Cedric Mullins exits game in the first as O’s host Twins

SARASOTA, Fla – A lot has been going well for the Orioles during spring training 2024 as they’ve gotten off to a 9-1 start. But today something went wrong in the last of the first inning when starting center fielder Cedric Mullins walked off the field with a trainer as the Orioles faced the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.

During the game, the club announced Mullins left due to right hamstring discomfort.

For the Orioles, the good news is that manager Brandon Hyde said after the game that Mullins left as a precaution and they feel this will be a minor setback.

“I think he was doing it (coming out), really, as a precautionary measure,” said Hyde. “Just felt a little sore and the right thing – I’m glad he did it – was (to) say something and come out of the game.

Asked whether Mullins would need to get magnetic resonance imaging done, Hyde replied: “No. Just got treatment inside. We’ll see how he is in the morning.

“I actually saw him run and slide and you could tell it wasn’t anything bad. I saw his little bit of reaction. But I don’t think any of us are alarmed by it. Just one of those day-to-day things right now.”

Mullins was limited to 116 games last year and made two trips to the disabled list with a right groin strain.

Today he drew a walk leading off the home first and advanced to second when Adley Rutschman grounded out up the middle. But after one pitch to Gunnar Henderson, batting third, time was called and Mullins walked off alongside a trainer.

Mullins’ game total last year was his lowest since the shortened 2020 season as he hit .233/.305/.416/.721 with 23 doubles, three triples, 15 homers and 74 RBIs.

After producing the only 30-30 season (homers and steals) in O’s history in 2021 and producing an OPS of .878, Mullins hit for a .721 OPS in both 2022 and 2023. Mullins was an All-Star during his huge 2021 season, which ended with him finishing ninth in the American League MVP voting.

Right-hander Dean Kremer got the start today for the Orioles. Kremer pulled off an escape act in the top of the first. The Twins put runners on second and third with no outs, but did not score.

On the game’s first pitch – a 93 mph fastball – second baseman Edouard Julien hit a ground single to right. He went to third on a double to left by the DH, Royce Lewis. Batting third, shortstop Brooks Lee popped out to short * right field and Kremer then fanned both Matt Wallner and Austin Martin. He got Wallner looking at what appeared to be a changeup, and got Martin swinging.

The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the second on Jair Camargo’s RBI double. 

They added a run in the second on Matt Wallner’s RBI grounder.

Kremer went two innings plus two batters, allowing four hits and two runs with two walks and three strikeouts on 49 pitches.

Kremer on his day: “Feeling things out. Ball is coming out a little better, so feel better, all in all. It’s kind of a mixture of competing and playing to get outs as well as working on things. There is always going to be some ups and downs.”

Kremer on getting pitch count to 49: “I mean, like I said last week, this is like the first real spring training in a handful of years, so it’s kind of getting back to that routine of kind of understanding what I need. I’m coming off a year that I’ve never had before. So, you know, step-by-step.”

Any specific focus for today?: “Just executing certain pitches in certain counts. And kind of getting a feel for Adley (Rutschman) and him for me. (James) McCann as well. You know, you just start over.”

* Craig Kimbrel, making his second spring outing, allowed four runs on five hits in the Twins fourth as Minnesota opened a 6-0 lead. Emmanuel Rodriguez hit the first pitch of the inning for a homer to right. Later a groundout, single and RBI double accounted for the other runs.

* Yennier Cano made his spring debut with a scoreless top of the fifth, allowing one hit and getting one strikeout. 

* Henderson made his spring debut, starting at shortstop today and going 1-for-2 before he was replaced by Errol Robinson in the top of the fifth. Henderson struck out swinging in the first and hit a groundball single to right in the fourth.

He had not played until today while rehabbing a sore left oblique.

“Felt good,” he said. “Getting my body used to getting in game shape. Just got to play. Got two at-bats today. Looking forward to progressing a little bit more.

“Obviously, there is still a lot of time in spring. So, just want to be conservative so it doesn’t sit there and linger around the season. Glad to be out there and feeling healthy.”

Asked how he can build on his strong 2023 season, Henderson replied: “I felt like there were a lot of things didn’t do that great. Some that I did pretty well. but still room to improve and I know there is a lot more in the sink.”

So how is his swing, considering the late start to his spring?

“Not bad. I mean, timing is the biggest thing. Letting the ball travel is all I need to really get,” he said. “And that will come with a couple of at-bats, so looking forward to getting back into game situations and I’ll be ready to go.”

* The Orioles saw a six-game win streak end and lost for the first time since last Monday. The Twins won it 7-2 and the Orioles’ spring record is 9-2.

The O’s were held to three hits and failed to score until the ninth, when they plated a pair of runs on Jud Fabian’s grounder and a bases-loaded walk to Coby Mayo.

The attendance was 5,182.

Keegan Akin retired all six batters in two scoreless innings and has thrown four scoreless over three appearances this spring.

Hyde on Henderson’s return: “It was great to see him back out there. His first two at-bats of spring training, so not expecting much. Just want him to come off the field healthy, and he did.”

Hyde on Kimbrel, who has allowed five runs in two innings this spring: “Just, for me, like a lot of our guys today, behind in the count a little bit. Tough time kind of commanding beside Akin, who was outstanding. Two great innings by him. But, just a little, you know, second and third outings we’re going through. All pitchers will go through a little soreness and just not as sharp as normal.”