The Orioles are 4-5 in their first nine games, and there really aren’t many conclusions about the first few games to be drawn. They hit six home runs in their first game, 10 in the first three, and just one since then.
They haven’t played a one-run game. There hasn’t been a save situation. Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista have pitched just twice, and manager Brandon Hyde was unwilling to insert them in a game with a seven-run lead on Saturday simply to get them work.
Saturday’s 8-1 win in Kansas City showed off the Orioles at their offensive best. There was Cedric Mullins bunting for a base hit. Jackson Holliday getting three hits, and each starter but Gunnar Henderson, who’s just rounding into major league shape after missing nearly all of spring training, getting a hit.
Colton Cowser was injured last Sunday diving into first base. He fractured his left thumb and will miss six to eight weeks.
This will give Heston Kjerstad his first extended major league opportunity. Kjerstad had a rough night in left field on Friday, losing one ball, and Tyler O’Neill had a rougher night in right field as the Orioles lost an unsightly game, 8-2.
The Orioles miss Cowser’s steadiness in the outfield and his energy at bat and on the bases. Having Cowser and Mullins in two of the three outfield positions regularly makes the Orioles’ outfield much better.
Perhaps Kjerstad will develop into a good defensive player given enough reps. Maybe O’Neill will get used to playing right field.
O’Neill won two Gold Gloves for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2020 and 2021 as a leftfielder. In those years, he didn’t play center or right field.
Last year, O’Neill started 34 games in right field for the Boston Red Sox, his first substantial time there since 10 games in 2018 with the Cardinals.
Manager Brandon Hyde thinks Kjerstad is a better fit in left and O’Neill in right with Cowser out of the lineup.
If the estimates are correct, and Cowser is back around June 1st, we’ll have a better read on Kjerstad’s abilities as a major leaguer at bat and in the outfield. We’ll see if O’Neill grows into a skilled rightfielder, too.
The Orioles also have Ramón Laureano, who can back up Mullins in center field and play the other outfield positions, but he’s only gotten six at-bats in the first nine games.
Relievers intrigue
The Orioles’ bullpen looks far stronger than it did during spring training. Bryan Baker, who got a double play after starter Tomoyuki Sugano was removed from Saturday’s game, has allowed just three hits in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Seranthony Domínguez has given up just one hit in 3 2/3 innings. Gregory Soto allowed just two hits with eight strikeouts in four innings, and Keegan Akin, who threw two scoreless innings on Saturday, has given up two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Once the Orioles start having close leads to protect, it will be interesting to see how Hyde lines up his bullpen. Bautista and Cano need regular work. Neither has pitched since Monday’s home opener.
The Orioles continue to be without Albert Suárez, who has right shoulder inflammation and can’t return until April 15th.
Starters need to go deeper
Hyde was hoping that Sugano would get through at least six innings Saturday. Zach Eflin was able to do that in his first two starts, but no other starter has.
The team misses Grayson Rodriguez, who remains out with right elbow irritation. They’re also without Kyle Gibson, who remains in Sarasota after the Orioles signed him on March 21st, too late for him to join the team without a buildup.
In Charlie Morton’s first start, he pitched just 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, and in his second on Wednesday, he allowed five runs on six hits in five innings while striking out 10.
The Orioles are halfway through a stretch of eight games without an offday, and deeper starts are needed.
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