Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has many pitchers to observe; Mancini’s pinkie; Sucre on hand

FORT MYERS, Fla.— What’s happening? Alex Cobb starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Sarasota today. Others who are scheduled to pitch include Josh Rogers, Nate Karns, Mychal Givens and Josh Lucas.

Manager Brandon Hyde seems to have too many pitchers to observe and too few opportunities.

“There’s just not enough innings,” Hyde said. “We want to see so many guys, and we’re not sure who’s a starter, yet.”

Hyde left Jimmy Yacabonis in Sarasota to throw a simulated game to make sure he got enough innings. Yacabonis, who has thrown four scoreless innings, was converted into a starter last season, and Hyde hasn’t seen enough of him to make a judgement.

Karns, who was sidelined by arm soreness, will make his second appearance of the spring.

Trey Mancini will be out for a few days because of a jammed right pinkie. Mancini hurt the finger diving into second base on Feb. 24. He left the game on Saturday when he couldn’t swing well.

“It definitely affects your swing a lot,” Mancini said. “It’s the bottom finger on wherever you hold the bat. You need all 10 fingers to swing.”

What’s happened?—Dylan Bundy allowed two home runs to Minnesota’s C.J. Cron in three innings. He allowed three runs on five hits, striking out three and walking two.

“I was trying to go up and in on him, but it didn’t go up and in,” Bundy said of the two-run homer  he gave up to Cron in the third.

Cron hit a solo shot in the first.

In his first start, Bundy allowed a run on four hits in two innings at Philadelphia on Feb. 28, and thought he made progress.

“Anytime you get an extra inning out there and get your pitch count up — and I was able to use my curveball today — I was pretty pleased with it,” Bundy said.

David Hess (pictured above) followed Bundy with three perfect innings in the Orioles’ 9-4 win over the Minnesota Twins.

“Really aggressive, a ton of first-pitch strikes,” Hyde said. “Working ahead all day long.

Josh Osich, who made his Orioles debut, and Miguel Castro also pitched spotless innings.

Renato Nunez hit a grand-slam. Catcher Martin Cervenka hit a three-run shot.

“I feel like I’m having better at-bats,” Nunez said. “That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to see more pitches.”

Nunez, who was the Orioles’ starting third baseman for most of last season’s second half, started at first base.

“I play first, third, whatever the manager wants me to play,” he said.

What’s up with? Catcher Jesus Sucre. He had issues getting to camp because the U.S. embassy in Venezuela was closed because of political unrest. He went to Colombia, and finally obtained his visa there.

“I know I got here two weeks late, but if they let me play, I know I have a chance,” Sucre said.

He doesn’t think he’ll be too far behind because he played in Venezuela during the offseason.

“I play winter ball every year because I don’t really play too much here in the States,” Sucre said.

Sucre was an emergency pitcher for Tampa Bay and last year faced the Orioles in the eighth inning of a blowout.

“Last year, I threw Jonathan Schoop something like a cutter, and he popped it up,” Sucre said. “He was laughing at me.”

Hyde said that Sucre could play a few innings on Thursday or Friday.

What’s what? Drew Jackson, who’s drawing less attention than the other Rule 5 draft choice, Richie Martin, continues to impress. He played center field and shortstop, and had a double. Jackson’s batting .375.

What’s the word? “I’m going to start to wear one of those oven mitt looking-things whenever I run the base paths. I might try and steal a couple of more bags this year. I was pretty rusty. I think this was my first attempt since ’17.”-Mancini joking about his injured pinkie.

What’s the number? 3. In the regular season, C.J. Cron has three home runs in 14 at-bats. He had two in two at-bats on Monday.

What’s the record? 6-3-2. The Orioles play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium at 1:05 p.m.