One name that has remained fairly quiet since day one of spring training has been reigning AL Rookie of Year, Gunnar Henderson.
Announced on the first day of camp that he had been dealing with an oblique strain after working out in early January, there has been little update on the star player’s progress.
The good news is that scans didn’t show any damage to threaten his Opening Day availability or even spring training game time. Henderson has ramped up baseball activities as of late, working on some defensive drills and getting some work in the cages, according to O’s manager Brandon Hyde.
https://x.com/masnOrioles/status/1760723552339177705?s=20
Kyle Bradish continues to play catch as he continues his throwing progression. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection for the sprain to his UCL. Currently, the club is hoping to avoid surgery, but O’s GM Mike Elias did specify at the start of camp that the injury was not as severe as closer Félix Bautista’s injury.
It was announced today by Hyde that Corbin Burnes would start Saturday’s spring opener against the Boston Red Sox. This also lines up Burnes to start Opening Day, March 28, at Camden Yards against the Los Angeles Angels.
Burnes is unsure of who his battery mate will be Saturday afternoon, but he and Adley Rutschman have been doing bullpen sessions together and then review those sessions with pitching coach Drew French.
“Just getting comfortable with each other – setups with how he receives, how my pitches look for him for how he receives. It’s just one of those things that takes some time, takes getting to know each other. I think we’re in a good spot as far as setups and that kind of stuff goes, so now it’s just about getting into game action and kind of getting on the same page with game calling.”
– Corbin Burnes on working and getting familiar with new battery mate Adley Rutschman
Hyde is hoping to get two to three innings out of Burnes, but pitch count can factor into that. Hyder also said he would choose exhibition starters who are projected to make the rotation a majority of the time.
Yennier Canó pitched in live at-bats today, stuffing Heston Kjerstad with a weak rapper in front of the plate and enduring a grounder from Jackson Holiday.
Cionel Pérez and Albert Suárez got some work in as well. Outside of Austin Hays sending one out to right field off Pérez, the two worked a quiet outing.
Hyde says Kjerstad will get a lot of work in the corner outfield spots during the spring. He also says he most likely will not have any work at first base in this year’s spring games.
“Defense is important to us. We put a premium in playing the defense we’ve played the last couple of years. That’s why we’ve won a lot of games. Heston just doesn’t have the major league experience, really, in the corner outfield, so we’re going to give him all the experience we can out there and let him get a lot of at-bats.”
– O’s manager Brandon Hyde on Heston Kjerstad
Kjerstad and fellow outfield prospect Colton Cowser should have the inside track, but once again, Jorge Mateo’s ability to adapt to the outfield could be the difference if one or both stay.
Be sure to come back tomorrow for more updates, as the Orioles’ first spring game approaches. Thank you for tuning into another edition of SpringNotes.
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