Orioles bullpen begs more questions than you’d like for would-be contender
With few proven relief commodities, Baltimore is counting heavily on new closer Ryan Helsley to put a tough 2025 behind him.
With few proven relief commodities, Baltimore is counting heavily on new closer Ryan Helsley to put a tough 2025 behind him.
As we watch selected spring training games on what’s left of the MASN television network, we see opportunity and the summer ahead for the Baltimore Orioles. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Sarasota innings and at-bats and what they’ll mean for skipper Craig Albernaz and the Birds as Opening Day looms and injuries abound in Florida.
As we watch selected spring training games on what’s left of the MASN television network, we see opportunity and the summer ahead for the Baltimore Orioles. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Sarasota innings and at-bats and what they’ll mean for skipper Craig Albernaz and the Birds as Opening Day looms and injuries abound in Florida.
Baltimore was counting heavily on the soon-to-be 36-year-old to bridge the gap to new closer Ryan Helsley.
With changes made in leadership with both professional sports franchises in Baltimore this winter, it’ll be Craig Albernaz leading off for the Orioles with an early-season testing ground that already include key injuries and a suspect bullpen. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the expectations of the new Birds skipper and the vital signs of life for a team with high hopes in a crowded AL East Division.
With changes made in leadership with both professional sports franchises in Baltimore this winter, it’ll be Craig Albernaz leading off for the Orioles with an early-season testing ground that already include key injuries and a suspect bullpen. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the expectations of the new Birds skipper and the vital signs of life for a team with high hopes in a crowded AL East Division.
It’s less than ideal so far in Sarasota that two emerging, young Orioles stars in Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg are already lost for the start of the MLB season. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss what it means for Coby Mayo and newly-acquired Blaze Alexander now that grapefruit baseball has begun and jobs are available in Baltimore.
It’s less than ideal so far in Sarasota that two emerging, young Orioles stars in Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg are already lost for the start of the MLB season. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss what it means for Coby Mayo and newly-acquired Blaze Alexander now that grapefruit baseball has begun and jobs are available in Baltimore.
It’s early and the Orioles already have big injuries to Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg that will affect the Opening Day roster. Allen McCallum returns for a spring training thaw and Birdland prospectus with perspective for the long MLB season ahead and the pitching it will take to contend in the American League East.
Since playing in the 2024 All-Star Game, Jordan Westburg has endured a relentless run of injuries.
It’s early and the Orioles already have big injuries to Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg that will affect the Opening Day roster. Allen McCallum returns for a spring training thaw and Birdland prospectus with perspective for the long MLB season ahead and the pitching it will take to contend in the American League East.
There are certainly reasons to be optimistic that the Baltimore Orioles won’t repeat a last-place performance in the American League East but losing two blue-chip, emerging players before March doesn’t lift hope. Luke Jones and Nestor take another swing at spring in Birdland with Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday injured before the team takes the field in Sarasota.
There are certainly reasons to be optimistic that the Baltimore Orioles won’t repeat a last-place performance in the American League East but losing two blue-chip, emerging players before March doesn’t lift hope. Luke Jones and Nestor take another swing at spring in Birdland with Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday injured before the team takes the field in Sarasota.
Will Colton Cowser be able to handle center field every day?
An oblique injury for the 2024 All-Star infielder wasn’t what you wanted to hear at the start of spring training.
It’s already been a short week of additions and subtractions as the Baltimore Orioles sign veteran starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on a $18.5 million one-year deal and lost Jackson Holliday to a broken hamate bone, which changes the Opening Day lineup. Luke Jones and Nestor reset the Birdland expectations as Mike Elias still has some work to do on the bullpen and there’s action gearing up in Sarasota as spring training baseball begins next week in Florida.
As the Birds descend upon Sarasota and daily news leaks into the conversation, we’ll be covering the Baltimore Orioles better than ever. Luke Jones and Nestor preview the Orioles new look at spring training and talk MASN money and Bird watching as Mike Elias seeks to add pitching and Pete Alonso brings a captain ready to swing for the fence.
It’s already been a short week of additions and subtractions as the Baltimore Orioles sign veteran starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on a $18.5 million one-year deal and lost Jackson Holliday to a broken hamate bone, which changes the Opening Day lineup. Luke Jones and Nestor reset the Birdland expectations as Mike Elias still has some work to do on the bullpen and there’s action gearing up in Sarasota as spring training baseball begins next week in Florida.
As the Birds descend upon Sarasota and daily news leaks into the conversation, we’ll be covering the Baltimore Orioles better than ever. Luke Jones and Nestor preview the Orioles new look at spring training and talk MASN money and Bird watching as Mike Elias seeks to add pitching and Pete Alonso brings a captain ready to swing for the fence.
Baltimore will reportedly sign the soon-to-be 37-year-old to a one-year, $18.5 million contract.
The 22-year-old will undergo surgery to remove the hamate bone in his right hand.
Luke Jones offers his latest orange musings as pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota.
Baltimore traded reliever Kade Strowd to the Diamondbacks for infielder Blaze Alexander on Thursday.
The new ownership group reached deep into the monetary reserve to sign slugger Pete Alonso in Baltimore but what’s up with the pitching? Luke Jones and Nestor discuss that one more arm the Orioles need in the rotation – not to mention a too-thin bullpen – in preparation for pitchers and catchers to report to the refurbished facility in Sarasota.
Is another notable move coming before pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota next week?
The new ownership group reached deep into the monetary reserve to sign slugger Pete Alonso in Baltimore but what’s up with the pitching? Luke Jones and Nestor discuss that one more arm the Orioles need in the rotation – not to mention a too-thin bullpen – in preparation for pitchers and catchers to report to the refurbished facility in Sarasota.
As the Baltimore Orioles move back into the local news with the Birdland Caravan ahead, Luke Jones and Nestor wonder what moves general manager Mike Elias will have left before pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota to continue to augment the never-ending need for more arms and innings.
As the Baltimore Orioles move back into the local news with the Birdland Caravan ahead, Luke Jones and Nestor wonder what moves general manager Mike Elias will have left before pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota to continue to augment the never-ending need for more arms and innings.
Longtime MLB insider and baseball author Barry Bloom joins Nestor with an offseason primer with Nestor in discussing payrolls, 50 years of labor beefs and what the Orioles new ownership has done to wash away the ghost of Angelos by signing Pete Alonso to a big contract this winter restoring some hope in Baltimore. Now, about the pitching…
Longtime MLB insider and baseball author Barry Bloom joins Nestor with an offseason primer with Nestor in discussing payrolls, 50 years of labor beefs and what the Orioles new ownership has done to wash away the ghost of Angelos by signing Pete Alonso to a big contract this winter restoring some hope in Baltimore. Now, about the pitching…
As the Birdland Caravan heats up and the Ravens keep the purple drama in the news, we quietly await baseball season and spring training with a long catch-up with our longtime Orioles historian Allen McCallum, who joins Nestor to discuss the offseason acquisitions of Mike Elias, the improvement of Pete Alonso and the pitching that Craig Albernaz will need to compete in a stacked AL East.
As the Birdland Caravan heats up and the Ravens keep the purple drama in the news, we quietly await baseball season and spring training with a long catch-up with our longtime Orioles historian Allen McCallum, who joins Nestor to discuss the offseason acquisitions of Mike Elias, the improvement of Pete Alonso and the pitching that Craig Albernaz will need to compete in a stacked AL East.
With the grand opening of the new Planet Fitness in Timonium underway, Luke Jones joined Nestor on York Road at Planet Fitness to discuss the Orioles’ acquisition of former first-round draft pick Shane Baz and a Christmas primer on ways the Birds have improved heading into 2026.
With the grand opening of the new Planet Fitness in Timonium underway, Luke Jones joined Nestor on York Road at Planet Fitness to discuss the Orioles’ acquisition of former first-round draft pick Shane Baz and a Christmas primer on ways the Birds have improved heading into 2026.
A month after trading Grayson Rodriguez, Mike Elias acquired someone fitting a similar upside mold.
The newest and shiniest Baltimore Orioles addition arrived for a bizarrely timed Friday afternoon press conference at Camden Yards and won the day. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Pete Alonso emergence at The Warehouse alongside David Rubenstein, Mike Elias and Scott Boras and what the future holds for the slugger, whom the owner compared to Frank Robinson coming the Charm City.
The newest and shiniest Baltimore Orioles addition arrived for a bizarrely timed Friday afternoon press conference at Camden Yards and won the day. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Pete Alonso emergence at The Warehouse alongside David Rubenstein, Mike Elias and Scott Boras and what the future holds for the slugger, whom the owner compared to Frank Robinson coming the Charm City.
Friday’s press conference was fun and exciting, which aren’t adjectives we’ve used to describe the Orioles at this point in the offseason in a very long time.
Pete Alonso and Orioles brass meet with media after signing five-year, $155 million contract
The five-time All-Star first baseman was introduced to the Baltimore media on Friday afternoon.