More Orioles roster reductions today, Wells with unique work last night

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles played two games yesterday and made zero cuts.

You can split squads but you can’t always slice a camp roster.

Moves are coming today that will reduce it from 35. Opt-out decisions are pending on infielder Kolten Wong and pitchers Julio Teheran and Andrew Suárez.

Wong played yesterday in Port Charlotte and hit a leadoff home run, his first of the spring. He’s 6-for-30 in 12 games, able to outlast Jackson Holliday but uncertain whether a left-handed hitting second baseman remains a priority for the Orioles.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias had expressed his preference for one over the winter, someone to replace veteran Adam Frazier, but all the talk about opposing left-handed pitchers early in the season makes it harder to get a true read on the situation.

Maybe it doesn’t matter as much anymore.

Wong’s already said that he isn’t staying in the organization if he’s omitted from the Opening Day roster.

“Got 10 years in this already,” he said, “I don’t plan on going down to the minor leagues after this.”

Teheran also will bolt, and he’d be leaving on a high note after tossing four scoreless innings yesterday against the Rays and surrendering just one hit. The veteran right-hander has a 3.38 ERA in five appearances, allowing five runs and nine hits with seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. Opponents hit .184 against him.

The rotation door is locked, but the Orioles could put him in a long relief role. The other seven spots appear in the possession of Craig Kimbrel, Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, Cionel Pérez, Mike Baumann, Dillon Tate and Keegan Akin.

Suárez disappeared Friday while Wong and Teheran remained at the complex, leading some reporters to wonder whether he actually was the one cut instead of Albert Suárez. Nope, he’s just in “a little bit of limbo,” as manager Brandon Hyde described it.

The first four outings for Suárez thrust him into the bullpen picture with six scoreless innings and two hits allowed. He gave up four runs and five hits in his next two appearances covering three innings before rebounding Thursday in Fort Myers with 1 1/3 scoreless and hitless.

Assuming Akin is in, Suárez doesn’t seem like a fit as a fourth lefty. We’re about to find out.

Let’s take another look at the remaining roster:

Pitchers

Keegan Akin
Bryan Baker
Mike Baumann
Corbin Burnes
Yennier Cano
Danny Coulombe
Jonathan Heasley
Cole Irvin
Craig Kimbrel
Dean Kremer
Cionel Pérez
Grayson Rodriguez
Andrew Suárez
Dillon Tate
Julio Teheran
Jacob Webb
Tyler Wells

Catchers

Maverick Handley
James McCann
Michael Pérez
Adley Rutschman

Infielders

Gunnar Henderson
Jorge Mateo
Nick Maton
Ryan Mountcastle
Tyler Nevin
Ryan O’Hearn
Ramón Urías
Jordan Westburg
Kolten Wong

Outfielders

Colton Cowser
Austin Hays
Ryan McKenna
Cedric Mullins
Anthony Santander

You’ll notice the missing names of some top prospects.

“It’s a special group in the sense that there’s a lot of competition and it’s healthy competition and guys like each other,” said backup catcher James McCann. “Guys aren’t rooting against each other. Guys aren’t negative toward each other. Guys truly like each other and truly pull for each other. So, that makes it even more enjoyable because guys actually get along.

“It’s a great group of guys. It’s a group that obviously started to gel the season before I got here with their run in 2022. And then last year, obviously, we took it to another level with the additions that they made, and they’ve got the young guys taking another step forward. It’s going to be enjoyable to see guys who are in year two or three take another step forward. And the young guys who were sent down, they’re not far away.

“I said it last year and I’ll say it again, the depth in this organization is absurd. I’ve been a part of good teams in the past and the top 26, 27, 28 guys are really good and then there’s a drop-off after that. You don’t see that here.”

The Orioles can get the roster down to 32 with Félix Bautista, Kyle Bradish and John Means on the injured list. Handley and Pérez will be reassigned because the Orioles don't need four catchers. Maton is hitless in 23 at-bats and a likely cut unless spring stats really don't matter.

* Tyler Wells was too efficient last night in his 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He didn’t reach his pitch count, so he threw 15 more after the 3-2 win.

And after the fireworks show that closed out the final home spring game. With Led Zeppelin’s classic “Stairway to Heaven” blasting over the public address system.

“I mean, it’s a good song,” Wells said. “Not the most ideal song to sit there and for me to pitch to. That’s all I heard in my ears. But it was fun. At this point, this is where you make light of the little nuances of spring training that you don’t really get anywhere else.”

Wells signed autographs for some kids and waited through the 10-minute fireworks display. He walked onto the mound and faced a couple batters. Several hundred fans stuck around.

“I can say that was a first,” Wells said. “We had to get our work in and that was the most feasible way of doing it. I was happy to do it.

“I guess some other fans got some free baseball.”

TT Bowens hit Wells’ final pitch over the right field fence. The gate was wide open.

“He’s a big boy,” Wells said. “I think that’s funny because I told someone, ‘Yeah, yeah, solo homer, that’s like my signature on a start.’ It just took extra innings to get it there.’ But like I said, we’re out there having fun and just enjoying it.

“It was a fun way, an interesting way, to wrap up a game.”

Wells will leave Sarasota as the No. 3 starter. He allowed only two runs in 14 1/3 innings, with two walks and 11 strikeouts. Opponents batted .212.

“Overall, I think camp’s been good,” he said. “I think tonight was definitely the first bit of getting guys on base and really just trying to pitch through jams. They definitely came out hacking. It was definitely good to get out there and feel that and get in some trouble and work my way out of it.”