The Orioles finished Grapefruit League action with a 12-19-2 record, culminating with a 5-3 loss Saturday afternoon to the Atlanta Braves. The game, however, should have an asterisk.
In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, big league players must receive one day off between the end of the exhibition season and the start of the regular season. But Showalter and his team wanted to have a workout at Tropicana Field on Sunday, so the manager gave his projected 25-man roster off on Saturday.
That meant the Orioles' lineup against the Braves featured no one who will play Opening Day and only two, first baseman Christian Walker and infielder Rey Navarro, on the club's 40-man roster.
Walker had one of the three RBIs -– Chris Parmelee had the other two, including a solo home run -– for the makeshift Orioles.
Right-handed pitching prospect Zach Davies make his second spring start and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. He was facing a fairly representative Braves' lineup.
Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman homered in the first and Davies allowed consecutive RBI singles to Pedro Ciriaco and Phil Gosselin in the second. A Glynn Davis error allowed the fourth run to score against Davies.