Just one game into the season and the Baltimore Orioles have lots of things to embrace and celebrate.
The Minnesota Twins are still waiting for their special moments to develop.
After a day off, the teams meet again Saturday in Baltimore in the middle game of a three-game series.
The Orioles claimed a 2-1 season-opening victory Thursday, providing Craig Albernaz with his first big-league victory in a managerial role.
New Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso said with the first game there were lots of emotions to absorb. Alonso immediately seemed to be adored by Baltimore fans, so that might ease the transition for the former New York Mets slugger.
“Just for them to embrace me,” Alonso said. “… We just got 161 more to go.”
Albernaz appreciated the reaction regarding Alonso.
“It just shows how the fans are into it,” Albernaz said. “We felt them all day.”
After a largely frustrating 2025 season in Baltimore, positive results will be celebrated.
“Day 1, man, 1-0,” said second baseman Blaze Alexander, another newcomer to the organization.
The Orioles used likely closer Ryan Helsley in the ninth inning Thursday, and the right-hander struck out three batters. He’s yet another newcomer to the club and made an impact right away.
“He’s right where he needs to be,” Albernaz said.
While Albernaz hasn’t fully identified a reliever for a closer’s role, all signs point to Helsley as the likely candidate, and he should be available for the season’s second game should the need arise.
With a largely revamped infield other than Gunnar Henderson at shortstop, there had been preseason speculation from some that the Orioles might have defensive issues, but Albernaz brushed those worries aside when speaking to reporters after the game.
“No concerns on my end. They played exactly how I thought they would play,” he said.
That assessment came in part because of a solid opening day with the glove from third baseman Coby Mayo.
The Twins will be in their second game under manager Derek Shelton, who was with the Pittsburgh Pirates a year ago. Minnesota will look for some quick offensive adjustments after going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position in the opener.
“We have to be better than that,” Shelton said.
Right-handers Taj Bradley (6-8, 5.05 ERA in 2025) of the Twins and Kyle Bradish (1-1, 2.53 ERA) of the Orioles will draw the starting assignments Saturday.
Bradley notched a victory against the Orioles in his first meeting with them in 2023. Since then, all with the Tampa Bay Rays, he went 1-3 in six outings. In his career, Bradley’s ERA vs. the Orioles is 7.03.
It’s a fresh start for Bradish, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in June of 2024 and didn’t come off the injured list last season until late August before appearing in six games. He’s 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two career starts vs. the Twins.
The Twins had several good at-bats in the opener. They struck out only six times through eight innings.
“We did hit some balls on the screws, and they played good defense and that’s what they do,” Shelton said.
Shelton was willing to make in-game moves right away. He used pinch hitters twice and a pinch runner in efforts to try to generate more production.
–Field Level Media
