Ahead of Friday’s spring training game against the Phillies, the Orioles delivered some news: Trevor Rogers is going to be the Opening Day starting pitcher.
Though we had some spring weather in Birdland home territory over in the week, things have headed in a colder direction today, so it’s nice that this game will be on MASN and you can watch some Orioles baseball happening in a warmer place. Tough luck for the announcers who are calling the game from Baltimore. That’s the way it goes. At least most games are getting broadcast this year, unlike the mess of recent years. No luck for you if you only have radio available, alas.
Orioles lineup
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Enrique Bradfield Jr. – CF
Cade Povich is the starting pitcher for this game. Pitchers who are expected to follow him are Yennier Cano, Jackson Kowar, Tyler Wells, and Grant Wolfram. They may not appear in alphabetical order by last name.
Although Opening Day is only 13 days away at this point, this lineup still strongly has “spring training road game” vibes. I guess those won’t start to be shaken for a few more days yet. Looking at the batters and starting pitcher, it’s quite possible that only two of these guys are in the Opening Day lineup and I would say at most three of them will even make the roster.
Alonso and Basallo are obvious. I don’t think Kjerstad and Taveras could both make it. I don’t think any of those other guys will make it. The set of relievers, at least, is likely to make up the Opening Day bullpen. Cano, Wells, and Wolfram seem like locks, and Kowar is a strong probable as long as the Orioles don’t have six starting pitchers on the roster.
Note that, while Ryan Mountcastle is not in this starting lineup after taking a ball off the hand in the last game, this was a scheduled day off for him and he said he will be ready to resume play tomorrow. That injury situation does not look like it is one that will affect the Opening Day roster composition.
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