ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In the clubhouse ahead of Sunday’s game, before boarding the bus and driving to Tropicana Field, Cedric Mullins said he was ready. And then with the first pitch of the game, the Orioles center fielder proved it.

Mullins lashed a ground-rule double that leaped off his bat at 105.7 mph, and he scored two batters later to set the tone of Baltimore’s 5-2 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Come Monday morning, Mullins will board a flight for Arizona, where he will meet up with the rest of his U.S. teammates for the World Baseball Classic. He’s one of Baltimore’s four participants, including right-hander Dean Kremer (Israel), left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez (Venezuela) and outfielder Anthony Santander (Venezuela).

Anthony Santander (25), center, accompanied by Jorge Mateo (3), Cedric Mullins (31) and other members of the Orioles coaching staff, return to the clubhouse at the end of practice inside Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on 2/24/23. The Baltimore Orioles’ Spring Training session runs from mid-February through the end of March. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

For each of them, the opportunity to represent their country during the two-week tournament is a source of pride.

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“It’s what feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Mullins said. “I don’t see anyone in this room passing it up. When you get that honor, it’s awesome.”

It’s been a long time coming. The last World Baseball Classic occurred in 2017, with the next edition delayed until this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now that it’s here, though, Mullins will join an outfield stacked with Mike Trout, Jeff McNeil, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker when he arrives in Arizona on Monday.

That makes the experience feel something like an All-Star team, and Mullins said he’s eager to play alongside those outfielders, as well as infielders Trea Turner and Tim Anderson.

Cedric Mullins (31) rounds the bases during practice at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on 2/24/23. The Baltimore Orioles’ Spring Training session runs from mid-February through the end of March. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

Before Santander knew he’d have the opportunity to play for Venezuela, he talked with former Orioles catcher Robinson Chirinos, who Santander describes as his “big brother.” Then a member of the Texas Rangers, Chirinos featured for Venezuela in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Chirinos emphasized how special playing for his country was for him to experience. Now Santander can, too.

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“It’s an amazing thing we can’t describe,” Santander said. “We have the opportunity to represent our country here in the United States, playing for the Baltimore Orioles. But I think it’s more special when you put Venezuela on your chest, you know? We have the opportunity to have all the people back home watching us, they support us to be able to bring that championship to the country. I would say that’s something that we are proud and we have to play hard to try to get that.”

Anthony Santander (25) gets ready to swing during batting practice at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on 2/22/23. The Baltimore Orioles’ Spring Training session runs from mid-February through the end of March. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

There’s the injury risk of playing competitive games this early in the spring. Kremer said his usage isn’t up to him; rather, the Orioles and the coaching staff for Israel are controlling his innings tightly to diminish the risk heading into opening day.

But there’s also the benefit of playing competitive baseball this early, with Santander describing it as playing two weeks of playoff games.

“When the season starts,” Santander said, “I’m ready to go.”

The offseason development changed for each of them, knowing their competitive games began earlier.

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Mullins made sure his legs were conditioned for the fast start. Santander took just 10 days off after last season before training commenced. Hernandez battled for a spot on the Venezuelan team this offseason by pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League. Now he’s battling for a spot on the Orioles, in camp as a non-roster invite.

“It’s not the Orioles anymore. It’s not a team that you’re playing for in Venezuela,” Hernandez said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “It’s the actual country across your chest, so it’s a special feeling. And for me personally, sometimes you don’t expect to be selected for the team. But for them to choose me, it feels different, it feels special.”

Darwinzon Hernández (63) pitches during practice at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on 2/24/23. The Baltimore Orioles’ Spring Training session runs from mid-February through the end of March. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

Mullins and Kremer depart Monday, and Hernandez will swing by Orlando on Sunday to connect with his wife before heading to Venezuela’s training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida. Santander will join him there after playing one more game for the Orioles on Monday.

They’re all excited. But as Mullins prepares to fly to Arizona, which is going through a cold snap, the only hesitancy he has about leaving Sarasota is leaving the Florida weather.

“I hear it’s cold out there,” Mullins said.

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Steady pitching buildup

In his second start of the spring, right-hander Kyle Bradish allowed one run — a homer to Jose Siri — but was efficient throughout, throwing first-pitch strikes to 10 of the 11 batters he faced.

Still, he walked one batter, a particular area he wants to limit in 2023 as he makes a case for a place in the rotation. He reached three-ball counts three times, a sign his command wasn’t the sharpest Sunday, but Bradish leaned on a deceptive fastball to escape damage.

“Overall, I think I commanded the zone,” Bradish said. “Got some weak contact. Homer was kind of, ran into his barrel, but part of it.”

Right-handed pitcher Kyle Bradish (39) delivers a pitch at LECOM Park during the first inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on 2/28/23. The Baltimore Orioles traveled to Bradenton on Tuesday as part of the Florida Grapefruit League during their spring training session. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Baltimore Banner)

Behind Bradish, right-hander Mike Baumann struck out five batters in three innings but walked two and allowed a run.

And right-hander Reed Garrett, a reliever aiming to make the 40-man roster out of camp, put together the strongest inning of the day, needing nine pitches to retire his side in order while striking out two.

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“That was really encouraging, honestly,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “To me, that’s a highlight of today, was him and how he completely, totally attacked the strike zone with all his pitches.”

An unexpected call

Nolan Hoffman was in the outfield, shagging flyballs during morning batting practice, when a coach tracked him down. His day, the right-hander discovered, would be much different than imagined.

He’d be on the bus heading to Tropicana Field. And not only that: He’d be on the mound at Tropicana Field for the ninth inning.

Hoffman, a minor leaguer not listed on the Orioles’ 71-man major league camp roster, pitched in a big league stadium for the first time Friday, swallowing any nerves for his third outing of the spring. The other two were unplanned, with Hoffman a necessary extra arm to replace a taxed pitching staff.

Sunday was all his.

“All day, I’ve just been super grateful and saying to myself how cool it is,” Hoffman said. “I stepped out on the mound and to have all lights and everything, I was just like, ‘This is really cool.’”

Hoffman’s path to that mound Sunday was roundabout. The Seattle Mariners selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, then the Orioles acquired the 25-year-old through the minor league Rule 5 Draft in 2021.

He battled a nerve injury in his elbow last year but reached Double-A Bowie, and while playing in the Arizona Fall League, Hoffman finally managed to “get into a rhythm — almost like a midseason form — and after a little while, I started feeling normal again.”

Hoffman walked one, allowed a hit but struck out two Rays batters to record a save in the spring training game. To pitch in a major league stadium was an awe-inspiring experience. He hopes it won’t be his last.

andy.kostka@thebaltimorebanner.com

Andy Kostka is an Orioles beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Orioles for The Baltimore Sun. Kostka graduated from the University of Maryland and grew up in Rockville. 

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