More from Elias and details on 4-3 win

The minor league seasons are starting late, which is a heck of a lot better than nothing at all.

That's the attitude carried by the Orioles, who are busy finalizing plans for their alternate camp site in Bowie and the minor league spring training in Sarasota that commences after they break.

Exhibition games are played and rightfully get most of the attention, including today's 4-3-win over the Blue Jays at Ed Smith Stadium, but there's much more activity churning behind the scenes.

"We've got to start getting back to normal in terms of just the development and the instruction that was missed last year," executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said today on his Zoom call.

"Yes, we were able to replicate a good bit of that at our alternate site and our instructional league, but only for some of our players and only in some ways. And for some guys it may have been in their particular situation more beneficial that they had that concentrated swing work or swing decision work or whatever away from the pressures of competition and the travel and all the things, but overall for the whole population of players it's a big negative impact for us not to have minor league baseball across the levels, because I think that certain players need different types of failure, they need game experience, they need to face unpredictable different competition on different nights, they need to get used to the professional game. Whatever it may be.

"We've all just kind of been accustomed to what minor league baseball provides ... and also showing us who are the big leaguers and who aren't. There's a filtration component to it, as well, and an evaluative component, and we're missing that data. We're missing it on our own guys, but we're also missing it on other teams' prospects, trade targets or future signees or what have you. But I know the whole industry's starved for that. And minor league baseball is part of the business of baseball from a fan and entertainment standpoint and all that's been missing.

"Us in particular, we've got a great setup across Maryland. We want to use it again. So we'll just be happy that it's getting off the ground. 2021's not going to be the same as 2019, but it's going to be better than 2020."

Adopt it as the rallying cry.

Covering innings at the major league level and managing the workloads of younger pitchers is going to test Brandon Hyde and his staff. But they have lots of company throughout baseball. This isn't a situation unique to them.

"It's just so unprecedented. There's no playbook for this," Elias said.

"I think that you're going to see different teams handle it differently, different pitchers handle it differently, that if you've got a veteran team, a lot of guys toward the end of contracts, free agent contracts, big contracts, you can handle this differently than if you've got a younger team. It just depends.

"None of us, while we continue to talk about this from all angles, has the exact formula mapped out for what's best for each and every one of these guys in 2021 and it's going to be dependent on the personnel that we break away with, it's going to be dependent on how guys are throwing when they get up there, how guys are throwing at the alternate site. There's so many case-by-case variables. All I can say is we're going to do the best that we possibly can to navigate it with players' health and development first and foremost, and also the organizational goals and needs of the Orioles, but as a secondary factor."

Tyler Nevin had an RBI single in the sixth inning, his second hit of the day, to tie the score and Adley Rutschman came home on Tyler White's throwing error. Eric Hanhold stranded two runners in the seventh to preserve the lead.

Left-hander Keegan Akin walked the bases loaded in the top of the first and came out after Joe Panik's two-run single. Akin returned for the second inning, the Orioles stealing their own move, and allowed two hits and struck out three batters.

Akin has allowed three runs and four hits with five walks and six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

"I think it was more of a mindset in the first inning," Akin said. "I was kind of trying to aim the ball, I guess, rather than pitch the ball and throw it and trust it. So, I guess, more of a mental thing than anything. But you know, just to kind of forget that and go back out there and get out of the second inning, that was, I guess, my one positive for the day."

"For me, it's just his command isn't there right now," Hyde said. "It's his second appearance and I'd like to see him pick it up from that standpoint. But it is only his second appearance and he's got some more to go. For me, his command just isn't quite the same as it was at the end of the year last year with his fastball, as well as his off-speed, and that's something he needs to have going into the season.

"I thought it looked better the second inning than the first. I thought he attacked the zone a little bit better and he did punch out four out of five outs that he got, so it's not about stuff, it's about location and about working ahead of hitters."

Forrest Wall hit a two-out solo home run off Cole Sulser in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie. Sulser, who struck out two batters, hadn't allowed a run or hit in his first two appearances.

Rule 5 pick Mac Sceroler tossed a scoreless third inning after allowing five runs and three hits with two walks over two-thirds of an inning in Dunedin. Tyler Wells, also Rule 5, had a scoreless fourth with a hit, walk and two strikeouts, and attached a scoreless fifth despite two singles.

"I thought Sceroler did a nice job after the first hitter he faced," Hyde said. "It looked like he was a little tight maybe early and then kind of relaxed and settled down into his inning, escaped some trouble there his inning. And Tyler Wells showed really good stuff today, really good fastball. Top-of-the-zone fastball with a ton of life. He was getting his fastball by guys."

Freddy Galvis had an RBI single in the third inning, the second of his three hits, after Anthony Santander drew his sixth walk of the spring and Trey Mancini singled. The tying run scored on Chance Sisco's fielder's choice grounder.

Mancini was playing in back-to-back games for the first time this spring.

"He feels great, looks strong, looks the same," Hyde said earlier today. "His timing is coming back and he's taking really good at-bats on the back fields, taking a really good batting practice. Now it's just about getting reps. Getting reps defensively, getting in game shape and so we'll crank up the games even more the last couple of weeks."

Ramón Urías started at third base today, with Rio Ruiz sidelined due to illness, and went 0-for-3, including a popup in the sixth after Rutschman's walk. Rylan Bannon remains in camp and an option at third base.

"I want to get Rylan as many at-bats as I can," Hyde said. "Rylan's a guy who's put up some minor league numbers. He missed last year because of the minor league season being canceled and so I just wanted to give him some looks at third, at second, just because he's hit throughout his career.

"I think we're going to continue to evaluate Rylan as we go along in camp and give him as many at-bats as possible. He's a strong kid that's got a chance to hit and has done that in his minor league career. See if it translates into the big leagues."

Matt Harvey and Thomas Eshelman threw in simulated games this morning. Harvey worked three innings.

"Threw the ball well," Hyde said. "Life to his fastball, good shape to his breaking ball. I think he was really happy with it. Threw some good changeups. He's got a two-seamer now, too, that's got some nice sink to it. He threw to a handful of our hitters, got three innings in and he should be on the mound in game action his next turn."