More updates on a few pitchers in camp
Grapefruit League games are now more than a week old, and of the 31 pitchers the Orioles have with them in camp this spring, only a handful have yet to make an appearance. Some pitchers vying for a spot at the back end of the rotation have already made multiple appearances, and are even impressing as they go.
Yesterday in Fort Myers, Mike Wright made his second start (third appearance) of the spring. It was his first outing that lasted more than two innings, but he remained consistent and didn’t allow a run, bringing his spring totals up to seven innings now, without an earned run allowed. Yefry Ramirez made his third appearance as well, also pitching three innings for the first time. He allowed his second earned run of the spring, as Xander Bogaerts took him deep in the fourth inning.
Evan Phillips and Paul Fry each pitched yesterday afternoon, running their total appearances to three. Phillips, much like Wright, has yet to give up a run in his four innings of work and Fry has surrendered just one hit in his three innings on the mound. Josh Rogers is the only other pitcher who has three outings under his belt in the exhibition season, and he too has not allowed a run in five innings.
On the flip side and as I mentioned, there are still a few pitchers that haven’t toed the rubber yet. Richard Bleier is being eased back into things, as he continues his recovery from lat surgery last summer. According to MASN’s Roch Kubatko, Bleier has thrown live batting practice three times this spring, with the most recent session happening yesterday morning.
Non-roster invitee Gregory Infante still hasn’t reported to camp, as he’s been battling an undisclosed illness. Manager Brandon Hyde told Kubatko yesterday, “I haven’t heard anything new on that except he’s in the care of some U.S. doctors and I think we’re still doing tests on him to see if he’s responding and we can bring him over here.”
Dean Kremer, another non-roster invitee this spring has been sidelined with a strained left oblique and hasn’t pitched yet. “They did a test on him yesterday and it’s really positive,” Hyde told Kubatko on February 26. “It’s an oblique, so it’s a whole progression from there. Being fully healthy, some tests and then a throwing progression from there, so he’s still going to be a while.”
The newest pitcher in the organization, left-hander Josh Osich, threw a live batting practice session on Friday, according to Kubatko. Osich was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants back on February 19 and he is inching closer to making his first appearance of the spring.
Andrew Cashner starts today’s matchup against the Detroit Tigers in Sarasota. He’s thrown a few live batting practice sessions himself, but given there’s six other pitchers scheduled to throw behind him, expect to see him for only two innings today. Cashner could wind up breaking camp as the third started, behind Dylan Bundy and Alex Cobb and he’s aiming to improve on his disastrous 2018 campaign.
Signed to a two-year, $16M contract on February 15, 2018, Cashner’s first season in Baltimore was one to forget. Making a few trips to the Injured List, he finished his season with a 5.29 ERA – his worst full season ERA in his Major League career – and a 1.582 WHIP. However, his 0.6 WAR was still eighth best of all pitchers last season.
