Hello, friends.<\/p>\n
The Orioles will be back at it today after having the day off yesterday. Don\u2019t forget that this is the home opener game for Pittsburgh, which means the very atypical Friday game time of 4:12pm Eastern time. If you show up at 6:30 or 7 wondering when the game is going to start, you may be very confused and potentially disappointed depending on what you missed before that.<\/p>\n
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One thing I\u2019ll be looking for today is an update on whatever was found or not found on Zach Eflin\u2019s elbow MRI. I have a feeling they knew yesterday and are just waiting until the next formal availability for manager Craig Albernaz before today\u2019s game in order to deliver the bad news to local media. I could be wrong \u2013 as anybody who reads this site for a while knows, it happens all the time.<\/p>\n
In the short term, nothing changes regardless of when the news is delivered on Eflin. The Orioles will have to be without him for a while and that will take some juggling by Monday or Tuesday. I\u2019m just as curious what the plan is there. We can all assume that it\u2019s going to be Dean Kremer as much as we want to, but until they announce something, we can\u2019t be sure. Kremer can\u2019t be called up before April 9 unless there\u2019s an injury, so I\u2019d say we can\u2019t rule out the possibility of an Albert Su\u00e1rez spot start on either Monday or Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh brings a 3-3 record into this series, same as the Orioles. They\u2019re also bringing some hype, as it looks like they\u2019ll be calling up the #1 prospect in the game, Konnor Griffin, to join the team and make his debut tonight. Griffin does not even turn 20 years old until later this month. The rumor mill suggests he\u2019s got a handshake agreement to sign a nine-year, $140 million contract extension as soon as he plays one game. It\u2019s going to be interesting to see over time which side got the better out of that deal.<\/p>\n
Orioles stuff you might have missed<\/p>\n
Orioles hope improved rotation depth can make up for Eflin\u2019s loss<\/a> (Baltimore Baseball) Advertisement<\/p>\n For any pitching predicament, Orioles can always call on \u2018Big Al\u2019<\/a> (Orioles.com)
There\u2019s no question that having Dean Kremer as the #6 guy entering the season is way better than where things were last year. It\u2019s not great that they\u2019re going to have to move everybody below him up the line by one before we reach a double digit day in April.<\/p>\n
The offer was not valid in 2025. Maybe the Orioles will be able to call on him for much of 2026, though. And hopefully he\u2019ll pitch well enough that they want him to be around.<\/p>\n