Good morning Birdland,
After a long, chilly winter (that is still going on), the Orioles got back on the diamond down in Sarasota to play an actual game. It didn’t count for anything other than vibes, but we will take the vibes in late February with snow on the way.
If you are like me and your work or school day got filled up, you probably didn’t see the game, which got started in the early afternoon. But fear not, because you didn’t actually miss too much.
The Orioles collected eight hits on offense,
but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Midseason form, baby! But the headline will undoubtedly be Pete Alonso’s debut home run. The new first baseman slugged a sixth-inning home run to score himself and Jeremiah Jackson, who had singled earlier in the inning.
Meanwhile, the Orioles pitching was dynamite. Six hurlers combined to toss a nine-inning shutout. Trevor Rogers struck out three over two innings. Trey Gibson went three innings to close out the game and earn the save. And the four potential bullpen arms in between (Keegan Akin, Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, and José Espada) all threw one hitless frame each.
They were not facing the Yankees “A squad” here. There was no Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton, but some notable names were sprinkled in. And you can only face who is right in front of you.
Tough to give the team anything but full marks for their first actual game of the Grapefruit League season! They won. No one else got hurt. 10/10
They will be right back on the field today. Dean Kremer is on the bump (for an inning or two, anyway) to face the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. It sounds like Chayce McDermott will also appear. The game will be on MASN, and we will have a game thread for you on this very site right at first pitch.
Links
Orioles Claim Bryan Ramos | MLB Trade Rumors
He’s back! This is the second time this month that the Orioles have claimed Ramos. This time they get him from the Cardinals. For the time being, he is on the 40-man roster, the room for which was made when Félix Bautista was transitioned to the 60-day IL. Will he stick around this time? Maybe. They might actually need him now that Jordan Westburg is on the shelf through April.
Without Jordan Westburg, Orioles lean on infield depth and believe in Coby Mayo | The Baltimore Banner
Speaking of which…it’s a good thing that Coby Mayo wasn’t traded this offseason. Who knows if he will pan out, but the upside of Mayo is a better option than several other avenues they could have taken instead. His presence at third base at least gives the O’s a shot of fielding an above-average player at the position.
Some morning notes following yesterday’s Orioles exhibition opener | Roch Kubatko
Roch has some notes on the games this weekend, and quotes from a whole bunch of guys, particularly McDermott. He’s a guy that the Orioles could be counting on to pop this summer and solidify the bullpen.
Adam Jones on 2026 Orioles: ‘The vibes are great’ | Baltimore Baseball
Jones is in camp as a guest instructor this week. Those “honors” are really starting to make me feel old. Each year it’s another guy that was good for the Orioles when I was in high school and college. That’s not how this is supposed to me! They should be significantly older than me!
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Tom Shopay turns 81 today. He spent parts of five seasons with the Orioles from 1971-72 and then again from ‘75-77.
This day in O’s history
It’s been a slow day in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. Here are a few happenings from beyond Birdland:
1925 – The New Yorker publishes its first issue.
1947 – The “instate camera,” the Polaroid Land Camera, is demonstrated by Edwin Land for the first time at a meeting of the Optical Society of America.
1948 – NASCAR is incorporated
1995 – Steve Fossett becomes the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a baloon.
