Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The Orioles were Grapefruit League winners yesterday with a 4-3 decision over the Rays in Port Charlotte. The Birds’ travel lineup included only two players guaranteed to make the team — Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo, who had a hit apiece — along with a couple of bubble guys in Leody Taveras and Jeremiah Jackson. The bulk of their offense came on homers by two minor league fillers, Jose Barrero and “Danger” Will Robertson.
But the pitching was the story for the Orioles
— specifically, Zach Eflin, who made his spring debut and dazzled with two scoreless innings, striking out three. Reportedly, Eflin’s velocity yesterday was better than it ever was during his miserable 2025 season, when back soreness torpedoed his performance. His mechanics and pitch arsenal more resembled the Eflin who dominated in nine starts for the O’s in 2024. It’s hard not to be impressed at how sharp Eflin looked in his first mound action in eight months.
For much of the spring, it’s been assumed that Eflin will start the year on the injured list as he continues to ramp up his workload. But after yesterday’s performance, there’s reason to believe he could be full-go by Opening Day. And if he is, how exactly will the Orioles’ rotation shake out? The O’s have already announced that Tyler Wells will be in the bullpen, but that would still leave six starters — Eflin, Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, and Dean Kremer — for five spots.
Bradish and Rogers are guaranteed to be atop the rotation, and Baz, for whom the O’s traded four prospects and have high expectations, is a lock for the starting staff as well. Unless the Orioles go with a six-man rotation, that leaves one of the other three out in the cold. Bassitt, a veteran known for his durability — with four straight seasons of 30+ starts — seems unlikely to be bumped to the bullpen, though he did pitch (quite well) in that role for the Blue Jays last postseason. Kremer, the Orioles’ 2025 leader in innings pitched with 171.2, also seems betted suited for starting than relieving, and Eflin hasn’t worked out of the bullpen since 2022.
There are three weeks until Opening Day, and chances are that the situation will resolve itself one way or the other. Just when you think you have more starting pitchers than you need, baseball has a way of, well, throwing a curveball. For now, the O’s should be happy they’ve got some pitching depth. They’re going to need it.
Links
With increased velo, Eflin surprises himself in 1st start since back surgery – MLB.com
More from Jake Rill on Eflin’s successful debut. If Eflin can approach his 2024 performance this year, it’ll certainly take some of the sting out of the Orioles’ not ponying up for an ace.
Kittredge on shoulder inflammation: “I really don’t think it’s all that serious” – School of Roch
Andrew Kittredge scoffs in the face of shoulder inflammation. Pshaw!, he says.
The former O’s manager talked to the Baltimore media for the first time since his firing. If you were expecting some lingering bitterness or saltiness toward the Orioles, sorry, his comments are all class.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Ex-Orioles born on this day include right-hander Anthony Telford (60) and Jake Arrieta (40), who spent four rocky years with the Birds before they dumped him off on the Cubs. I wonder what ever happened to him after that? Nothing much, I’m sure.
March 6 has been a slow day in Orioles history. The only time the O’s have made any roster moves on this date was in 2020, when they returned two Rule 5 picks — right-handers Michael Rucker and Brandon Bailey — to their original clubs. Had the O’s known that spring training would be canceled by the pandemic a week later and they’d end up playing only a 60-game season later that summer, maybe they could’ve tried to hold onto one or both of those guys for the shortened campaign. In any case, neither pitcher amounted to much, with Rucker posting a 4.96 ERA in three seasons for the Cubs and Bailey pitching just five major league games for the Astros in 2020.
