Baltimore Orioles Name Grapefruit League Opening Day Starter

The Baltimore Orioles play their first Spring Training game Saturday, and they have named their starting pitcher for the matchup.

Cameron Zunkel | Feb 20, 2025

Sep 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez (49) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles begin Spring Training games on Saturday at Ed Smith Stadium. Manager Brandon Hyde has named a starter for the matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Per Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, Hyde told reporters right-handed pitcher Albert Suarez will get the nod for game one of Spring Training.

Suarez played in the Major Leagues for the first time since 2017 last season. He made 24 starts, which happened to be the first time he started games at the MLB level since 2016 for San Francisco Giants.

For the Orioles last year, Suarez finished with a 3.70 ERA in 133.2 innings pitched. He struck out 108 batters, walked 43 and allowed 130 hits. These numbers allowed him to have a 9-7 record.

Suarez is fighting for a starting pitching job for Baltimore. He seems to be on the outside looking in, but there is still a chance for him to sneak into the rotation.

Hyde did not give any indication of Suaraez's role, though.

"Like I said, don’t read anything into it. Big Al is ready and you work back from the first day of the season and do the best you can, and things change all the way through that. You shuffle some things around. But we’re stretching Al as a starter and we’ll see how it goes," Hyde said while speaking with Kubatko and other reporters Thursday morning.

The 35-year-old will be worked up as a starter, but that does not necessarily mean he will be one. In fact, Suarez does not care what role he plays, he just wants to be on the big league mound.

“He’s an incredible team guy. He really is all about the team and do whatever he can to help our team win,” Hyde said in the same press conference.

The Venezuelan appeared in eight games last year as a reliever. He threw 11.2 innings, struck out seven batters, allowed just seven hits and owned a 3.09 ERA. He was a valuable bullpen arm in his short time pitching in that role.

Hyde sees the benefits of moving him to the bullpen, as well.

"I felt like Al responded pretty well [as a reliever], just because he’s been shuffled around so much in his career. He’s kind of used to the back and forth, the starting and the reliever. It’s helpful,” the Orioles skipper said.

Suarez could be a very good reliever with some spot starts in the regular season. However, he will be worked as a starting pitcher this spring.

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