Albert Suárez, a right-handed pitcher, was moved to the minor league camp on Friday, but will start the season in the starting rotation for Triple-A Norfolk, according to Elias. Although he is 34 years old and hasn’t played in the major leagues since 2017, he has been pitching in Japan and Korea in recent years. He performed well in camp, showcasing his mid-90s mph fastball and strong performance against MLB players. Elias described him as a promising option for rotation depth.
The Orioles’ Ed Smith Stadium spring training facility in Sarasota, Florida was buzzing on Friday with the announcement that Jackson Holliday did not make the opening day roster. While this was the main news, there were also other noteworthy updates from the team.
“I have already been in this for 10 years,” Wong stated. “I have no intention of moving on to the minor leagues after this. Whatever occurs, will occur. It has simply been an enjoyable experience watching these young players and all the promising talent emerging.”
Elias described the Orioles’ starting lineup, comprising of top pitcher Corbin Burnes, second-year player Grayson Rodriguez, standout performer Tyler Wells, and right and left-handed pitchers Dean Kremer and Cole Irvin, as a high-quality group.
Elias explained that he won’t be determining the club’s opening day roster. Instead, the final version will most likely be announced on Thursday morning, right before the first pitch at Camden Yards.
“I am disappointed,” he expressed. “I would not be truthful if I did not acknowledge that this thought had occurred to me before entering camp. I am well aware of the team’s current state. We have a plethora of talented players in this clubhouse. It’s a tricky situation. We have experienced players and emerging young talent. Making the roster is a challenge, but that’s the nature of the major leagues.”
A promising player who appears ready for the spotlight is Colton Cowser.
In order to guarantee a complete recovery from his elbow injury and prepare for a successful 2024 season, he and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to delay his offseason training by a month. He has not played in any games this spring, but stated that there is no pressure to return quickly. He hopes that when he does return, he will not have any physical limitations. It is probable that Means will make a comeback before Bradish if they both continue to improve as anticipated.
“We have high hopes for their return during the first half of the season,” stated Elias.
The Orioles have added some veteran experience to their roster by signing second baseman Kolten Wong and right-hander Julio Teheran to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. This move will provide valuable depth to the team’s camp.
Elias staying alert
Despite spending a significant amount of time being shuttled between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore, McKenna has been a crucial player for the Orioles for the last three seasons. Like many of his teammates, McKenna is out of options in the minor league this year. This means that if he does not make the opening day roster, the club would have to expose him to waivers and potentially lose him to another team.
Holliday is not the sole player who recorded impressive stats during the spring season, but he will begin the year in Triple-A.
Last year during the final day of spring training, the Orioles obtained an unknown relief pitcher through a monetary transaction with the Minnesota Twins.
On that day, it seemed insignificant when Rodriguez, who was still a prospect at the time, was sent back to the minor league camp in an unexpected decision. However, it turned out that Coulombe, originally a reliever, became one of the top left-handed pitchers in the MLB after joining the Orioles, and he excelled throughout the season.
“I departed from the team at the end of last year, but subsequently experienced negative outcomes,” he stated. “However, not being on the team at the beginning of this year does not necessarily equate to a poor season for me at the major league level.”
Elias complimented the rotation, stating that it looked nice.
Elias mentioned that it has been six weeks and the person in question has accomplished many goals. The situation is not finished yet and there is still a long rehabilitation process ahead. However, things have been progressing positively since the beginning of this training period. Now that a significant amount of time has passed and specific goals have been achieved, Elias is even more optimistic about the situation.
Wong and Teheran have the option to leave, if they choose.
The Baltimore Orioles’ match against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Grapefruit League on Friday evening was cancelled due to rain. They have three additional spring matches before heading back north.
He expressed his admiration for those individuals and wishes them all the best.
Assigning Holliday to the minor league camp indicates that the last spot on the roster will probably be filled by one of these players: Kolten Wong for second base, Tyler Nevin as a utility player, Nick Maton as an infielder, or Ryan McKenna as an outfielder.
“This is also the time period where there’s a lot of activity around the league and a lot going around externally, and it’s a big part of our jobs to monitor that,” he said. “We want to be in a position to stay nimble in this upcoming week before opening day as we see what opportunities present themselves outside the organization, too.”
On March 5 in Clearwater, Florida, Kyle Stowers of the Orioles stepped up to the plate against the Phillies. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Stowers staying ready
Stowers believes he improved his standing with the club this spring. Elias said it was a “close call and a tough decision” to send him back down to Triple-A, where he has nearly 800 career plate appearances. He said the determining factor for Stowers and Kjerstad, two left-handed hitters, was they didn’t fit the “player profiles” the Orioles were looking for out of a fifth outfielder to begin the year.
Several players, including Kyle Stowers, were sent to minor league camp, such as Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo, and Connor Norby. Stowers stood out during training with seven home runs in only 43 at-bats. Despite a difficult season in 2023, the 26-year-old showed significant improvement this spring.
It is not probable that Baltimore will acquire another talented player such as Coulombe in the next week. However, Elias is optimistic and actively searching for a player who is highly valued by the organization to become available.
The 24-year-old player in the outfield showed to be the top performer for the Orioles during spring training with an OPS of 1.174. Although Elias did not disclose the team’s lineup, it is probable that Cowser will start the season as the team’s fourth outfielder.
“It has been challenging for us to give him a consistent opportunity at the highest level of baseball, and for him to have one,” stated Elias. “We have high hopes for this player and see a promising future for him. It is not ideal for him to only be used as a pinch-hitter or sit on the bench. This factor is also taken into consideration. He will have a prolonged opportunity, and when he does, he will make the most out of it. All of these players’ time will come, and although we cannot predict when, it will happen this year.”
Means has barely pitched the past two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2022. He returned in September for the Orioles’ stretch run and pitched well, but an elbow flare-up before the American League Division Series kept him off the playoff roster.
The performances of starting pitchers Kyle Bradish and John Means may play a crucial role in the team’s achievements in 2024, as they recover from elbow injuries. Despite starting the season on the injured list, Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias is optimistic about their potential return in the near future.
Both players have the option to opt out if they do not make the Baltimore Orioles’ opening day roster. On Friday, Wong, who has won the Gold Glove award twice, expressed that he does not want to play in the minor leagues. A source revealed that Teheran, a previous All-Star, also plans to opt out if he is not selected for the club.
Cowser cautiously cruising
However, it proved insufficient.
Bradish, the top pitcher on the team in the previous season, is currently dealing with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. This injury is considered a partial tear and he received platelet-rich plasma injections to aid in his healing process. A complete tear of the UCL typically calls for Tommy John elbow surgery.
It was tough to witness the demotion of Stowers and Kjerstad, who are my close friends.
The pitcher initially started his spring training by lightly throwing from a distance of less than 60 feet, but he has since progressed to throwing bullpen sessions only using fastballs. Elias expressed optimism regarding Bradish’s elbow, stating that everything is looking up and he has more confidence now compared to six weeks ago.
Around the horn
The players officially chose to be excluded on Friday, allowing the Orioles a 48-hour window to decide whether to release them or place them on their active roster.
Stowers was initially included on the Orioles’ roster for their first game of the year, but was soon demoted. He returned to the majors and encountered significant challenges, ultimately sustaining a shoulder injury and a broken nose as a result of being hit by a pitch while in the minors.