans keep asking me whether he's being showcased for a possible trade, with some teams viewing him as a potential rotation piece.

I can only confirm the part about the changeup.

I also know that Matusz is feeling much better this spring since he started taking medication to regulate his blood pressure. That's an entirely different change, and the benefits are far-reaching.

"It was probably for the last four or five years, every time I get a blood pressure check it always seems to be a little high and it's always been something that doctors said to monitor," Matusz said. "Never actually took any action for it. It wasn't until this spring that I came in and blood pressure was way high, like high enough to where it caused a red flag."

Matusz said his pressure read 160/100. The red color of the flag seemed appropriate.

"Talking with the doctors here, we decided to go on some medication for it," Matusz said. "Since then, I've never felt better. Just calm. I feel relaxed.

"Last year, there were points where I was sleeping 12-13 hours a night and I was waking up still tired. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Since being on the medication, I'm sleeping eight hours consistently every night and I've never felt better. Just coming to the field every day with energy. I feel great."

Matusz's last reading from team physician Dr. William Goldiner was 125/75, "which is where a normal 28-year-old, 200 lb. person should be," he said.

"To be honest, in the first two games pitching so far and two side sessions and practice and just day-to-day life, I've never felt so good in years. It's a good feeling.

"The blood pressure thing, who knows what caused it? It's something that runs both in my dad's family and my mom's family, so it's a genetic thing, and fortunately we've been able to be proactive about it and get on medication, and I've never felt better about it and I'm excited to see how that affects playing on the field."

Matusz's mother takes blood pressure medication and all four of his grandparents had issues. His father's pressure is borderline high. No need for further proof that it's a hereditary condition.

Last spring, Matusz had a severe allergic reaction to a Chinese meal cooked in peanut oil, gave himself a shot of epinephrine, then drove to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. He experienced a second allergic reaction later that night - the peanuts were still in his system - and an asthma attack.

Matusz left camp in 2011 to have a wart removed from the middle finger on his pitching hand, and again in 2014 to have one removed from his index finger.

Spring training has brought its share of health-related adventures for Matusz, ranging from mildly annoying to downright scary, but his physical this year was a blessing.

Notes: For those of you who aren't following along, Ubaldo Jimenez became the first Orioles pitcher to go four innings this spring. He allowed three runs and five hits, with no walks, one strikeout, a wild pitch and two hit batters against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

All three runs scored in the second inning.

The Orioles announced that their game against Puerto Rico Development Program at 2 p.m. Saturday on the Camden Yards replica field will be open to the public.

The B game against the Pirates at 10 a.m. Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium will be closed to the public, but open to media and scouts.