The Baltimore Orioles ‘ ecent run of spring games has been aided by strong pitching and a lack of offense. Today’s game was another example, though O’s starting pitcher Tyler Wells struggled a bit in his spring debut.
Wells yielded a home run to Michael Harris II and a single by Travis d’Anuard before ending the first inning. The second didn’t start out much better, as the first batter singled and was followed by a run-scoring double from Ehire Adrianza.
Wells would allow an RBI single to Eddie Rosario before ending the inning and his day on the mound.
The good news is that Wells threw just 15 pitches, and all were strikes. He told the media after his outing that he felt rushed with the pitch clock and also had a pitch clock violation.
“It’s spring training, first start,” Wells said. “It sucks to give up runs regardless. I’m one of those people, I don’t care if it’s the first start, I don’t care if it’s a playoff game. It always sucks to give up runs.”
Bruce Zimmermann was strong in his second appearance, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. He threw just 15 pitches, all for strikes.
Cade Povich made another strong impression with two scoreless innings of work, throwing nine pitches, eight for strikes. Cionel Pérez and Logan Gillaspie also both tossed scoreless innings of work.
On offense, Colton Cowser and Joey Ortiz had RBI singles, but not much more happened for the Orioles today. They collected eight total hits with five walks but struck out nine times and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
The defense did turn two double plays with Gunnar Henderson starting both. Jackson Holliday made a nice play at short, ranging to his left and throwing a dart across the field to nab the runner at first.
The Orioles lose this one by a score of 3-2. They are now 2-5-1 in spring games.
Side Notes:
Terrin Vavra was a late scratch today with left shoulder discomfort. He felt it during batting practice and was treated right away. Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde says Vavra is day-to-day.
Nick Vespi threw a bullpen session yesterday. He threw 35 pitches and will progress to one or two live sessions before appearing in games.
“I’m right where I need to be,” Vespi said. “Everything feels great. My arm feels great. My body feels great. I’m ready to go.”
Félix Bautista threw another bullpen today and said his knee and shoulder feel great.
“It’s all gone extremely well,” Hyde said on Bautista’s progression. “Hoping it goes well right now. But he’s been right on track with everything.”
Kyle Bradish is scheduled to start tomorrow’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop. After Bradish, Mike Baumann, Andrew Politi, Wandisson Charles and Nolan Hoffman are expected to appear on the mound.
Cole Irvin will start on Monday, the first MASN spring TV broadcast of 2023. Mychal Givens is expected to make his spring debut next week as well.
Looking for the perfect way to show your love for the Baltimore Orioles? Look no further than Birdland Sports!
As a small business run by Orioles fans, Birdland Sports offers a great selection of unofficial merchandise that’s affordable and high-quality. From the popular “Birds Are Coming” tees to unique player cartoon shirts and World Series prediction designs, Birdland Sports has everything you need to support your team.
Plus, use the code BBStephen at checkout to get 10 percent off your order! Visit http://www.birdlandsports.com today to browse their collection and gear up for the season!
Who stood out to you the most in today’s game? 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!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on Twitter – @SRJHeckman
The Baltimore Battery 