Povich honored to be chosen to start Orioles’ home opener

WASHINGTON-What’s happening? The Orioles will open the regular season with four games in Toronto against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.  Zach Eflin will start the season opener against Toronto’s Jose Berrios on Thursday at 3:07 p.m. Charlie Morton will start against former Oriole Kevin Gausman on Friday.

Manager Brandon Hyde hasn’t decided on the order of his starters for Saturday and Sunday. Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano will start Games 3 and 4.

Jorge Mateo remained in Sarasota to take at-bats in simulated games. Hyde hopes he’ll be ready for Thursday’s opener. Mateo, who got a late start in spring training because he was recovering from last August’s Tommy John surgery, was 1-for-11 (.091) in five Grapefruit League games.

“It’s the volume,” Hyde said. “Yesterday, he played seven innings, responded well today.”

Mateo and shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who’s beginning the season on the 10-day injured list because of a strained right intercostal muscle, are taking live batting practice.

“We’re going to see how those at-bats go,” Hyde said. “By missing so much spring, game shape. It’s not his at-bats, but him being able to go nine innings in the field and be able to recover the next day. We’re monitoring really closely and taking it day-to-day right now.”

Right-hander Kyle Gibson was optioned to minor league camp. Catcher Maverick Handley and infielders Vimael Machin, Emmanuel Rivera and Luis Vázquez were optioned to minor league camp.

What’s happened? The Orioles’ scheduled exhibition game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park was canceled because of rain. The game was scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m., and the announcement that it wouldn’t be played was made about 65 minutes later. 

Cade Povich, who was supposed to start, was chosen as the fifth starter. He’ll start the Orioles’ home opener on March 31^st.

“Being able to get to Opening Day and be in the rotation with this team is an honor in itself,” Povich said after the game was canceled. “To be able to start our home opener is truly another honor. I’m super excited.”

Hyde chose Povich over Albert Suárez, who will be the bullpen.

“First Opening Day roster and to be able to make a home opener start. That’s a big deal,” Hyde said. “He’s got a great way about him. He’s very, very mild-mannered. He’s very composed. I was very impressed with his maturity, and how much he’s grown up. He pitched in some big games in front of some big crowds down the stretch, and I thought he handled it very well.”

Povich has been strong this spring, with a 3.07 ERA, and had a 2.60 ERA in five September starts.

“More confidence, command is better,” Hyde said. “The changeup is a lot better. Just more consistent with it. That was an emphasis this offseason of working with different grips and trying to find a changeup that was comfortable, and he’s had a really good camp. The changeup has shown much improvement.”

Povich worked hard during the winter on his pitches.

“The whole point of an offseason is to figure out what you need to get better at,” Povich said. “To help the team get to where they want to, and that’s what I did. I was happy I was able to take that into spring training games. That continuation really helped push the envelope a little bit. Everything that we worked on was what we hoped it would be in spring training. I’m really happy with how everything has gone.”

What’s up with? Kyle Gibson is hoping to accelerate his readiness to pitch. Gibson, who signed with the Orioles as a free agent on Friday, lost about a week when he and his family had the flu.

“He’s been around a while,” Hyde said. “He’s somebody that’s gotten ready for a lot of seasons and knows what it’s like. You treat him a little differently than a player that’s a little bit younger. If he ramps up quicker. I know there’s a plan in place for him for the month of April, and hopefully he joins us soon.”

Hyde didn’t object to a May 1^st estimation for the 37-year-old right-hander’s readiness.

“I think it’s going to be somewhere around there if everything goes well,” he said.

What’s the word? “Tons of guys I can look up to and get help from. It’s definitely not a bad place to be.”-the 24-year-old Povich on being the youngest in the Orioles’ rotation.

What’s what? Hyde was looking forward to having his team play in a game with challenging weather, similar to what the Orioles could face early in the season.

“We’ve had some pretty good weather in Florida, and to get out of those elements isn’t a bad thing,” Hyde said. “Usually the months of April and May can be rough at times. Getting out of the sunshine isn’t a terrible thing.”

What’s the number? 3. The Orioles won’t play again for three days.

What’s the record? 13-14-2. The Orioles will open the season on Thursday against the Rogers Centre at 3:07 p.m.