Orioles observations on ‘no handcuffs’ for John Means, Anthony Santander’s homer and more vs. Phillies
SARASOTA, Fla. — The last time John Means had a healthy season, Brandon Hyde was a rookie manager and the Orioles lost 108 games.
In 2019, Means emerged as an All-Star starting pitcher for an Orioles team in the early days of its painful rebuild. He won 12 games — 22% of the ballclub’s total that season — and posted a 3.60 ERA in 155 innings across 31 appearances.
Means won’t begin the season with the Orioles, as the left-hander began his offseason a month late to fully recover from his elbow flareup in October. But he’s eager to prove he will be healthy in 2024 for a team that’s fully emerged from its rebuild and is hoping to contend for a World Series.
“No handcuffs, hopefully,” Means said about his goal this season. “Just go right in and pitch as well as I can for as long as I can.”
The 30-year-old underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction in April 2022, missing the rest of that season and almost all of 2023 as he recovered. He returned in September, starting four games and posting a 2.66 ERA. But his elbow acted up in a live bullpen before the American League Division Series, forcing the Orioles to put him on the shelf and keep him off their playoff roster.
Over the past two seasons, Means has thrown just 53 1/3 innings between the majors and minors. Means said the plan to start his offseason throwing regimen a month late was decided by both he and the club with the goal of putting him in the best position to have a healthy campaign.
“I think that’s kind of why we’re on the program now so I can have that slow build up and hit the ground running when I get there,” he said.
Manager Brandon Hyde said it’s unlikely that Means will appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring. Means threw his second live batting practice session last week, mixing all of his offerings and throwing 20 pitches. He isn’t sure when or where his minor league rehabilitation assignment will be.
“He’s progressing in the right direction,” Hyde said. “He’s still a ways away.”
The best-case scenario is for Means to return in late April. If the Orioles get five months of a healthy Means, it would go a long way in replacing some of the value lost by Kyle Bradish’s elbow injury. Bradish is also beginning the season on the injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, for which he received platelet-rich plasma injections to help heal. It’s unclear when Bradish could return, but it’s likely after Means.
Means said he is “right where I want to be right now” with the season about a week away.
“It’s been good, honestly, just to kind of get a good, full offseason of throwing and stuff like that and just feel really prepared,” he said. “There’s no rush. I feel like this is the right plan and I’m really confident about what I can do when I get back.”
Santander goes boom
A slow spring is nothing to be worried about for Anthony Santander.
The veteran right fielder is one of the surest things on the Orioles. He’s hit 61 home runs over the past two seasons as one of the majors’ best switch hitters. As long as he stays healthy, he’ll be that again this year and likely finish in the top three on the team in homers.
But it doesn’t hurt to run into one late in spring training with opening day March 28 at Camden Yards just a week away. Santander, who entered the game with a .543 OPS this spring, hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the Orioles’ 13-4 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. He ended the game 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
“I think he’s worked on a lot of things this camp. I’m not worried about the results, honestly,” Hyde said. “It’s more just about him getting comfortable in the box, and it looked like he was comfortable tonight. I think he’s ready. A lot of our guys are ready right now, and he’s one of them.”
Santander’s spot in the middle of the Orioles’ order is secure, but he is entering a contract year and knows there are young prospects coming up behind him. The 29-year-old is far from old, but he is a veteran on the young Orioles, saying the club’s youth keeps him young.
“I don’t feel that old yet, but 100%. Those guys are like three years younger than I am, they give me a lot of energy,” he said. “They’re right behind me, they want to take the job. We all know this is a competition.”
The youngsters have garnered most of the attention at Orioles camp. Gunnar Henderson is hitting .464 with four doubles and a two-run homer he hit in the second inning off Taijuan Walker. Consensus top 100 prospect Colton Cowser has been one of the MLB’s best hitters this spring with a 1.231 OPS. Outfield prospect Kyle Stowers has hit seven home runs. Coby Mayo, another top 100 prospect, has a .990 OPS with eight extra-base hits. And Jackson Holliday, the best prospect in the sport, has a .998 OPS and appears on track to make the opening day roster.
“They have full energy. It’s contagious, you know?” Santander said. “Those guys have unbelievable athleticism, unbelievable talent and just enjoy playing in the field. Any of those guys can help you win a lot of games.”
Santander isn’t the type of player who needs six weeks of spring training to prepare for the season. He was ready for opening day weeks ago.
“I was excited since I got here,” Santander said.
It’s not long until he’ll be stepping to the plate in front of 45,000 fans at Oriole Park.
Mateo makes his case
The hype for Holliday is real. The prospect doesn’t look like someone who recently turned 20 years old, instead looking polished in the field and frequently taking quality at-bats.
His numbers speak for themselves. In 46 plate appearances this spring, Jackson Holliday is slashing .326/.370/.628 — good for a .998 OPS.
Meanwhile, with less fanfare, one of the infielders he’s competing with for a roster spot is putting up almost the same exact numbers. Jorge Mateo, a mainstay in Baltimore the past two and a half seasons, is slashing .343/.425/.571 — good for a .996 OPS.
He continued his impressive spring Wednesday, going 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, a stolen base and two RBIs. Mateo has worked this spring to become a super utility player, playing in games at shortstop, second base and all three outfield spots.
“He’s had a really good spring training, and he’s played everywhere,” Hyde said. “Jorgie adds an element to our team with his speed and versatility defensively, and he’s swung the bat well this spring. I feel like he’s gotten a little bit better. We’re excited to have him. When he gets on base, he’s a game-changer.”
Mateo was far from the only Oriole to have a good day at the plate Wednesday, as the club tallied 12 hits and 10 walks. Ryan O’Hearn joined Santander and Henderson in the home run party with a solo shot in the first to left-center field.
Cano not sharp
A year ago, reliever Yennier Cano wasn’t seen as a candidate to make the opening day roster. Two weeks into the season, he burst onto the scene to become one of the most dominant relievers in the majors.
This spring, Cano isn’t fighting for a roster spot, but he hasn’t quite looked like himself the past couple of outings. After three straight scoreless outings to open the spring, the right-hander has surrendered five hits and three runs over his past two appearances. He gave up two hits, three walks and two runs in 2/3 of an inning Wednesday.
Hyde isn’t worried about his setup man, noting that most of those hits came on ground balls that just sneaked through the infield.
“He’s going to give up ground balls, and sometimes they’re going to go through,” Hyde said. “Most of the time they’re not going to. But I’m not worried about Yenny, he’s thrown the ball fine, just a couple ground balls that went through.”
Also on the mound, Dean Kremer started and pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out five. It was the right-hander’s last start this spring before he likely starts either the club’s second, third or fourth game of the season. Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched his fourth straight scoreless outing, striking out the side against his former team. Bryan Baker, who is competing for one of the final few spots in the bullpen, allowed a run in one inning, while Jacob Webb, also in that same competition, struck out the side.
Around the horn
• Before the game, the Orioles optioned left-hander Nick Vespi to minor league camp. Vespi, who has been a frequent passenger on the shuttle between Triple-A Norfolk and Baltimore the past two seasons, pitched well for most of the spring, and Hyde said he expects to see him called up at some point this season. “He’s done some good things for us the last couple of years and pitched really well in Triple-A,” Hyde said. “It’s just a numbers game right now with where we are. We expect to see him sometime in Baltimore.” The Orioles still have 45 players in camp and need to cut 19 before opening day.
• Infielder Jordan Westburg, who was hit on the left tricep Tuesday, is “fine,” Hyde said. Westburg is considered a lock to make Baltimore’s opening day roster.
• Hyde said he hasn’t informed any of his players whether they’ve made the club or not, but he joked that Adley Rutschman and Henderson will, in fact, be on the team again. “We’re not going to keep going,” Hyde quipped. “I’ll end it with Rutschman and Gunnar.”
Grapefruit League
Orioles at Red Sox
Thursday, 6:05 p.m.
TV: MASN