The latest look at possible Orioles roster

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles leave Florida in less than two weeks and injuries have disrupted the calmness that comes with a set roster. One that went from concrete to crumbling.

Grayson Rodriguez is out of the rotation with inflammation behind his right elbow. Andrew Kittredge is out of the bullpen after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on the cartilage in his left knee. Gunnar Henderson hasn’t played since Feb. 27 due to a strained right intercostal.

Rodriguez is shut down for a week-to-10 days after receiving a cortisone injection. Kittredge is expected to miss at least two months of the season. Henderson is running out of time to play on Opening Day because he’s accumulated only six at-bats. He could get more in simulated games on the back fields, as well as in the Grapefruit League, but he’s still restricted to getting treatments.

“Things like Grayson’s situation comes up, and so you’re holding your breath every day right now,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “You’re trying to get your team as prepared as possible to play in Toronto. At the same time, you’re trying to keep these guys as healthy as possible.

“You’re going to start seeing more back-to-backs. Like the split-squad (yesterday), a lot of guys are gonna play back-to-back either yesterday and today or today and tomorrow so you’re increasing volume of their game activity and their at-bats.”

First baseman Ryan O’Hearn offers a peek into the clubhouse and takes its temperature. His words are encouraging.

“We don’t really talk about it,” he said. “I think it’s one of those things where, everybody knows that those are impact guys on our team and you just hope for the best and you let the training staff and doctors and all that do their thing, and hopefully we’ll have those guys sooner rather than later.

“I spoke, especially on the position player side, about the depth that we have and I think that’s a really good thing that’s gonna keep us in a strong position until we’re at full strength. I’m hoping for full strength on Opening Day, but that’s part of the game, that’s how it goes, so you just take it a day at a time and keep going.”

Here’s the latest guess at the Opening Day roster if the Orioles stay inside the organization to plug the holes – and it’s a real possibility that they make a late waiver claim, signing or trade, like one of those cash considerations deals. The Athletic reported last night that the Orioles are exploring additions, which seems obvious considering their circumstances.

Rotation

Zach Eflin
Charlie Morton
Dean Kremer
Tomoyuki Sugano
Cade Povich

Relievers

Félix Bautista
Yennier Cano
Seranthony Domínguez
Bryan Baker
Albert Suárez
Cionel Pérez
Gregory Soto
Keegan Akin

Hyde labeled Suárez earlier in camp as the sixth starter, so I’m not supremely confident that Povich is ahead of him. Suárez could be inserted into the rotation, but the Orioles might be more inclined to send down Povich than switch his role. If that’s the case, we’re looking for another reliever.

Roansy Contreras is on the 40-man roster and the Orioles want to stretch him out, but he surrendered a pair of two-run homers  against the Red Sox last Monday.

Baker was on the outside until Kittredge’s injury. He seems like an easy replacement choice based on his spring results, before those three home runs yesterday, and being out of options.

(Yeah, I’m downplaying one poor Grapefruit League outing and at least one wind-blown homer. What you do is your own business.)

I’m working under the assumption that Bautista is ready for Opening Day. Hyde left himself some wiggle room a few days ago while talking about the closer’s status, saying, “He hasn’t pitched in a long time, so we’ll kind of see where he is at the end of camp and if we feel like he’s ready to pitch in the big leagues for us, whether it’s right away or giving him a little bit more time. We haven’t determined that yet.”

Catchers

Adley Rutschman
Gary Sánchez

Sánchez had a brief illness. Otherwise, nothing to see here.

The curiosity is how quickly 20-year-old Samuel Basallo debuts, whether it happens this year, and whose contract is selected if there's a early injury to Rutschman or Sánchez. Maverick Handley and David Bañuelos are in camp.

Infielders

Ryan Mountcastle
Ryan O’Hearn
Jackson Holliday
Gunnar Henderson/Liván Soto
Jordan Westburg
Ramón Urías

I’ve got Soto returning to the 40-man roster and being introduced on March 27 if Henderson is on the injured list. He can move around and play some shortstop in a fluid infield. But so can Luis Vázquez, Vimael Machín and Jeremiah Jackson, who have impressed in camp.

The other idea would be keeping an extra corner infielder like Coby Mayo or Emmanuel Rivera. Jackson Holliday, Ramón Urías and Jordan Westburg can play shortstop, but the preference might be a middle infielder who can be a direct replacement for Henderson.

Outfielders

Colton Cowser
Cedric Mullins
Tyler O’Neill
Heston Kjerstad
Ramón Laureano

O’Neill missed a game with an illness and was scratched from another lineup with soreness in his left rib cage, but he started in left field yesterday.

Dylan Carlson is on the 40-man roster but he’s got minor league options and would need an injury to break camp.