SARASOTA–What’s happening? Tomoyuki Sugano will make his Orioles debut on Wednesday when Baltimore plays the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton at 1:05 p.m. Bailey Falter will pitch for Pittsburgh.
Manager Brandon Hyde said that Félix Bautista, who threw live batting practice for the first time since having Tommy John surgery in October 2023 on Sunday, would throw on the back fields “a couple of more times” before he pitches in a Grapefruit League game.
Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin will make their first starts this week. Rodriguez will start against Toronto’s Easton Lucas, a former Orioles’ minor leaguer on Thursday in Sarasota. Eflin will start against Minnesota’s Zebby Matthews on Friday in Fort Myers.
What’s happened? Because of Monday’s rainout, the Orioles limited Charlie Morton to one inning. Morton allowed two hits to the Detroit Tigers in the Orioles’ 8-7 win before 6,106 at Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday.
It was the 41-year-old right-hander’s first appearance with the Orioles.
“I played four teams in the past seven years. I’m kind of getting used to it,” Morton said. “I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.”
After leaving the game, Morton threw about 20 pitches in the bullpen.
“He pitched like a veteran’s first outing,” Hyde said. “A ton of strikes, a lot of sinkers. Really good stuff for just one inning. Pitched like a guy who’s been out there a long time.”
Dean Kremer, who was supposed to start on Monday, allowed a two-run home run to Ben Malgeri on three hits in two innings, walking two and striking three.
Seranthony Domínguez allowed a two-run home run to Riley Greene in the fourth. Gregory Soto allowed two runs in the fifth. Cionel Pérez allowed a run in the sixth.
Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano and Bryan Baker each pitched hitless innings for the Orioles.
Hyde used veteran pitchers exclusively, a rarity for early spring games, because of the rainout.
“That’s just how it lined up today,” Hyde said.
Heston Kjerstad hit a two-run, opposite-field home run to left against Detroit’s Jackson Jobe, the game’s fifth-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
“Great piece of hitting, fastball out over the plate,” Hyde said. “He got a good pitch to drive and he put a great swing on that.”
It might have been a good sign for the shorter left-field wall at Oriole Park.
“Hopefully, it will get out there,” Kjerstad said. “I’m not sure how the fence looks. We’ll see it in person. If I hit the ball away, it should be good.”
Kjerstad was 1-for-2 with a walk as the designated hitter.
“We’re all trying to get our timing around,” he said. “Mine’s coming along. It’s not where I want it to be, which is expected just a couple of games into the spring. It’s been good. Just every day, showing up, working on it. It will start clicking more and more every day.”
Kjerstad’s 2024 season was shortened when he was hit on the helmet by a pitch from New York’s Clay Holmes just before the All-Star break. Drafted second overall in 2020, the beginning of his career was delayed until June 2022 by myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and a strained left hamstring.
“Definitely been through my ups and downs and injuries early on in my career,” Kjerstad said. “You hope to have the least amount of those possible. Some of them are out of your control. You just have to keep on fighting, even when you’re down. You just crush your rehab and get back out there once you’re healthy and keep competing.”
Enrique Bradfield Jr. hit a two-run home run to spark a four-run eighth for the Orioles.
What’s up with? Jordyn Adams signed a minor league contract with the Orioles last December 23rd. He had a .176 average in 28 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023 and 2024.
The outfielder was a two-sport athlete in high school and had offers as a running back at Alabama, Clemson, LSU, North Carolina and Ohio State. His father, Deke, is the defensive line coach at Arkansas.
“It wasn’t really that tough a decision to play baseball,” Adams said. He was the 17th overall pick in 2017 by the Angels.
“Baseball was the first sport that I picked up growing up. It was nice to have an opportunity to be a priority to a team. That aspect made it pretty easy for me to make a decision.”
Adams is one of several non-roster outfielders trying to make the team.
“I know what I can bring to the table,” he said. “I know I’m not that person that stacks myself up against other guys. I know what I can bring on the field. I try to bring that every day and prove it.”
What’s what? Koji Uehara, the first Japanese Oriole, was a visitor to Ed Smith Stadium. Uehara is working for NHK, a Japanese television network covering Sugano, who will be the third Japanese Oriole.
Uehara, who pitched for the Yomiuri Giants with Sugano in 2018 and 2019, thinks Sugano will be successful in the major leagues because of his outstanding command. Uehara said Sugano is better than he was, and “more famous.”
What’s the word? “That is one thing that I don’t like about the business side of it, investing a lot emotionally, mentally into the human beings I’m around. Then basically, ‘All right, see you guys, on to the next one.’ I don’t have a blasé attitude about it. I don’t. You kind of have to a little bit.”–Morton on joining a new team.
What’s the number? 4. The Orioles have four games scheduled to be broadcast on FOX: May 3rd vs. Kansas City, August 21st vs. Houston, August 30th at San Francisco, September 18th vs. New York. They also have four games featured on FoxSports 1: May 17th vs. Washington, May 24th vs. Boston, August 2nd at Chicago and September 24th vs. Tampa Bay.
What’s the record? 2-1. The Orioles will play the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park at 1:05 p.m. on Wednesday.