Spring Training Primer: Cashner's smooth debut; Harvey starts again; Hart's battle - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Spring Training

Spring Training Primer: Cashner’s smooth debut; Harvey starts again; Hart’s battle

What’s happening? – Dylan Bundy and Mike Wright will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton today. Manager Buck Showalter hopes that Bundy and Wright will combine to pitch the entire game.

First baseman Chris Davis had a cortisone shot in his sore right elbow Saturday. Showalter hopes that Davis, who has been out since March 3, will return this week.

“There’s no need to rush,” Davis said. “There was no point in trying to fight through it and go out there and play and get at-bats just to have to deal with this for the next six or seven months.”

Outfielder Mark Trumbo is still out with a sore right quad, but he hopes to play in a few days.

Gabriel Ynoa will be out with shin splints for two-to-four weeks. The right-hander wasn’t expected to be a real factor in the fifth-starter competition, but the injury effectively ends his spring training.

Outfielder Austin Hays expects to play the outfield for the first time Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Fla. He was restricted to DH duties in his first four games due to a right shoulder issue.

The roster stands at 48, and Showalter may make a few more cuts today.

What’s happened? – Andrew Cashner threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit in his first Grapefruit League start. Cashner walked three and struck out two. He was the first Orioles starter to pitch four innings in the Orioles’ 4-0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.

“I think for me it’s more about pitch execution than results,” Cashner said. “I mean, the results are always nice. I’m more interested in what I’m executing and when I’m not. There are some things I need to work on, but overall, any time you have zeroes, you can never be mad.”

Showalter was happy with Cashner’s outing.

“That was about as good as you could have hoped,” Showalter said. “He got to use all his pitches, saw a good lineup.”

** Hunter Harvey allowed two runs, one unearned, in three innings as the Orioles beat Boston 7-3 in Fort Myers, Fla., in the first half of their split-squad games Sunday.

Five Orioles pitching prospects threw scoreless innings against the Red Sox.

Keegan Akin, a second-round selection in the 2016 draft, threw a perfect fifth.

Akin retired J.D. Martinez on a ground ball, struck out Xander Bogaerts and retired Rafael Devers on a comebacker.

** The Orioles have signed their 28 pre-arbitration eligible players to one-year contracts, including Bundy, Wright, Richard Bleier, Mychal Givens and Trey Mancini. These are basically procedural moves.

What’s up with? – Donnie Hart. In five innings this spring, the left-hander has allowed two runs on six hits.

Hart is jockeying for a spot on the team with two non-roster left-handers, Josh Edgin and Joely Rodriguez, who have combined to throw 8 1/3 scoreless innings.

“Every time you go out there, you’re trying to make the team,” Hart said. “I did the same thing last year. Nothing’s guaranteed if you have options.”

Hart began his Orioles career strongly in late 2016, when he was recalled from Double-A Bowie, but had a rockier 2017 that included two trips to Triple-A.

What’s what? – The Orioles’ under-the-radar pitcher of the spring is James Teague, who was a 37th round pick in the 2016 draft. Teague pitched a snappy 1-2-3 ninth and has now thrown 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He’s given up just one hit, struck out four and hasn’t walked any.

What’s the word? – “They’re gone. They don’t exist much anymore and when those (current) guys leave there won’t be guys to replace them. It’s not a skill set that’s easily found.” – Buck Showalter on the difficulty of finding a reliable leadoff hitter.

What’s the number? – 5. That’s how many catchers who’ve homered this spring for the Orioles. Caleb Joseph, who’s been productive, hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning Sunday.

He joins Audry Perez, Chance Sisco, Andrew Susac and Austin Wynns, who each homered in previous games.

What’s the record? — 9-8-1. It’s the first time this spring the Orioles have been above .500. They play Pittsburgh at LECOM Field in Bradenton, Fla., at 1:05 p.m. today.

RAVENS NEWS from BaltimoreSports.com

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