And just like that, baseball is resuming. With three games slated for today, the Orioles will get in one last full squad practice before their first game tomorrow.
Drew Rom is slated to take the bump tomorrow for the Grapefruit League opener, slated for a 1:05 p.m. start. We will have a lineup piece published tomorrow to get you ready for the game.
Rom is excited to throw out the first pitch of what he says will be a big year for the Orioles.
“They trust me to go out there and really start everything,” Rom said.
Manager Brandon Hyde has said Adley Rutschman will DH in tomorrow’s game. He also said Adam Frazier and Joey Ortiz will start up the middle.
Hyde expects Coby Mayo, Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad to play as well. These are three young pieces who could force their way up to the big leagues rather quickly with a strong spring training.
Cowser continues to rake this spring. He took another one over the fence today in live batting practice, as he’s doing everything he can to force his way onto the team out of spring.
Hyde also says he isn’t so sure how things are going to look with the new rules in place, but tomorrow is the first chance to witness them in an actual game situation.
Dean Kremer was announced the starter for Sunday’s game, where he will face former Orioles prospect, Eduardo Rodriguez.
Kremer is preparing to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, so we’re not sure what his limit or pitch count will be. He did report to camp earlier, as per guidelines, so he could go a little longer than usual for the first spring start.
With games starting tomorrow, the team was practicing pop drills. The air is filled with screams of “I got it!”
Félix Bautista will throw again tomorrow. He’s at about 80-85% effort and keeps increasing each time out, which means we could see him in game situations within the next couple of weeks.
Cole Irvin and Austin Voth threw bullpens today. Also, Nick Vespi was progressing in rehab doing some throwing today, caught by prospect Creed Willems. Vespi’s progress is important to watch, as he could become a crucial piece to the bullpen this year, especially early in the year.
Cedric Mullins took a tumble after running into a wall today while tracking a fly ball in the sun. Mullins is fine according to reports, but the team held its collective breath for a moment.
In closing, we want to wish former Oriole and Hall of Famer Eddie Murray a very happy birthday today. Murray will be in Sarasota as a special instructor from March 8 to 13.
Game action is tomorrow, and The Baltimore Battery will be back to give a round up of what happened and provide any updates and news from the day.
Birdland, are you ready? Baseball is back!
What are you looking forward to most heading into the spring opener? Let us know in the comments below! And make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook and Twitter, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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