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Trevor Rogers Trevor Rogers Named Opening Day starter
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 10:56 AM
The Orioles have named Rogers their Opening Day starter.
Analysis: Rogers will face the Twins and presumably Joe Ryan on March 26. After struggling following his midseason trade to the Orioles from the Marlins in the summer of 2024, Rogers was great across 18 starts last season, posting a 9-3 record, 1.81 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 103:29 K:BB across 109.2 innings. It will obviously be difficult for Rogers to replicate those numbers, but he's more than earned the nod for Opening Day. |
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Ryan Mountcastle Ryan Mountcastle Set to return Saturday
Fri, Mar 13, 2026, 7:39 AM
Mountcastle said Friday that his right hand is "all good" and that he should return to the Grapefruit League lineup Saturday against the Pirates, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The veteran first baseman departed Wednesday's contest after being hit by a pitch on the hand, but he quickly had X-Rays come back negative and should rejoin the lineup after a couple days off. Mountcastle was limited to 89 games last season due to a hamstring strain and struggled to a .653 OPS when available. He's looking like the odd man out of Baltimore's lineup in 2026 after the club signed Pete Alonso to take over at first base. |
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Taylor Ward Taylor Ward Crushes first spring homer
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 10:05 PM
Ward went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.
Analysis: It was the first homer of the spring for the 32-year-old, who's slashing a strong .250/.400/.500 with three doubles, six walks and one stolen base across 30 plate appearances covering 10 Grapefruit League contests. After coming over from the Angels in an offseason trade for Grayson Rodriguez, Ward is preparing to be Baltimore's everyday left fielder in 2026. Last regular season, Ward slashed .228/.317/.475 and set career highs in homers (36), RBI (103) and runs scored (86) over 663 plate appearances for the Angels. |
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Ryan Mountcastle Ryan Mountcastle X-rays on hand are negative
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 3:23 PM
Mountcastle is day-to-day after X-rays on his right hand came back negative, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Analysis: Mountcastle was pulled from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates when he was plunked by a pitch, but he's managed to avoid a fracture. The Orioles are idle Thursday, so he could be back in action as soon as Friday. Mountcastle is facing uncertain playing time this season, as he's down the Orioles' depth chart both at first base and designated hitter. |
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Ryan Noda Ryan Noda Misses out on Opening Day roster
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 3:09 PM
The Orioles reassigned Noda to Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Analysis: The Orioles are well stocked on first-base and corner-outfield bats at the big-league level, so Noda never stood much of a chance at winning an Opening Day roster spot. The 29-year-old should get the opportunity to play regularly at Triple-A Norfolk this season, but his standing as a non-40-man-roster player may be a hindrance in him receiving a call-up to the majors at any point. |
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Will Robertson Will Robertson Sent out to minor-league camp
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 3:06 PM
The Orioles reassigned Robertson to minor-league camp Wednesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Analysis: Robertson logged 75 plate appearances in the big leagues last season between stops with the Blue Jays and White Sox, but after being claimed off waivers by the Orioles over the winter and later outrighted off the 40-man roster, he never appeared to be a strong candidate to break camp with Baltimore. He's slated to serve as organizational outfield depth at Triple-A Norfolk in 2026. |
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Josh Walker Josh Walker Denied Opening Day roster spot
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 3:03 PM
The Orioles reassigned Walker to minor-league camp Wednesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Analysis: After being outrighted off the Orioles' 40-man roster in January, Walker always appeared to be a long shot to win a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. He's expected to begin the season at Triple-A Norfolk and will likely need to deliver impressive results before potentially resurfacing in the big leagues. |
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Ryan Mountcastle Ryan Mountcastle Exits after HBP
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 2:32 PM
Mountcastle was removed from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates in the eighth inning after being hit in the right hand by a pitch, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Analysis: The severity of Mountcastle's injury isn't yet known, but the Orioles will presumably send him in for an X-ray to confirm whether he suffered a fracture. Though Mountcastle looked like a potential non-tender or trade candidate this offseason, he'll remain with the Orioles for 2026 after signing a one-year, $6.79 million deal to avoid arbitration. However, Mountcastle could struggle to find regular playing time after the Orioles brought in Pete Alonso on a massive long-term deal over the winter to take over as their everyday first baseman. |
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Coby Mayo Coby Mayo Piling up hits in Grapefruit League
Mon, Mar 9, 2026, 10:04 PM
Mayo went 1-for-3 with a single in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals and is now 9-for-22 with five RBI this spring.
Analysis: Mayo is raking during spring training, hitting safely in six of his nine Grapefruit League outings to go with a trio of doubles and multi-hit games overall. Jordan Westburg (elbow) isn't expected to make his season debut until May at the earliest, leaving the door open for Mayo to begin the year as Baltimore's top third baseman. Mayo, a former top prospect, is looking to find some footing in the major leagues in 2026 after slashing .201/.285/.349 with 11 homers, 12 doubles and 28 RBI over his first 340 career plate appearances. |
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Jhonkensy Noel Jhonkensy Noel Checks back into spring lineup
Mon, Mar 9, 2026, 12:13 PM
Noel (thumb) will start in right field and bat fifth in Monday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta.
Analysis: Noel was lifted late in Friday's 10-2 loss to the Cardinals after being struck on the right thumb by a pitch, but he was back in action two days later in the Orioles' 1-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday, when he went 1-for-1 while playing two innings at first base. His ability to play the outfield Monday seemingly confirms that the thumb is no longer a concern. Noel is taking part in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee and is on the outside looking in for a spot on the Orioles' Opening Day roster. |
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Anthony Nunez Anthony Nunez Sent to minor-league camp
Sun, Mar 8, 2026, 4:43 PM
Nunez was optioned to the Orioles' minor-league camp Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Analysis: Nunez appeared in five games with Baltimore during spring training, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing three hits and striking out six batters over five innings. The right-handed pitcher will now likely open the season with Triple-A Norfolk, and he'll look to impress in an attempt to get a shot with the major-league roster this season. |
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Jhonkensy Noel Jhonkensy Noel Downplays thumb injury
Sat, Mar 7, 2026, 8:22 AM
Noel left Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals after being hit by a pitch on the right thumb in the ninth inning, but he told Jake Rill of MLB.com on Saturday that he would have stayed in had it been the regular season.
Analysis: The 24-year-old slugger is off the 40-man roster after being outrighted in January but remains in big-league camp for the time being. Noel is 4-for-11 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts in eight games so far this spring. While his power is immense, Noel will likely need to show improvement with his contact rate before being seriously considered for an in-season promotion. |
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Jackson Holliday Jackson Holliday Nearing return to batting practice
Sat, Mar 7, 2026, 8:09 AM
Holliday (hand) hit 40 balls off a tee Saturday, using both hands to swing, and said afterward that he expects to take batting practice within the next week, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Holliday just resumed swinging a bat this week and was initially restricted to one-handed swings in an effort to protect his surgically repaired right hand. He's now swinging with both hands and seems to be making good progress from his Feb. 12 procedure. The 22-year-old is expected to miss the start of the 2026 season but does not appear in line for a lengthy absence. |
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Brandon Young Brandon Young Optioned to minor-league camp
Sat, Mar 7, 2026, 7:53 AM
The Orioles optioned Young to minor-league camp Saturday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Analysis: Young made 12 starts for Baltimore last season, pitching to an unsightly 6.24 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 57.2 innings. He was always a long shot to break camp given the Orioles' pitching additions over the offseason. The right-hander will presumably stay stretched out as starting depth at Triple-A Norfolk. |
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Ryan Helsley Ryan Helsley To be used only in save situations
Fri, Mar 6, 2026, 3:44 PM
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Friday that he plans to use Helsley strictly in ninth-inning save situations this season, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Analysis: There will be some instances when Helsley will be required to pitch in non-save situations, but Albernaz views the righty as a "one-inning guy" rather than someone who could come into games earlier for more than three outs. While it will result in a lighter workload for Helsley, it's probably the best thing for his fantasy outlook. |
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Zach Eflin Zach Eflin Rise in velocity in spring debut
Thu, Mar 5, 2026, 10:32 PM
Eflin (back) allowed one hit and one walk in two scoreless innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays. He struck out three.
Analysis: It was an impressive outing by Eflin, who made his first appearance in game action since undergoing back surgery last year. The 31-year-old right-hander even showcased some increased velocity, with his fastball topping out at 94 mph. If all continues to go smoothly during spring training, Eflin remains on track to dodge the injured list and be part of Baltimore's Opening Day rotation to begin 2026, per Jake Rill of MLB.com. |
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Tyler Wells Tyler Wells Slated for bullpen role
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 9:01 AM
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz confirmed Wednesday that Wells will be used as a reliever at the beginning of the season, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: President of baseball operations Mike Elias said as camp opened that Wells would be built up as a starting pitcher, but since then the club tipped its hand in regards to Wells' role by using the righty in one-inning stints. Wells has looked sharp in Grapefruit League action, yielding just one hit with a 5:0 K:BB over three scoreless frames. He could be ticketed for a high-leverage bullpen role from the right side while Andrew Kittredge (shoulder) is out. |
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Andrew Kittredge Andrew Kittredge Headed for IL with shoulder issue
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 8:56 AM
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Wednesday that Kittredge is battling right shoulder inflammation and is "a low probability" to be ready for Opening Day, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Kittredge struggled in his lone Grapefruit League appearance last week and now it's clear why he hasn't pitched since. While he appears to have avoided structural damage in his shoulder, it's unclear at this point how long the setup man might be shelved. |
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Jackson Holliday Jackson Holliday Taking swings Thursday
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 8:16 AM
Holliday (hand) will begin swinging a bat Thursday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Analysis: Holliday has been restricted to one-handed swings to protect his surgically repaired right hand, but he's now been cleared to resume swinging with both hands. He also began throwing last week. Holliday will begin the season on the 10-day injured list, but all signs point to a brief absence as long as his recovery continues at its current trajectory. |
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Felix Bautista Felix Bautista Resumes throwing
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 7:56 AM
Bautista (shoulder) threw a baseball Tuesday for the first time since undergoing surgery last August, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Analysis: The right-hander made 25 throws on flat ground from about 45 feet, clearing his first major hurdle. He said afterward that his arm feels good and that he's still hoping to pitch later this season. Bautista will be cutting it close, as the procedure to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff typically carries a 12-month recovery timetable. |
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