More on Zimmermann's promotion and rotation plans

Bruce Zimmermann was headed to Fort Myers to start a March 12 exhibition game against the Twins when the team bus circled the Orioles spring complex and returned. The game was canceled. The sport had shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Zimmermann already made a positive impression on the Orioles and he's preparing for his major league debut in Game 2 of today's doubleheader against the Rays at Camden Yards.

The Orioles will select Zimmermann's contract from the alternate camp site in Bowie, increasing their 40-man roster to 39 players. They have 59 in the 60-man player pool after designating pitcher Asher Wojciechowski for assignment.

The rotation is holding three of the organization's highly regarded pitching prospects, with Keegan Akin starting again last night and Dean Kremer on the mound today for Game 1.

"Very exciting," manager Brandon Hyde said during today's Zoom conference call with the media. "He's been throwing the ball well down in Bowie. Kind of picked up where he left off in spring training. I really felt like he was throwing the ball great. I've heard a lot about him, but watching him pitch in those major league spring training games, I was really impressed with his stuff and it sounds like he's been doing the same thing in Bowie. So excited to hand him the ball for the second game today."

Veteran left-handers Wade LeBlanc and Tommy Milone broke camp as starters and are gone - the former on the injured list with an elbow injury, the latter traded to the Braves. Wojciechowski left the ballpark this morning after receiving the news of his designation.

The new rotation isn't exactly how Hyde envisioned it back in March, but he knew that prospects would be under consideration. That there could be significant turnover.

"Everybody was unclear about what the season was going to look like, how we were going to stay healthy," he said. "You can never have enough starting pitching. You look at a team like the Braves, how many starters they've had go down. You can't predict health in a season.

"I thought that it was definitely a possibility going in that we would have some young guys here the second half of this season or at least toward the end of the year and that's how it worked out. We're excited to give these guys the opportunity to pitch in the big leagues right now and to evaluate them. And Kremer and Akin so far have been really impressive, and hopefully Zim does the same thing.

Zimmermann, 25, was acquired from the Braves at the 2018 trade deadline as part of the package for pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day. He registered a 2.58 ERA and 1.204 WHIP last summer in 101 1/3 innings at Double-A Bowie and a 4.89 ERA and 1.603 WHIP in 38 2/3 innings with Triple-A Norfolk.

A fifth-round draft pick of the Braves in 2017, Zimmermann has gone 18-14 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.282 WHIP in 61 minor league games. He's averaged 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

"He's been throwing the ball well," Hyde said. "The reports I get is that he is doing what he did in spring training, which was utilizing all his pitches. I like his fastball, I thought he threw a really nice breaking ball/changeup in big league camp. Competed well. And he's doing that in Bowie also.

"This is the time for him and I'm looking forward to this evening when he makes his first start."

Zimmermann is a Baltimore native who attended Loyola-Blakefield High and began his collegiate career at Towson University. He resides in Ellicott City - about as local as you can get.

Relievers Evan Phillips and Branden Kline rejoined the team this afternoon, the former as the 29th man. Three Maryland natives gathering at Camden Yards.

"I know how much it meant to Kline last year when he got called up, what he went through and the fan support that he had when he got to the big leagues last year," Hyde said. "I'm sure there's a huge sense of pride, not only for them, but for the communities, the high schools they went to, the cities and towns that they grew up in. That's a big deal and that should not be overstated is how important that is to your community. Not just yourself, but the people around you and everyone who helped you get here.

"Being from the same state you get called up on must be a thrill."

Zimmermann has been added to a list of Maryland natives who started for the Orioles that also includes Phillips, Dave Johnson, Steve Johnson, Ryan Meisinger, Tom Phoebus, Steve Barber, Jack Fisher, Dave Boswell, Bruce Howard, John Miller and Ray Moore.

The rotation has increased to six starters and Zimmermann is staying with the Orioles. Hyde will figure out how to use him after tonight's outing.

"I think we're going to play it by ear," he said. "We're going to see how today goes and then we're going to reassess after today. We have the homestand left and then we have the off-day and then we have six (games). I'm not sure if he's going to stay in the rotation or possibly do a piggyback situation. He might piggyback with somebody, but he will pitch again after today."

Today marks the first time that the Orioles have started two rookies in a doubleheader since Meisinger and Jimmy Yacabonis on Sept. 26, 2018 in Boston.

Wojciechowski was removed from the rotation after seven starts. He made three relief appearances, his ERA rose to 6.81 and the Orioles designated him for assignment.

"Very, very tough morning," Hyde said. "Especially last year, he really picked us up. We were in dire need of starting pitching. We were having a tough time just finishing nine innings of baseball a lot of nights with very few guys available out of the 'pen. Our rotation was all over the place and not giving us many innings on a lot of nights. And Wojo really did a great job of solidifying and helping us out.

"He's super competitor. He wants the ball, he's a great team guy. It's been a tough day because he has meant a lot to me from the standpoint of what he did for us last year and helping us get through a very, very tough season and competing the way he did. But this is part of the business of the game and we're calling up some of our young players that we're excited about and sometimes these things happen."

For the Rays
Yoshi Tsutsugo DH
Brandon Lowe 2B
Willy Adames SS
Nate Lowe 1B
Austin Meadows LF
Joey Wendle 3B
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Brett Phillips RF
Michael Perez C

Blake Snell LHP