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Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Roster: What We Know

By Arrick Joel |
Mar 20, 2021; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles celebrate after beating the New York Yankees 2-1 during spring training at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2021; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles celebrate after beating the New York Yankees 2-1 during spring training at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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The Baltimore Orioles Opening Day roster is slowly becoming clearer as reports continue to be released

As April 1st approaches, the Baltimore Orioles 26-man active roster for Opening Day has grown clearer, particularly over the past few days. This offseason, the team has completed trades, signed free agents, claimed players off the waiver wire, and lost players to waivers as well. Although they’re not projected to win many games, the roster shakeup has created an exciting new group of players for the Orioles to roll with this season.

Now well into their rebuild and sporting a top 5 farm system in Major League Baseball, the Orioles have a unique opportunity to field a heavily youth-skewed roster and allow their Major-League-ready prospects to grow and develop at the highest level without facing the scrutiny of under-performing on a team that is trying to win.

With Baltimore’s 2021 Grapefruit League season having ended with an 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, the Orioles are now tasked with condensing their Major League roster down to 26 players, whether that be through optioning players, designating players who are out of options for assignment, or trading them away. The Orioles have already taken several steps towards this goal. Nonetheless, a few decisions still remain unsettled.

The team likely will not officially announce their entire roster until Thursday morning, prior to their regular season opener at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. However, reports from around the Orioles have made portions of what the roster could look like a little more clear, namely the team’s starting pitching rotation.

Here’s what we know about the Orioles’ starting rotation to begin the season:

Over the weekend, Roch Kubatko of MASN reported on Twitter who the five pitchers to earn jobs in the Orioles’ starting rotation for the beginning of the 2021 season would be. Those pitchers, in order, are John Means, Matt Harvey, Bruce Zimmermann, Jorge Lopez, and Dean Kremer.

This year’s Opening Day start will be John Means’ first, as Andrew Cashner and Tommy Milone were handed the ball in Means’ previous two seasons with the team. In his career with the Orioles, Means has a 3.97 ERA in 42 appearances, including 37 starts. And, although his ERA ballooned by nearly a full run last season from where it was during his 2019 season when he appeared in the MLB All-Star Game, Means saw significant improvements in his K/9 and WHIP.

After recently having been added to the 40-man roster, Matt Harvey is a candidate for a bounce-back performance with the Orioles this season. In 2020 with the Kansas City Royals, Harvey surrendered 27 hits over 11.2 innings pitched, which led to the Royals’ decision to let Harvey walk in free agency this offseason. However, the Orioles believe they can eke out some value with the veteran right-hander and will hand him the ball every second day through the rotation.

A Maryland native, Bruce Zimmermann will get the chance to make his Major League debut with his childhood-favorite Baltimore Orioles. Zimmermann played his way into this role, recording 9.0 shutout innings in his first 3 outings this Spring.

As for Jorge Lopez and Dean Kremer, their reported addition to the rotation came a day after that of Means, Harvey, and Zimmermann. Lopez and Kremer each spent time in Baltimore’s starting rotation last season, making 6 and 4 starts, respectively. Many roster projections assumed Kremer would work out of the second or third spot in the rotation in 2021. However, the Orioles’ first two matchups may have been the deciding factor in Kremer’s placing in the order, as Kremer has previously struggled against the Boston Red Sox but thrived against the New York Yankees, who he will face in his first start of 2021.

Who’s In?

  1. John Means (LHP)
  2. Matt Harvey (RHP)
  3. Bruce Zimmermann (LHP)
  4. Jorge Lopez (RHP)
  5. Dean Kremer (RHP)

Who’s Out?

  • Felix Hernandez (NRI, granted free agency)
  • Keegan Akin (Optioned to minor leagues)

The Orioles’ bullpen took a hit early this Spring, as closer-hopeful Hunter Harvey suffered an oblique strain that landed him on the 60-day injured list. Harvey threw just a single pitch in his third outing of the Spring before being removed from the game.

Related Story. Orioles Reliever Hunter Harvey Leaves Game with Injury. light

Manager Brandon Hyde has not named a closer. So, much like the rest of the league, the Orioles’ closer role is undecided. According to projections from RosterResource, the three pitchers in-play for saves opportunites this season are Cesar Valdez, Tanner Scott, and Dillon Tate.

Last season, Cesar Valdez became somewhat of a fan favorite while posting very promising numbers out of the bullpen. In 14.1 innings of work, Valdez racked up 12 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.26. Although the roster may be youth-skewed, the 36-year-old Valdez will be a welcomed veteran in the Orioles’ bullpen this season.

As for the non-closer bullpen situation, the Orioles added Wade LeBlanc and Adam Plutko as long-relief options. These two could also move into the starting rotation should any injuries arise throughout the season.

Wade LeBlanc joined the team this offseason as a non-roster invitee and posted a strong 2.79 ERA in 4 appearances this Spring. Due to their 40-man roster crunch, the Orioles granted LeBlanc free agency before bringing him back a day later on a Major League deal worth $700K.

In a trade this past Saturday, the Orioles acquired Adam Plutko for cash considerations, designating second baseman Yolmer Sanchez for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Although his skillset is limited pitching-wise, Plutko is often revered for his leadership ability in the clubhouse. Adding a player like Plutko who has versatility in working out of different pitcher roles as well as the leadership aspect makes him a good veteran presence on a rebuilding team like the Orioles.

Dan Connolly of The Athletic, among others, reported on Twitter on Monday that both of the Orioles’ Rule 5 Draft selections, Mac Sceroler and Tyler Wells, would also be part of the big league bullpen this season.

Who’s In?

  • Cesar Valdez (RHP)
  • Tanner Scott (LHP)
  • Dillon Tate (RHP)
  • Adam Plutko (RHP)
  • Paul Fry (LHP)
  • Shawn Armstrong (RHP)
  • Wade LeBlanc (LHP)
  • Tyler Wells (RHP)
  • Mac Sceroler (RHP)

Who’s Out?

  • Hunter Harvey (60-day IL, oblique strain)

The Orioles’ infield crunch has been a trending topic around camp in Sarasota, FL this Spring. As the team continues to add and develop prospects through their rebuild, Baltimore has reached a point where they have too many players and not enough spots in the Major League infield to accomadate them.

However, there are a few obivous jobs won. Here’s how RosterResource projects the Orioles to bat against right-handed pitchers:

  1. Cedric Mullins (CF)
  2. Trey Mancini (DH)
  3. Anthony Santander (RF)
  4. Ryan Mountcastle (1B)
  5. Chance Sisco (C)
  6. Austin Hays (LF)
  7. Maikel Franco (3B)
  8. Freddy Galvis (SS)
  9. Ramon Urias (2B)

Designating Yolmer Sanchez for assignment in correspondence with the Adam Plutko deal has created an interesting situation at second base for the Orioles. While RosterResource projects Ramon Urias to take over the position, the Orioles have other capable MLB-ready players such as Pat Valaika and Rio Ruiz who will likely split time with Urias at the position.

Another time-share in the Orioles’ lineup will be at catcher, where Chance Sisco and Pedro Severino will have a platoon split. In his career, Severino has an OPS of .733 against left-handed pitchers, whereas Sisco has a .590 career OPS in that split.

The additions of veteran infielders Freddy Galvis and Maikel Franco guarantee a reliable performance on the left side of the infield for the Orioles. Franco is coming off of the best season of his career, having played in all 60 games for the Kansas City Royals in 2020.

Trey Mancini’s heartwarming return, having missed the entire 2020 season while battling colon cancer, is a huge boost for the Orioles’s offense. In 2019, Mancini slashed .291/.364/.535 over 679 plate appearances. It’s safe to assume that Mancini could find himself at the All-Star Game for the first time in his career this season.

Who’s In?

  • Cedric Mullins (L)
  • Trey Mancini (R)
  • Anthony Santander (S)
  • Ryan Mountcastle (R)
  • Chance Sisco (L)
  • Austin Hays (R)
  • Maikel Franco (R)
  • Freddy Galvis (S)
  • Ramon Urias (R)
  • Pedro Severino (R)
  • Rio Ruiz (L)
  • Pat Valaika (R)

Who’s Out?

  • Yolmer Sanchez (DFA’d, granted release)
  • Richie Martin (Optioned to minor leagues)
  • Jahmai Jones (Optioned to minor leagues)
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