FORT MYERS, Florida—The Orioles further trimmed their roster before Sunday’s final Grapefruit League game, optioning right-handed pitcher Bryan Baker to minor league camp, releasing right-handed pitcher Julio Teheran and second baseman Kolten Wong, and reassigning left-hander Andrew Suárez and catcher Maverick Handley to minor league camp.
This spring, Baker had a 1.29 earned-run average in seven innings, allowed two runs, one unearned, on four hits, striking out eight and walking five. He has pitched in 112 games for the Orioles in 2022 and 2023. Baker has one option remaining.
“All those type of things factor into your decisions,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “You’ve got to think about it. You’ve got to talk about it. We’re not just taking 13 guys to Baltimore that are going to be pitching for us. We need guys at Triple-A that are going to be helpful … We see him being on the club at some point.”
Suárez, a 31-year-old left-hander whose locker was empty this weekend, signed a minor league contract with the Orioles in January, had a 3.48 ERA, four runs on seven hits in 10 1/3 innings this spring.
Teheran, a 33-year-old right-hander who had a 3.38 ERA in 13 1/3 innings and Wong, who hit .200 in 12 games, both signed minor league contracts on February 28th, and opted out on Friday. The Orioles decided not to add them to their 40-man roster.
“He didn’t make the club from the rotation standpoint,” Hyde said. The Orioles did consider Teheran for a long relief role.
“We considered everybody,” Hyde said. “We gave him an opportunity, but right now, it’s not a right fit, but I wish him the best … We’re just trying to take our best 13 pitchers at the moment, and we’re trying to win games early. Offdays do help in a lot of ways, but we haven’t finalized the eight guys in our bullpen at this point.”
The moves leave 33 players on the Orioles’ spring training roster. Closer Félix Bautista, who is on the 60-day injured list after Tommy John surgery, and starters Kyle Bradish and John Means (recovering from elbow injuries) are included in the count, so that means the Orioles still have four moves left to make before they submit their 26-man roster before Thursday’s opener with the Los Angeles Angels.
The final spot in the bullpen is likely to be a choice between right-handers Jonathan Heasley and Jacob Webb.
Heasley, who’s scheduled to pitch after Grayson Rodriguez and Cole Irvin on Sunday, has allowed three runs on seven hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking two. Webb, who does not have an option remaining, has given up four runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out seven, for a 4.91 ERA.
It appears the final bench spot will be between outfielder Ryan McKenna and infielder/outfielder Tyler Nevin, allowing outfielder Colton Cowser to make the team.
McKenna’s hitting .135 (5-for-37) with a home run and three RBIs while Nevin, who was reacquired in January, is hitting .327 (18-for-55) with two home runs and seven RBIs.
Cowser is hitting .318 with six homers and 13 RBIs, and is 3-for-21.
“We still have a lot of decisions to make,” Hyde said. “It’s the last couple of spots [that] we’re going through some things.”
Infielder Nick Maton, who is hitless in 23 at-bats, and catcher Michael Pérez remain in camp.
This story has been updated.