2026 Season Thread

[UVA_Guy81]

Figured that it was time to make this thread since the offseason is now officially over.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Jordan Westburg has partial UCL tear in elbow and will join Jackson Holliday on injured list (updated) - MASN

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Orioles suffered another big loss before playing any games. Infielder Jordan Westburg has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He’s receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection today from Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. President of baseball...

www.masnsports.com

 

[skinz2winz]

Well, the bullpen did not look good today, 2/23/26 vs Atlanta. Actually, Akin, Peredes and Achen looked awful. Starting the season with Westburg on IL for probably the 1st half of the season and maybe all season if things don't work out, and Holliday on the IR for a bit, things are looking just like last year when we got off to a miserable start. Povich looked ok today giving up 1 hit, 1 walk and no runs.

I just feel like the O's are cursed for some strange reason. I also do not feel like Elias did a good enough job signing a front-end starter. Alonso or not, if this season goes sideways for ANY reason, Elias has to be gone, like long gone! With him pushing the buttons, it's just not working! Let's see what this first half holds.

And to add injury to insult, Mateo hits a grand slam! Go figures!

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Well, the bullpen did not look good today, 2/23/26 vs Atlanta. Actually, Akin, Peredes and Achen looked awful. Starting the season with Westburg on IL for probably the 1st half of the season and maybe all season if things don't work out, and Holliday on the IR for a bit, things are looking just like last year when we got off to a miserable start. Povich looked ok today giving up 1 hit, 1 walk and no runs.

I just feel like the O's are cursed for some strange reason. I also do not feel like Elias did a good enough job signing a front-end starter. Alonso or not, if this season goes sideways for ANY reason, Elias has to be gone, like long gone! With him pushing the buttons, it's just not working! Let's see what this first half holds.

And to add injury to insult, Mateo hits a grand slam! Go figures!

I don’t always read too much into the preseason. I’d rather them suck now and get it out of their systems when it doesn’t mean anything. But yes, the bullpen I feel like will be a cause for concern and there really wasn’t a lot done to address it I feel. And agree about the front line starter. It looks like he’d rather have depth than go all in for an ace. Wish he could’ve done both but it is what it is at this point.
What I hope doesn’t happen is the offense continues to struggle again, leaving off where they’ve been the previous season and a half. What would’ve been the top of the lineup guys out for at least a month or more could put a damper on things in a hurry if others aren’t able to step up.
Elias has to be on the hot seat and if they waste yet another year of a lot of these guys in their prime, Rubenstein has to make changes by letting him go.

 

[skinz2winz]

Now Basallo hurt. This is just too much. Not sure the extent but awkward tag at the plate. Appears to be an arm or shoulder.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Now Basallo hurt. This is just too much. Not sure the extent but awkward tag at the plate. Appears to be an arm or shoulder.

Yeah, hopefully it's just something precautionary and resting him for a few days. Last thing they need is another starter going down before the season even starts.

 

[skinz2winz]

Yeah, hopefully it's just something precautionary and resting him for a few days. Last thing they need is another starter going down before the season even starts.

Looks like he played this weekend so good to go.

 

[skinz2winz]

Baz looked pedestrian today, 3/4. A few too many walks as well. Knocking off the rust I presume.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

The injury bug continues to plague the team as it looks like Kittridge is iffy to be available on opening day.

 

[skinz2winz]

Trying to feel good about our pitching but just cannot seem to convince myself, lol. The bullpen looks shaky at best.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

Trying to feel good about our pitching but just cannot seem to convince myself, lol. The bullpen looks shaky at best.

For example, maybe Povich need to be converted to an "intentional relay team member" role (i.e. neither a short reliever, nor a long reliever in the traditional "emergency innings eater" sense, but rather someone who would be asked to pitch for 2-3 innings per outing on a regular basis)? At this point it's hard to see him holding down a #5 starter spot at the major league level-- and with the current configuration of the 2026 Orioles, he shouldn't have to anyway except in the event of injury to other starters...

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Trying to feel good about our pitching but just cannot seem to convince myself, lol. The bullpen looks shaky at best.

The good news about the bullpen is that you can always add arms at the deadline.

They definitely think a lot of Akin and as @hattersgonnahate said above me, it seems that Povich could be someone they put back in Akin’s old role where he originally found success.

I also think they like Tyler Wells quite a bit, and he can be deployed as a multi-inning reliever as well, and has the stuff to pitch in high leverage.

I’d like a little more “proven” ability for the 7-8 innings though. Rest days can catch up to you quickly in May and June with April rainouts.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

The good news about the bullpen is that you can always add arms at the deadline.

They definitely think a lot of Akin and as @hattersgonnahate said above me, it seems that Povich could be someone they put back in Akin’s old role where he originally found success.

I also think they like Tyler Wells quite a bit, and he can be deployed as a multi-inning reliever as well, and has the stuff to pitch in high leverage.

I’d like a little more “proven” ability for the 7-8 innings though. Rest days can catch up to you quickly in May and June with April rainouts.

My issues are that I wonder who would fill the closer role if Helsley ends up being another Kimbrell or gets hurt for an extended period of time. I'd try Wells there since he's a guy that can go a couple of innings and has that bulldog mentality.
I'm still surprised we didn't sign Coulombe since he was a free agent for so long. He did good last year when he was pitching and it there is no such thing as having too many pitchers.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

The fact that Cade Povich was optioned to AAA on 3/15 followed by Dean Kremer on 3/21 (!) is interesting and suggests the following:

• Eflin probably beat out Kremer for the #5 starter spot on the Opening Day roster, and they're comfortable about a rotation of Rogers - Bradish - Baz - Bassitt - Eflin; and
  
  
• The fact that Kremer wasn't simply moved to the bullpen (despite the multiple question marks there) makes you wonder if the Orioles organization is trying to use him for a "Norfolk shuttle" role? (This makes some sense, since doing so would allow them to avoid having to DFA other guys with no options remaining, and thus risk the possibility that they could be claimed by other organizations.)

And in related news:

• With Grayson Rodriguez possibly being injured again, the Orioles' decision to trade him for Taylor Ward during the 2025-26 offseason might actually be the right call after all (although you have to wonder if Rodriguez's major league career might unfortunately be over)...
  
  
• Despite the uncertainty about this team's pitching, Fangraphs is still currently projecting the Orioles to be the 4th place team in the AL East (but also AL Wild Card #3)...

 

[UVA_Guy81]

The fact that Cade Povich was optioned to AAA on 3/15 followed by Dean Kremer on 3/21 (!) is interesting and suggests the following:

• Eflin probably beat out Kremer for the #5 starter spot on the Opening Day roster, and they're comfortable about a rotation of Rogers - Bradish - Baz - Bassitt - Eflin; and
  
  
• The fact that Kremer wasn't simply moved to the bullpen (despite the multiple question marks there) makes you wonder if the Orioles organization is trying to use him for a "Norfolk shuttle" role? (This makes some sense, since doing so would allow them to avoid having to DFA other guys with no options remaining, and thus risk the possibility that they could be claimed by other organizations.)

And in related news:

• With Grayson Rodriguez possibly being injured again, the Orioles' decision to trade him for Taylor Ward during the 2025-26 offseason might actually be the right call after all (although you have to wonder if Rodriguez's major league career might unfortunately be over)...
  
  
• Despite the uncertainty about this team's pitching, Fangraphs is still currently projecting the Orioles to be the 4th place team in the AL East (but also AL Wild Card #3)...

I think the consensus opinion was that they were figuring Efflin was starting on the IL and Kremer was going to take that final spot in the rotation. With Efflin being able to go, there was really no use for Kremer since they weren't going to do the six man rotation some people have been talking about. Also, I'm figuring that Wells has locked down the long reliever role for the time being. Him, Suarez and Povich I think are on that Norfolk shuttle in case guys go down.
Sucks about Greyson. But it looked like he really couldn't get that velocity back from a few years ago. It's unfortunate because I think he was starting to figure things out but just couldn't stay healthy. Still a lot of time to see if he's able to bounce back or he's just a guy made of glass that just never lives up to his potential.
I think fourth place sounds fair. I think there's a lot of questions about the bullpen and how's the offense going to fare with Westburg and Holliday out for the first few weeks (at minimum) to start the season. Also, I'm not exactly sold on the outfield defense either if the starting three will be Ward, Cowser and O'Neill.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

The fact that Cade Povich was optioned to AAA on 3/15 followed by Dean Kremer on 3/21 (!) is interesting and suggests the following:

• Eflin probably beat out Kremer for the #5 starter spot on the Opening Day roster, and they're comfortable about a rotation of Rogers - Bradish - Baz - Bassitt - Eflin; and
  
  
• The fact that Kremer wasn't simply moved to the bullpen (despite the multiple question marks there) makes you wonder if the Orioles organization is trying to use him for a "Norfolk shuttle" role? (This makes some sense, since doing so would allow them to avoid having to DFA other guys with no options remaining, and thus risk the possibility that they could be claimed by other organizations.)

And in related news:

• With Grayson Rodriguez possibly being injured again, the Orioles' decision to trade him for Taylor Ward during the 2025-26 offseason might actually be the right call after all (although you have to wonder if Rodriguez's major league career might unfortunately be over)...
  
  
• Despite the uncertainty about this team's pitching, Fangraphs is still currently projecting the Orioles to be the 4th place team in the AL East (but also AL Wild Card #3)...

In regards to Kremer/Eflin, they may not really need the fifth starter until after the weekend of April 11th, so it makes sense to send Kremer to the minors and continue to build up as a starter. The players with options are Bradish, Baz and Kremer……..so there is your process of elimination. There will ALWAYS be injuries, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kremer come back up as a #6 starter over the summer to try and manage the workload of some of these guys. Bradish and Eflin are coming back from injuries. Baz is younger and fought some injuries of his own. Bassitt is older but still a workhorse.

I feel bad for Grayson Rodriguez, and I still don’t think his value was one year of Taylor Ward who is 30 years old, but I don’t think you can continue to baby pitching prospects. We did that with Hall and Rodriguez, and the major league returns so far on both are pretty slim.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

This is my first time not going to Opening Day (minus 2020) since I got season tickets in 2014. It’s oddly freeing.

Not sure how many of you heard that they went to 2.5 hours before first pitch gate openings Monday-Thursday for batting practice. That was one of my gripes coming out of Covid was the gate times being one hour. I would rather get there early, or right before first pitch, over sitting in traffic. The other gripe was with changing their season ticket packages, and NOT being able to take the sellback credit until next year……..when there is conveniently a lockout looming.

Even though I made it clear to my old rep and a retention rep……..still getting phone calls. Got one yesterday from a guy reading a script, sounded like he was leaning back in his chair reading it too. Still trying to get me in for OD.

First game will be April 11th, and then after that……..who knows?

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Don’t want to overreact to the first game, but man, if we figured out Trevor Rogers……….

Also, the Marlins pitching factory under Kim Ng has been something else. Too bad she’s not there anymore.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

 

[ThomasTomasz]