Pedro Severino brings experience catching Max Scherzer to Baltimore

We could not have known he would even be on the Orioles' opening day roster when spring training began. He wasn't even in the organization yet. But Pedro Severino, the O's backup catcher, joined the club when he was claimed off waivers from the Nationals on March 23.

He is still settling in with his new team. Severino is 3-for-14 (.214) in four games as an Oriole. Washington signed him out of the Dominican Republic in December 2010. He was ranked among the Nats' top 16 prospects by Baseball America every year from 2013-2017 with a high of No. 9 after the 2016 season. He made his major league debut in September 2015 at age 21.

"I learned a lot there," Severino said. "There were a lot of veteran guys on the team, especially pitchers. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez. Those veteran guys helped me a lot. I can say I know the game so much better now because of their help."

The education he got from a three-time Cy Young Award winner was pretty special. If Severino was not playing and Scherzer was not pitching that day, the vet would school the kid in the dugout.

"Max Scherzer would sit with me on the bench and have me call the game," the 25-year-old Severino said. "Every pitch I called wrong, he would say, 'No, I would want this pitch and this is why.' It was such a big help and I got to catch him in the playoffs in 2016.

"That guy doesn't want to shake you off too much on the mound, so I had to learn his game plan. And all those guys taught me a lot, really making the game more easier now. He would always tell me 'I want you back there because of the energy you have.' He taught me what he liked to do in the game."

Severino has always been known as a solid defender. But he's struggled to hit in both the minors (.246 in 517 games) and the majors (.189 in 265 at-bats). But calling pitches is huge for him, and he gained knowledge during those dugout sessions alongside Scherzer.

"If you don't have the proper idea how to call the game, the game will be longer," he said. "The hitters don't have to think as much and can make easier adjustments. You need to work with your pitcher to develop a rhythm out there. I want the pitchers to be confident when I put that finger down."

We've also already seen how passionate and full of energy Severino is. He'll pump his fist when an O's pitcher gets a strikeout and almost threw his mask to the ground when the O's allowed a homer the other day. He's not hiding any emotion.

"Always when I was a kid I was like that, and I like to play the game with emotion and energy," Severino said. "Always been that way. Just want to play the game fun and enjoy this so much.

"We have a lot of young guys. When I got called up in 2015 with the Nats, at first I was nervous and scared. I'd be glad to help our young players and push them. Try to let them know, 'Hey let's do it, let's go.' That makes you feel comfortable and great out there. It's a good feeling," Severino said.

Series finale today: O's pitchers allowed five more homers in last night's 10-3 loss to Oakland. They have allowed a Major League Baseball-leading 32 homers through a 5-7 start. The Orioles, 1-5 so far during this homestand, have yielded 23 home runs and 56 runs.

Today's game starts at 12:35 p.m. at the Yard when Dylan Bundy (0-0, 7.36 ERA) pitches against Oakland right-hander Aaron Brooks (1-1, 4-09 ERA).

Trey Mancini hit his sixth homer last night. He is now one of three Orioles with six homers in the team's first 12 games of a season. Frank Robinson did that in 1969 and Chris Davis in 2013.

Baumann shines for the Keys: Single-A Frederick right-hander Michael Baumann made a strong season debut last night. Over five scoreless innings he gave up just one hit with no walks and 10 strikeouts. That strikeout total tied his career high. Frederick would take an 8-0 lead in that game but lost 11-8 to Fayetteville. Jomar Reyes and Ryan Ripken homered for Frederick.

Single-A Delmarva improved to 4-1, winning 2-1 at Kannapolis. Adam Hall had two hits and an RBI and Tyler Joyner got the victory in relief, with 3 1/3 scoreless.