SARASOTA, Fla. — Orioles fans who hoped to see Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis at the team's first road Grapefruit League game today against the Blue Jays in Dunedin will be disappointed.
Most of the team's starters – with the exception of Nolan Reimold – will remain in Sarasota this morning to workout.
Besides Reimold, Wilson Betemit and Ryan Flaherty are the players closest to a "starter" label to make the trip across the Skyway Bridge into northern Pinellas County.
Nolan Reimold will make his first start since season-ending neck surgery last year. We will see Danny Valencia at first base. That's important because Valencia, who is competing for a situational DH and reserve infielder role, will need to show he can play first because the Orioles will need whoever gets that reserve spot to be Chris Davis' backup at first.
Also, Conor Jackson, who has been dealing with some lower back stiffness the past few days, will be in the lineup as the DH.
Jair Jurrjens will start today's game against the Jays. He will likely go only one inning, but he will face a test with new Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes, OF Jose Bautista and possibly Juan Encarnacion at the top of the Jays order.
Also, this will be Kevin Gausman's Grapefruit League debut. He dazzled in a perfect four-out inning in Thursday's intrasquad game. He will throw one inning in the middle of the game.
Here are the starting lineups:
Blue Jays
Jose Reyes SS
Cesar Izturis 2B
Jose Bautista RF
Juan Encarnacion 1B
Adam Lind DH
J.P. Arencibia C
Colby Rasmus CF
Mark DeRosa 3B
Rajai Davis LF
Mark Buehrle LHP
Orioles
Alexi Casilla 2B
Nolan Reimold LF
Wilson Betemit 3B
Conor Jackson DH
Lew Ford CF
Steve Pearce RF
Danny Valencia 1B
Taylor Teagarden C
Ryan Flaherty SS
Jair Jurrjens RHP