Cobb and Hyde excited about Opening Day firsts; Trumbo encouraged by debut; Karns to stay in ‘pen

SARASOTA, Fla.-What’s happening? –Alex Cobb gets the first Opening Day assignment of his career when he’ll face the New York Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka on March 28 at Yankee Stadium.

Manager Brandon Hyde summoned Cobb to his office on Wednesday.

“I thought I might be in trouble for a second,” Cobb said. “He shook my hand…he told me I was going to be named the Opening Day starter. I told him, I’d like to act surprised, but I already knew.”

It will be Hyde’s first Opening Day as a manager.

“I’m excited about that,” Hyde said. “He was real excited. It’s an honor. He understands that. He’s very, very grateful.”

Dylan Bundy, who started last season’s opener, will start against the Minnesota Twins in Sarasota today. He’s scheduled to be followed by Jimmy Yacabonis, Pedro Araujo, Paul Fry and Branden Kline.

Chris Davis, who was 1-for-2 with an RBI on Tuesday, will start today.

What’s happened?— Mark Trumbo went 0-for-2 in his first Grapefruit League start of the season. Trumbo, who had surgery on his right knee in September, grounded to shortstop twice. He could play again today, Hyde said.

“It wasn’t a great day at the plate, but it was rewarding for me,” Trumbo said “It feels pretty good. I got to run down the line. I was hoping to put the ball in play. I didn’t really care if I got a hit or not. I was trying to stress a little bit, see how it holds up. It feels normal, so that’s a good sign.”

Andrew Cashner allowed three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four in the Orioles’ 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I thought I looked good,” Cashner said. “I thought my fastball looked down in the zone. I would have liked to maybe work on my curveball a little bit more. I thought my changeups were down. There’s a few pitches I might have thrown a little bit different in the season, but overall, the results were what I wanted.”

Cashner said he was happy for Cobb’s selection as Opening Day starter.

“He had a great second half last year,” Cashner said. “He had a tough start being late. It’s really tough getting ready down here, with not facing major league hitting. We kind of knew. We can see the pitching chart and see how it’s mapped out. Really happy for him.”

The Orioles scored three runs in the eighth to erase a 4-3 Toronto lead.

In his second game with the Orioles, Dwight Smith Jr. was 2-for-2. 

What’s up with? Nate Karns.  Karns pitched his third consecutive scoreless inning in relief against the Yankees on Tuesday.

“I’m not going to rush him into anything,” Hyde said. “…It looks like right now we’ll probably start him in the bullpen, but not extend him until he’s ready to be extended.”

Later in the season, Hyde said that Karns could be used on consecutive days, as a long man or perhaps as a starter, which was the Orioles’ intention when he was signed.

What’s what? Tanner Scott allowed a hit and walked two in a scoreless seventh. Scott has allowed seven runs on eight hits in five innings. He’s walked three and struck out three.

“Nobody’s trying to walk anybody,” Hyde said. “Tanner’s got unbelievable stuff. He’s got lights-out, left-handed, back-[end] stuff. Now, it’s just honing in on command and being able to use your stuff effectively, being able to pitch a little bit unpredictable, but being aggressive in the strike zone. When he does that, he’s lights out.”

What’s the word? “Hearing him say it, and it becoming real, it hits you a special way.” Cobb’s reaction to Hyde naming him Orioles’ Opening Day starter.

What’s the number? 0.00. Evan Phillips has pitched the most innings on the staff (7) without giving up an earned run. Phillips allowed a hit in the eighth and struck out one. He’s struck out six and walked two so far this spring.

What’s the record?  10-8-2. The Orioles play the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota at 1:05 p.m.