FORT MYERS, Florida–What’s happening? Gunnar Henderson’s lower right side soreness is improving, manager Brandon Hyde said on Friday. Henderson injured himself catching a line drive hit by Toronto’s Bo Bichette in the first inning on Thursday.

“We’re trying to let it just calm down,” Hyde said. “We’re probably going to give him the weekend to let this thing calm down. He landed awkwardly on that when he dove and caught the ball. The way he landed, it kind of crunched his right side a little bit.”

No MRI is planned.

Jordan Westburg’s sore lower back is improving as well, according to Hyde.

“It feels much better today than yesterday,” Hyde said. “Light throwing stuff, so he’s progressing.”

Cade Povich will make his second start of the spring when the Orioles play the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

The game will be televised on MASN with Ben Wagner and Roch Kubatko on the remote call from Baltimore and broadcast on WBAL/98 Rock with Geoff Arnold and Brett Hollander.

Povich, who will be opposed by Paul Skenes, pitched two spotless innings against Philadelphia in Clearwater on Sunday.

Dean Kremer, who worked in relief in his first appearance on Tuesday, will face the Phillies in Clearwater on Sunday. Philadelphia will start Christopher Sanchez.

While Hyde hasn’t named his starting rotation, it’s obvious that Kremer, Zack Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano will comprise it.

“If everybody stays healthy throughout camp, you’ve got five guys plus Albert [Suarez] is the sixth and Povich is the seventh. We’re kind of figuring things out. We’re going to stretch [Roansy] Contreras out, also. We like his arm.”

Contreras has thrown 2 1/3 spotless innings in two appearances.

“We’re just going to take a good look at him. He’s out of options. He’s on the [40-man] roster. Kind of extend him out, innings-wise.”

There are still more than three weeks of spring training left, and so much can happen to change the makeup of the pitching staff.

“It’s so early in camp right now you’re just keeping your fingers crossed that these guys can get built and stay healthy at the same time,” Hyde said.

What’s happened? Eflin allowed one run on four hits in two innings in the Orioles’ 13-10 win over the Minnesota Twins before 5,517 at Hammond Stadium on Friday.

Eflin, who struck out one, threw 40 pitches, 23 strikes.

“I felt good. I could have gotten ahead of guys a little better,” he said. “It was good to get out there, see a different color jersey, sweat a little bit, kind of get that competitiveness back. Probably rushed a couple of pitches, which is probably pretty typical of early spring for me, but it’s a good reminder to stay within my mechanics, stay back, and dominate that 0-0 count.”

With a starting job assured, Eflin can experiment.

“Through my career, I’ve learned to not be result-oriented, be more process-oriented, mixing that with spring, knowing that I have a job instead of trying to win a job.”

Hyde was pleased.

“It’s his first outing. I think he felt good coming off the mound,” Hyde said.

Albert Suárez allowed five runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.

“I was encouraged by [his] second and third inning. I thought he found his rhythm a little bit,” Hyde said. “I thought the fastball got a little better. In [his] first inning, they know ‘Big Al,’ so they were all over his heater early in the count and being aggressive with him, and he did a better job making adjustments in the second and third inning.”

Yennier Cano and Cionel Pérez each allowed a run.

Jackson Holliday hit a two-run home run, stole second in the first and was thrown out trying to steal third. Colton Cowser also stole his first base of the spring.

“I don’t care how many times he gets thrown out,” Hyde said. “We’ll calm that down as we go, but I want him to look to go like a lot of our guys.”

The Orioles scored eight runs in the top of the ninth to rally from a 10-5 deficit. The big hits were a two-run double by Jud Fabian and a two-run home run by Dylan Beavers. Non-roster infielder Jeremiah Jackson homered for a 13-10 lead.

“It’s fun to watch some of the non-roster invites and the prospects in the last few innings of games,” Hyde said. “They sit there for two-plus hours, and all of a sudden, they’re in the biggest spot of the games. Really fun to watch these guys that work so hard every day come through when they’re getting an opportunity to get at-bats. 

What’s up with? Justin Armbruester has thrown 2 2/3 hitless innings in two appearances this spring, walking one and striking out two.

Armbruester had a rough 2024, with a 5-11 record and 7.54 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk in 29 games and a 3-2 record with a 2.47 ERA in 12 starts for Double-A Bowie.

The 26-year-old right-hander, who was a highly thought of prospect before last season, knows it’s a huge year for him.

“It’s super important. Every big league camp is important,” Armbruester said. “I want to be in as many as I can throughout my career. I feel like I have something to prove after last year. Last year wasn’t my best year. I went in with some high expectations, struggled, but learned more than I could have ever thought I was going to. This year, I’m just trying to come back, almost reset, and come back with something to prove and show these guys what I really got.

Last year was a frustrating one for Armbruester.

“A mixture of mechanics, not finding the zone, lost a little bit of confidence and just kind of had a reset,” he said. “Really just kind of getting back to what I did in ’23, having some success, just rebounding on what I do really well and not worrying about too much or trying to chase too many things at one time.”

Armbruster is still thinking about his ultimate goal.

“I know someday I’m going to get to the big leagues,” he said.” I don’t know when that day is going to come, but I know it’s going to come someday soon.”

What’s what? It seems possible that if everyone stays healthy that Sugano could be the starter for the Orioles’ home opener on March 31^st. The Orioles open the season with an unusual four-game series in Toronto from March 27^th-30^th, and Sugano’s debut could add to the festiveness of the home opener.

“I think the Opening Day starter either way is a big deal,” Hyde said. “I think the true Opening Day start means more, but in a packed house in Camden Yards on Opening Day, we want to put our best foot forward. You’re not going to set your rotation exactly that way.”

What’s the word? “I’m very sensitive to the fact that it’s a big deal in somebody’s career. You want to give it to somebody you feel really good about making that start.”–Hyde on choosing an Opening Day starter.

What’s the number? 6. The Orioles have six catchers in camp, and Hyde was delighted that Silas Ardoin contributed to the ninth-inning rally.

“That was Silas’ first at-bat of the spring,” Hyde said. “I wanted to make sure he got some at-bats because he busts his butts catching multiple bullpens a day and doing everything else. It’s just tough with five other catchers.”

What’s the record? 4-2. The Orioles will play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday.