What was supposed to be a springboard into the season turned out to be exciting for the Cardinals and a thud from the young Orioles.
Awaiting the final roster decisions, the Orioles sent, what projects to be as close to an opening lineup, to face the Cardinals’ opening lineup.
Dean Kremer, who will start the Orioles’ second game of the season, was making his final spring start. It wasn’t a bad outing, but it wasn’t great.
Kremer was good through the first four innings, allowing a sacrifice fly and a solo home run. Through those four innings, Kremer also had struck out six batters.
Come the fifth, the wheels fell off. Kremer would induce a ground ball and pick up his seventh strikeout. After that, he gave up a single, another single and then a three-run home run to close out his day.
His final line was 4.2 innings, eight hits, five earned runs, a walk and seven strikeouts. He finishes spring with a 4.82 ERA and a 1-2 record across five games. He pitched 18.2 innings, striking out 16 with a WHIP of 1.02.
Mike Baumann, Félix Bautista and Eduard Bazardo each would pitch at least an inning, allowing no runs.
Nolan Hoffman pitched the final frame, allowing three hits and three runs to close out the game. Hoffman, who had four saves this spring, ends with a 5.06 ERA in 5.1 innings of work.
The offense was anemic at best today. As the lineup was filled with mostly regulars, they produced only four hits on the day.
Cedric Mullins was 2-for-2, Anthony Santander had a run-scoring double and a solo home run by Ryan O’Hearn, who entered as a replacement for the game, was all the excitement today.
The offense ended the day with four hits, one walk and eight strikeouts, going 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position. The Birds dropped the game 8-2 to the Cardinals and ended the spring 16-13.
Side Notes:
It was announced this morning that Grayson Rodriguez will start the season in Triple-A Norfolk.
Rodriguez started the spring allowing one earned run in 4.2 innings of work but ended the spring allowing 14 runs, 11 earned, in 10.2 innings of work. He seemed to work through the lineup once without an issue, but it was the second time through where he had his troubles.
The Orioles also reassigned Eduard Bazardo, Daz Cameron, Reed Garrett, Maverick Handley, Josh Lester, Ryan O’Hearn and Jordan Westburg to Triple-A Norfolk.
Franchy Cordero and Nomar Mazara both were granted their releases as well.
The Orioles’ Rule 5 selection, right-hander Andrew Politi, has been designated for assignment. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, he will be offered back to the Boston Red Sox organization.
Politi, 26, appeared in nine spring games with the O’s and was tagged for six runs on nine hits, three walks and a hit batter in 8.2 innings. He struck out eight of his 38 opponents.
James McCann, who is dealing with left oblique discomfort, hit off a tee yesterday. He still isn’t sure how he will feel heading into Opening Day, and GM Mike Elias said that the IL might be the route.
We’re going to slow play the next couple of days and just see how I progress,” McCann said. “At the end of the day, the biggest thing that I can say is, being smart now is better than being sorry later.”
Mychal Givens threw 10 pitches yesterday and stopped before limping off the mound with continued left knee soreness. Givens will start the year on the injured list.
The number three starter will not be announced until the final roster decisions are made later this week. The Orioles are still over the limit but will drop two more when John Means and Dillon Tate are placed on the injured list.
“It’s been hard the last few days for these guys to try to win jobs, and it’s a big deal. It’s a weird time of year,” Hyde said about roster cuts.
Lastly, the O’s have acquired left-hander Danny Coulombe from the Minnesota Twins. The 33-year-old has a career 3.92 ERA in 194 big league games.
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