With the Orioles winning a 7-6 final over the New York Yankees in the 32nd home opener at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Ramon Urias was the player of the game as he clubbed the go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning and turned a crucial double play with the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base in the eighth. The latter was the contribution he was more excited about after the game.
2. Some have questioned manager Brandon Hyde using Gunnar Henderson as a designated hitter a couple times already, but Urias reminded he’s a Gold Glove third baseman and that it’s not a bad problem to have so many infield options.
3. Though there were some empty seats here and there in the wake of Thursday’s postponement, the home crowd was electric, especially when Bryan Baker stranded the tying run at third base with a strikeout of Isiah Kiner-Falefa to end the top of the eighth. Baker seemed a little bit excited.
4. Dean Kremer pitched better than he did in his season debut in Boston last Saturday, but he gave up a three-run home run on his cutter. The right-hander has used that same pitch on all three long balls he’s surrendered thus far in 2023.
5. Of course, who wasn’t bracing for the Franchy Cordero Revenge Game as the man who didn’t make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster this spring hit that momentum-changing homer? I still wouldn’t bet on that roster decision haunting Mike Elias in the long run, however.
6. Though Baker and lefty Danny Coulombe came through in big moments, there aren’t many arms in the Baltimore bullpen inspiring great confidence to bridge the gap to closer Felix Bautista right now. Mychal Givens is set to throw a side session Saturday, so you hope his knee responds favorably.
7. The stage was set for Bautista against Aaron Judge with two outs in the ninth, but the Yankees slugger walked on four pitches and has now drawn three free passes in four career plate appearances against the Orioles closer. Kremer did fan Judge twice.
8. Since he was warming up Kremer in the bullpen, Adley Rutschman didn’t get to run down the orange carpet during introductions, but the star catcher got to have his home opener moment with a game-tying single in the sixth. That drew the ovation he deserved.
9. I had to chuckle when Jorge Mateo still stole second base as New York attempted a pitchout in the sixth. After the Orioles stole 10 bases over the first two games of the season, I figured we’d start seeing a few more pitchouts from opponents.
10. Watching my first game in person this season, I barely even paid attention to the pitch clock after the first few batters and absolutely noticed — and appreciated — the return to “normal” infield play after seeing extensive shifting over the last decade. These new rules bring far more good than bad.
11. It’s crazy how Grayson Rodriguez went from starting for Triple-A Norfolk and being disappointed over not making the Opening Day rotation to running down the orange carpet and having already enjoyed a successful major league debut in the span of just a week. He was a happy rookie on Friday.
12. It was fun hearing the likes of Rutschman, Henderson, and Rodriguez discuss how they were enjoying their first home opener at Camden Yards together. There’s more work to be done — including the necessary commitment from ownership and management to further augment the roster — but this is a special young group.
