Orioles GM Mike Elias made plenty of bulletins because the membership begins to finalize its Opening Day roster plans, as relayed by a number of reporters together with Wealthy Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball.
Most notable amongst these bulletins is the truth that star shortstop Gunnar Henderson will open the season on the 10-day injured record. Moreover, Elias introduced that southpaw Cade Povich will function the membership’s fifth starter to open the season, with veteran journeyman Albert Suarez serving in a bullpen position.
The information relating to Henderson is a tricky blow, given the star teen is coming off an otherworldly 2024 marketing campaign the place he completed fourth in a stacked AL MVP class. A .281/.364/.529 (155 wRC+) hitter in 159 video games final 12 months, Henderson paired that glorious offense with 21 stolen bases and stable protection at shortstop en path to a 8.0 fWAR/9.1 bWAR marketing campaign.
Along with his twenty fourth birthday nonetheless three months away, followers in Baltimore and round MLB have been wanting ahead to seeing how Henderson will construct on his breakout marketing campaign final 12 months, although that may now be placed on the backburner for not less than the time being.
Happily, Elias indicated to reporters that the membership stays hopeful that his absence, which is because of an intercostal pressure that has sidelined him for a lot of spring coaching, must be a comparatively brief one. Henderson will miss not less than seven days, as he’ll must be positioned on the 10-day injured record on Opening Day which could be backdated solely a most of three days, however Elias’s feedback appear to counsel that the membership expects he received’t miss far more than that minimal time.
For the time Henderson is out of motion, the Orioles might look to Jackson Holliday at shortstop, thereby opening up second base for Ramon Urias.
Another choice may very well be utility man Jorge Mateo, who has spent the spring restoration from elbow surgical procedure. Orioles brass have beforehand solid doubt on his potential to be prepared for Opening Day, however Elias famous this morning that the golf equipment just isn’t ruling the potential for Mateo breaking camp with the membership out totally. Mateo has expertise everywhere in the diamond however has performed the overwhelming majority of his time within the majors at shortstop, which might make him a comparatively seamless alternative for Henderson within the early days of the season if wholesome.
After all, Mateo can’t provide anyplace close to the offensive explosiveness that Henderson offers, having hit simply .229/.267/.401 in 68 video games final 12 months.
In the meantime, Elias additionally introduced that the membership’s fifth starter scenario has been settled. The lefty Povich will be part of right-handers Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer and Zach Eflin within the rotation to start the 12 months, with Suarez ticketed for the lengthy reduction position he opened the 2024 marketing campaign in earlier than ultimately being pushed right into a rotation job by accidents.
It’s an thrilling alternative for the quickly to be 25-year-old Povich, who debuted with the Orioles final 12 months and made 16 begins, although he struggled to a 5.20 ERA with a 4.79 FIP in 79 2/3 innings of labor. He’s regarded fairly good in spring coaching, nonetheless, with a 3.07 ERA in 4 begins all through camp, and can look to hold that momentum ahead into the common season.
Povich’s time within the rotation figures to final solely so long as Grayson Rodriguez’s absence on account of elbow irritation. The 25-year-old righty seems to be making progress in his return from the problem, although Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner cautions that Rodriguez is beginning “close to sq. zero” in his buildup in the direction of sport motion.
That might counsel the righty will want roughly a full spring workload earlier than he can return to the rotation even after making two begins earlier in camp, which appears probably to provide Povich not less than 4 or 5 turns by the rotation earlier than Rodriguez can be nearing a return, if not longer.
