Dominant Pitching and Timely Hitting Propel Orioles to Victory

The Baltimore Orioles recovered from a bumpy start from Grayson Rodriguez, thanks to Albert Suarez and the rest of the bullpen. Young hitters Adley Rutschman and Heston Kjerstad each had a pair of hits, and other veteran players on the bubble got the Birds over the line.

Grayson Rodriguez Struggles Early

Grayson Rodriguez did not have his best command on the day, he gave up 3 hits and a run in 1.1 innings of work. His velocity was down, averaging 93 mph on his fastball, and ending his day hovering around 89 mph.

Grayson said after the game that he wasn’t trying to throw as hard early in Spring, but also admitted that he felt “sluggish” during his start. Velocity is not that important during this part of camp, but it will be worth watching over the next few weeks. O’s fans can’t wait to see Grayson Rodriguez Gas Em’ Up in 2025.

Suarez and the Bullpen Take Care of Business

The Twins could not get much offense going after the first inning. Albert Suarez threw 3.2 innings of 1 run ball with a pair of strikeouts and 10 swing and misses. This is encouraging for Suarez’s chances of making the big league roster after his 2 previous appearances were lackluster. Bullpen vets Keegan Akin and Bryan Baker each threw a scoreless inning.

Young Stars Grab Lead Early, Veterans Finish With A Flourish

The baby birds had a good showing in the third as Colton Cowser had an RBI hit to drive in Adley Rutschman. Heston Kjerstad and Rutschman each had 2 singles, continuing their impressive springs. Emmanuel Rivera charged into a fastball and launched it 417 feet over the center field wall, his second so far this Spring. Livan Soto had 3 hits today, scoring twice thanks to Adley and Kjerstad. Vimael Machin got another hit and is currently batting .533 AVG. It’s always fun to see an unknown player show up and play well when given an opportunity,

Orioles’ “Hopeful” Gunnar will be ready for Opening Day, and Other Injury News

Gunnar Henderson has been out most of camp with a rib strain. Manager Brandon Hyde was optimistic about his recovery, but did not guarantee that Gunnar will be back in time for the start of the regular season. This type of injury usually take a few weeks to fully recover from, and there is no reason to push the timetable faster than usual. Jordan Westburg is still out with back soreness, and he blamed it on a soft mattress he slept on during camp, according to the Baltimore Banner.

Westburg will be back some with plenty of time to ramp up. There was also no indication that Grayson Rodriguez had any kind of injury after questions about his velocity.

Today was a good win for Birdland, so long as Gunnar Henderson is back soon.

Key Takeaways: What’s Next for the Orioles?

• Pitching Concerns: Rodriguez’s velocity will be closely monitored in his upcoming starts.

• Bullpen Depth: Suarez’s rebound performance, along with solid outings from Akin and Baker, bolsters the bullpen's depth.

• Emerging Talent: Rutschman and Kjerstad's strong showings align with the Orioles' focus on developing young stars, as highlighted in the Spring Training Week 1 Recap.

The Orioles continue their spring training schedule with more opportunities for young players to make their case for a roster spot.