OK, Birdland. Let’s catch you up on everything that was heard from O’s camp today.
The biggest news is that O’s star shortstop Gunnar Henderson will not be ready to roll on Opening Day. He will start the year on the injured list for a minimum of seven days.
Henderson hasn’t played since late February with an intercostal injury, though he is feeling better and is taking swings and defensive reps at short.
Orioles GM Mike Elias said that he believes this is more of a days, not weeks thing for Henderson. A positive sign for the Birds.
Next, utility man Jorge Mateo has not been ruled out to make the Opening Day roster, according to multiple sources.
Mateo, who has been recovering from elbow surgery, just got into playing games last week. Initially, it was reported that he would likely miss Opening Day, but now, there’s a chance we see Mi Hermano #JM3 in Toronto on Thursday.
Shifting gears to the pitching side of things, Elias told the media that left-hander Cade Povich will be the Orioles’ fifth starter, while veteran righty Albert Suárez will begin the season as the long reliever in the bullpen.
Povich really earned this. He had an incredible spring for the O’s, pitching to a 3.07 ERA in four Grapefruit League outings, collecting 15 strikeouts in 14.2 innings of work. Slim will start the home opener against the Boston Red Sox on Monday.
As for Suárez, his spring looked a little different. In six appearances, Big Al posted a 7.89 ERA, with 15 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched. In those appearances, the 35-year-old had given up 19 earned runs and walked nine.
A few other things of note here. Outfielder Dylan Carlson was optioned to minor league camp after his hot spring. The switch-hitter posted a .321 batting average and 1.071 OPS, but his minor league options ultimately made the decision for him.
Also, infielder Emmanuel Rivera, who has been dealing with left shoulder soreness, will open the season on the Triple-A Norfolk injured list.
Speaking of Norfolk, O’s top prospect Samuel Basallo will DH for the Tides to start the 2025 season, as he is dealing with elbow inflammation. This is similar to what he did last season.
Lastly, Elias reiterated that he’s been quite impressed with closer Félix Bautista and the progress he’s made this spring.
The Mountain has had an expected up-and-down camp as he recovers from Tommy John Surgery, compiling a 7.71 ERA with nine strikeouts in 4.2 innings. What’s imperative is that he feels healthy.
Elias said that he is not concerned with Bautista’s fastball velocity, which has hit 98 mph, and says he’s hopeful that Bautista will be closing out games in Toronto this week.
What are your thoughts on all the news surrounding O’s camp today? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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