Questions come attached to Orioles as next series begins

A reset is nice, but the Orioles are ready to start playing again after an off-day and rainout.

The forecast was miserable last night and left the club with no choice except to reschedule. The extended break should end today.

The Orioles keep attracting more questions only 13 games into the season. Here are three random selections:

What’s happening with the rotation?

Only two starters were confirmed for the Blue Jays series and they won’t need a third. Tomoyuki Sugano is pushed back to today, decked out in an all-orange uniform, and Cade Povich is moved to Sunday, a spot that was listed as TBA.

Charlie Morton could pitch Tuesday against the Guardians after another off-day, followed by Dean Kremer and Sugano. A fifth starter still isn’t needed until April 19 against the Reds.

Brandon Young, the No. 19 prospect in the system per MLB Pipeline, had his start with Triple-A Norfolk moved from last night to Sunday. He could earn his first promotion and pitch on five days’ rest to fill that spot.

Once described by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias as being on the radar, Young hasn’t allowed an earned run in 11 1/3 innings in his two starts with Norfolk and he’s struck out 11. Maybe his time is arriving.

The Orioles must take care of business this weekend before they can look ahead to the next one.

Can the Orioles get a save?

Not only a save, but can they get the chance?

This is more quirky than critical. The Orioles have five victories in 13 games but by margins of 10, four, three, seven and four runs. Three can get you a save, but the Red Sox scored twice against Félix Bautista in the top of the ninth in the home opener. He entered with an 8-3 lead.

None of the eight defeats are the result of a blown save.

The bullpen is rested after an off-day and rainout. Cionel Pérez, Matt Bowman and Colin Selby were used Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix. Seranthony Domínguez, Bryan Baker and Keegan Akin haven’t pitched since Tuesday. Bautista, Yennier Cano and Gregory Soto made their last appearances on Monday.

Going the first 13 games without a save opportunity is the second-longest streak for the Orioles to begin a season behind the 21 in 1988. They didn’t win a game during that historic stretch. Tom Niedenfuer, who signed autographs last month at Ed Smith Stadium, led a 54-107 team with 18 saves.

Of course, the ’88 team couldn’t get the first save in normal fashion. The Orioles beat the White Sox 9-0 on April 29 at Comiskey Park and Dave Schmidt worked the final three innings for the nine-out save after replacing starter Mark Williamson.

It counts. It’s in the rules.

Schmidt had 28 wins and three saves in three seasons with the Orioles.

Will Gunnar Henderson get hot?

The inconsistencies with the offense could taper off with a more productive Henderson atop the order.

That’s a lot to put on a young man’s shoulders, but that’s how important he is to the lineup.

Henderson went 1-for-4 Wednesday with an opposite-field single, a 103.9 mph lineout to left field and a 111.4 mph grounder, but he’s 4-for-25 with one walk and 10 strikeouts in six games. He had a four-strikeout game in Kansas City but went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and two runs scored in the series opener against the Diamondbacks.

Henderson had six at-bats in spring training before straining his right intercostal. He got a bunch of them on the back fields before reporting to Triple-A Norfolk, where he went 5-for-19 with two home runs. The Orioles could have kept Henderson on the rehab assignment, but he was eligible to be reinstated and they wanted their All-Star shortstop, unanimous Rookie of the Year selection in 2023 and fourth-place finisher in Most Valuable Player voting in 2024 in their daily lineup.

They believed that he was ready. They also understood that he might start slowly after his shortened spring training and the layoff.

He’s a great young player, but he’s also human.