SARASOTA–What’s happening? Grayson Rodriguez, who threw 33 pitches and was removed after 1 1/3 innings in his start Wednesday against Minnesota in Fort Myers, was diagnosed with right triceps soreness. Manager Brandon Hyde said he’d have more information on Friday.

Reliever Andrew Kittredge has had imaging on his sore left knee, and Hyde said he’d have an update on Friday.

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill was scratched from Thursday’s lineup with right rib-cage soreness.

“We’re not concerned about it,” Hyde said about the Orioles’ latest injury. Besides Rodriguez and Kittredge, shortstop Gunnar Henderson is out with an intercostal strain on his right side and third baseman Jordan Westburg missed time with back spasms.

“I’m just going to give him a couple of days,” Hyde said about O’Neill. “He went and get treatment. I’m going to give him off [Friday] and hoping he’s in there for the home game in two days.”

Dean Kremer will start for the Orioles against the Detroit Tigers’ Keider Montero on Friday at 6:05 p.m. at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. Kremer has allowed two runs on four hits in five innings in two Grapefruit League appearances. He’s struck out five and walked three.

Charlie Morton will starts on Saturday when the Orioles host Tampa Bay. Zack Littell will start for the Rays. Tomoyuki Sugano will start for the Orioles against Minnesota in Sarasota on Sunday in half of a split-squad. The other half of the team will play in Clearwater against Philadelphia.

What’s happened? Zach Eflin allowed three runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings, walking two without a strikeout in the Orioles’ 9-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates before 6,390 at Ed Smith Stadium on Thursday night.

Eflin, who threw 52 pitches, said he thought his stuff was good. “Command could be a little better, trying to sync up my mechanics a little bit. That’s what spring is for, just getting out there and getting repetition and getting work in. I would have been more encouraged if I didn’t walk anybody, but that’s just me being stubborn. I felt like I had command of the ball pretty decently. I threw some good offspeed pitches, got some weak contact, got some work in.”

After three weeks of early mornings, this was the Orioles’ first night game of the season.

“Getting here some early is just a waiting game. We’re accustomed to both day games and night games. It’s what we’re paid for. Moreso not having done a night game in more than [five] months. Getting under the lights is cool and getting a buzz around the stadium.”

Westburg was 0-for-3 in his first game since February 22^nd.

Ryan O’Hearn and Luis Vázquez each drove in two runs. Ramón Urías doubled and scored. He’s 4-for-12 (.333). Urías is hoping that Henderson won’t be out long.

“We hopefully have Gunnar, right?” Urías said. “We all know how good he is for the team. Hopefully ,he’s ready for the start of the season.”

Urías detects a change in the team’s mental approach after two straight early exits in the playoffs.

“Hungrier,” he said. “I think we fell short the last couple of years and everybody has that on their mind. We’re just anxious to start the season.”

The Orioles faced reigning National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes for the second time in five days. He allowed two runs on four hits in three innings.

“You always want to see the best in spring training so you get ready for those during the season,” Urías said. “He has stuff, really good stuff. Everything moves a lot. I just happened to get a double.”

Liover Peguero homered in the eighth against Luis González. Non-roster reliever Rodolfo Martinez gave up three runs in the ninth..

What’s up with? Adam Jones was elected to the Orioles’ Hall of Fame, the team announced on Thursday. Jones, who’s finishing a stint as a guest instructor, is a special adviser to executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and a community ambassador.

Jones joins J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis as players from the last decade’s playoff teams to be elected. He thinks there should be more. Jones believes relievers Zack Britton, Jim Johnson, first baseman Chris Davis, catcher Matt Wieters and longtime manager Buck Showalter deserve to be in.

Those teams never advanced past the American League Championship Series.

“All you want to do is put yourself in the dance,” Jones said about this year’s Orioles. “Once it starts, it’s tough. You’ve got to do all the little things, whatever, scratch and claw to win. This team has gotten the taste of it. I think they’ve got the taste of some blood.

“You can see by spring training, they’re a little more focused. They’re putting their work in, getting their work in. It comes with maturation. You’re a year older. That’s why we’re around, to try to help them mitigate that, help them in any way we can, give them any resources we can.

“Once you get to the playoffs, all bets are off. You’ve got to figure it out, somehow, some way. That’s why this sport is not easy. It looks easy on TV. It’s hard. It’s hard for a reason.”

What’s what? It will be interesting to see if Kittredge is out for an extended period if the Orioles seek to sign another reliever. The best remaining free agent on the market is David Robertson, who’ll turn 40 on April 9^th.

Robertson, who has 177 saves for eight teams in a 16-year career, does not have an agent and represents himself.

What’s the word? “Pretty humbling, pretty cool. Obviously, still in the process, but that’s pretty badass to be in a professional organization’s Hall of Fame that has such prestige as the Orioles does.”-Jones on his election to the Orioles’ Hall of Fame.

What’s the number? 0-4. The Orioles have lost all four games they’ve played against the Pirates. They have three more against them, all at Bradenton. The next one is Monday night.

What’s the record? 5-5-1. The Orioles will play the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at 6:05 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Send yours to [email protected].