Baltimore Orioles Planning on Using Rising Star More in Favorable Matchups

It seems like the Baltimore Orioles have a plan on how they want to get one of their rising star players more playing time this season.

Mar 12, 2024; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jordan Westburg (11) is congratulated after scoring a run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout Spring Training, there were tons of questions and predictions about how the Baltimore Orioles' final roster would look on Opening Day.

They carried tons of players in camp and decided later in the process than most other organizations about who they would reassign to their minor league affiliates.

Jackson Holliday not making the roster was surprising to many who followed his production during Spring Training after it was said he would have every opportunity to make the team based on his performance.

For the most part, the position player group is the same as what they carried in 2023, so maybe not having the phenom prospect begin the year in the MLB shouldn't have been as big of a surprise as it was.

After all, the lineup is still loaded with talent and there will be decisions that have to be made by Brandon Hyde and his coaching staff about who plays on a day-to-day basis.

Roch Kubatko of MASN says he believes Baltimore has a plan on how they want to utilize one of their rising stars to get him more playing time in his second season in the bigs.

"With Tyler Nevin designated for assignment, Jordan Westburg could get lots of starts as the designated hitter against left-handers," he writes.

That was evident in the opener as the 25-year-old was the DH for the contest against the Los Angeles Angels' left-handed starter Patrick Sandoval. He showed well, going 1-3 with an RBI single in the first inning that gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead that they never gave back on their way to winning 11-3.

In terms of splits, this should also help Jordan Westburg at the plate.

Last year, across 74 at-bats facing lefties, he slashed .284/.354/.432 with nine extra-base hits and five RBI. That's compared to slashing .246/.288/.388 with 13 extra-base hits and 18 RBI over 134 at-bats against right-handers.

Westburg will certainly spend his share of time in the field at second and third base, but this will allow him to get more Major League reps in his second year with the Orioles.