Good morning Birdland,
A baseball game that actually counts will take place today. It’s the Yankees and the Giants, it’s at 8 p.m., and it’s only on Netflix. So I will be missing it, but at least it’s happening!
As for a game that we all care about around here, we have one more day to wait. The Orioles season will get underway tomorrow at 3 p.m. or thereabouts. Pre-game festivities on Opening Day always seem to run just slightly over their allotted time. They might still be rolling up the orange carpet
at 3.
If you are heading to Camden Yards for the game, it seems like you will have a lovely day on your hands. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s and the chance of rain is basically non-existent. It should be a perfect day for baseball.
You will also be among the first people to get a first-hand look at some of the offseason renovations to Camden Yards. Some fans took a gander over the weekend during the Orioles/Nationals exhibition, Kevin Brown took us all on a video tour of the place, and the broader press was going gaga over the changes throughout the day on Tuesday.
As for today, we will all be on the lookout for some finalizing of the team’s roster. The Orioles have to make their decisions by noon. That is when Opening Day rosters are due.
The team has already made some big decisions. Dean Kremer being sent to Triple-A was probably the biggest. They DFA’d Bryan Ramos on Tuesday. That was another significant move. He had a really good spring and looked like a potential infield option with Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg on the IL. Instead, he could be claimed and go elsewhere. We also need to learn if Dylan Beavers’ knee is fit enough for Opening Day. It seems like it will be, but a brief IL stint for him could open up a spot for someone else.
The bullpen is where most of the remaining question marks probably lay. We know Andrew Kittredge will make a rehab stop in Norfolk before he is ready. Keegan Akin could still go to the IL with his recent adductor issue. Jackson Kowar and Albert Suárez are both out of options. Yaramil Hiraldo could be sent down without issue, but he was quite good this spring and probably deserves a roster spot. And there is the possibility that the O’s pluck a reliever from someone else’s roster.
In general though, the O’s are in a good spot. They got the injuries to Holliday and Westburg out of the way early in spring, and then got through the Grapefruit League and WBC relatively unscathed. They won’t be a full strength on Opening Day, but it will be close.
Links
What MLB scouts say are the Orioles’ strengths and weaknesses | The Baltimore Banner
None of this is particularly ground breaking. We are well aware of where the team could improve, but it can be interesting to hear outside opinions. However, something in this piece that I vehemently disagree with was the description of Kyle Bradish as a “two or a really good number three” on a championship team. I understand if you have to take his recent health into consideration when determining his overall value, but in terms of actual ability and output, Bradish is at the very least a number two.
New video board, sound system should excite Oriole fans this season | Baltimore Baseball
Personally, I kind of liked the video board that the team used to have. It was a little awkward, but had a charm to it that the new one seems to lack. The sound system, on the other hand, was in desperate need of improvement. There were areas of the stadium where you could not hear anything being said. So that is certainly a welcome improvement.
‘It’s up to us now’: How O’s can make postseason run in 2026 | MLB.com
Health and home runs. That is the formula. The team had some bad luck in 2025, but they also just weren’t very good. Much of the roster returns in 2026, but the front office also made several high-profile additions that they hope will pay off.
One last chance to wonder about the roster | Roch Kubatko
I would love to see Elias pull off a late move for a quality reliever, but if that was going to happen it feels like it would have by now. At this point, it’s more likely they enter the year with the guys they have and figure it out as they go. Maybe the bullpen will be fine! Ryan Helsley looked pretty good over the weekend.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Tucker Davidson turns 30 today. He pitched in one game for the 2024 Orioles and is currently in the Phillies organization.
- The late Woodie Held (b. 1932, d. 2009) was born on this day. He was a utility player for the Orioles from 1966-67, taking the field at every position but pitcher, catcher, and first base during his time in Baltimore.
This day in O’s history
It has been a slow day in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. Instead, here are a few happenings on this date from beyond Birdland:
1948 – The first successful tornado forecast predicts that a tornado will strike Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
1965 – A group of nonviolent activists, led by Martin Luther King Jr, complete their four-day, 50-mile march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama to protest against segregation and encourage African-American citizens to exercise their right to vote.
1979 – The first fully functional Space Shuttle orbitor, dubbed Columbia, is delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to be prepared for launch.
Dealing with a busted bracket?
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
