Orioles infielder Alcides Escobar was granted his unconditional release Wednesday, the team announced, as the club took another step toward paring down its Opening Day roster.

Projecting the Orioles' Opening Day roster after a round of cuts including Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, and Cody Carroll provided plenty of clarity into Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde's reasoning as they build the 25-man roster.

Austin Hays, the one-time Orioles top prospect who had a team-high five home runs this spring, was sent out to minor league camp Sunday as part of the third wave of roster cuts for the team.

Here's a breakdown of some of the most important roster battles playing out in Orioles camp, including the starting rotation, catcher, shortstop, third base, and the outfield.

Jonathan Villar reached base three times and scored two runs and Alcides Escobar had an RBI double as the Orioles' middle infield situation came into focus during an 8-5 Grapefruit League loss to Phillies.

In a marathon 17-15 win by the split-squad Orioles over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday that featured 28 hits, nine errors and seven home runs, two sets of professional baseball players spent nearly four hours balancing on the edge of fun and folly.

Rule 5 draftee Richie Martin has to make the team or be offered back to the Oakland Athletics, but that might not be a problem with the way he's playing this spring.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde didn't have a starting shortstop when he took the Orioles job, but after an overhaul, he feels good about the position.

The Orioles travel to Clearwater, Fla. today for their exhibition game against the Phillies.

With Richie Martin and Drew Jackson lined up beside each other on the infield for the first Orioles road game of the spring, manager Brandon Hyde said he had a good impression of the two Rule 5 players.

How the Orioles and manager Brandon Hyde have avoided the 'doom-and-gloom' spring training that can face an assured 100-loss team and make things fun again.

Versatile infielder Jonathan Villar played both shortstop and second base after the Orioles acquired him last summer. He probably will be slotted at second now that former All-Star shortstop Alcides Escobar is in camp.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said his conversations with new shortstop Alcides Escobar have him excited to get the veteran infielder who won the World Series with the Kansas City Royals around his young ballclub and in the clubhouse.

Baltimore Sun Orioles writers Jon Meoli and Peter Schmuck talk about Manny Machado signing with the San Diego Padres, Alcides Escobar and pitcher Alex Cobb.

Former Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar arrived at Orioles spring training camp on Tuesday and said he wants to play, but will embrace the mentoring role that comes with being on a rebuilding team.

The Orioles claimed left-hander Josh Osich off waivers from the San Francisco Giants to bolster their supply of left-handed relief options, while designating Hanser Alberto for assignment.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde hailed a "great first day" of workouts after the Orioles' full roster of spring training players practiced at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla., on Monday.

Brandon Hyde said Sunday that the acquisition of free agents Eric Young Jr. and Alcides Escobar are part of the plan to make the Orioles an aggressive baserunning team.

The Orioles added a 32-year-old infielder to their spring training roster Saturday. Alcides Escobar is an 11-year vet with a .258 career batting average, a Gold Glove and an All-Star appearance.

The Orioles are expected to have all but a few players in camp in time for Monday's first full-squad workout. Sunday is the mandatory reporting date and only a few players have not arrived yet.

Right-hander David Hess' second-half progress was halted as the Orioles lost a sloppy 9-1 matinee with the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Tanner Scott struck out four in two scoreless innings of relief Thursday.

Orioles reliever Brad Brach locked down the ninth for his first save since April 11.

It didn't come easily, as the Royals brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth inning, but the Orioles' 7-game losing streak is history.

The 2017 Royals dealt with the same problems in the final year of their competitive window as this year's Orioles have. "It's almost like the last year of high school," Kansas City pitcher Jason Hammel said.

Orioles shortstop Tim Beckham is learning from J.J. Hardy

The Orioles were swept out of Kansas City after their ugly 9-8 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium and have lost four straight games overall.

Royals, Orioles going in opposite directions as clock ticks down for successful cores

A four-run fifth inning helped the Orioles secure a 4-0 win and a series sweep of the Royals at Camden Yards.

Ventura also ignited tension in three straight starts, spanning two weeks, last April.

Right-hander Tyler Wilson's spot start on Saturday night was by no means an audition — he was placed in the position because it was the best way for the Orioles to protect their bullpen — but Wilson made a strong case to remain in his team's struggling rotation in his first starting opportunity of the season.

The Orioles¿ rotation issues grew deeper on Friday night as right-hander Yovani Gallardo suffered his shortest outing in nearly four years, lasting just two innings in the Orioles¿ 4-2 loss to the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.

An Orioles team muddling below .500 with just 20 games left in the regular season -- still six games back of the second American League wild-card spot -- took two of three from a Royals team with the best record in the AL this weekend at Camden Yards.

The Orioles bashed five homers Wednesday ¿ three off Kansas City¿s prized trade-deadline acquisition, Johnny Cueto ¿ in an 8-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals that snapped their season-worst six-game losing streak in front of an announced crowd 33,003 at Kauffman Stadium.

Monday night's series opener ended in an all-too-familiar way, with the Orioles squandering another lead, falling victim to a nightmare seven-run sixth inning in an 8-3 loss to the Royals in front of an announced 27,797 at Kauffman Stadium.

The All-Star Game will have a Kansas City flavor, just not as much as it appeared last month. And the hometown Reds can celebrate a starter, too, despite Cincinnati's sorry season.

When J.J. Hardy won his third consecutive American League Gold Glove Award earlier this month, he became only the second Orioles shortstop to win at least that many in a row.

No one should be surprised that center fielder Adam Jones, shortstop J.J. Hardy and right fielder Nick Markakis were honored with Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for their defensive excellence during the 2014 season. They all contributed mightily to the strong team defense that helped the Orioles win the American League East title and advance to the American League Championship Series.

Three Orioles players are finalists for American League Gold Glove Awards, which are scheduled to be announced Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, and they all have a good shot at winning. Here's a closer look at the club's three finalists, including a case for why each player will or won't win the award.

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones and shortstop J.J. Hardy have won Gold Glove Awards at their respective positions in each of the past two seasons. Right fielder Nick Markakis won the award in 2011.

The Baltimore Orioles built a contender by patchwork, but the Royals built their American League champion through the farm

Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck looks at several key moments from Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was making good pitches, and drawing weak contact, but the Royals still were rounding the bases.

For the second consecutive evening, it took more than four hours to determine an outcome in the biggest games at Camden Yards in 17 years. And for the second straight night, it ended poorly for the Orioles, who again saw a formidable bullpen crack in a 6-4 loss to the Royals.

Don Markus leads you through the important parts of the Orioles' Game 2 loss to the Royals.

With three home runs, including two in the 10th inning, the Kansas City Royals handed the Orioles a devastating 8-6 loss to take a 1-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Having spent their entire careers in cavernous Kauffman Stadium and the spacious ballparks of the American League Central, longtime Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon and Billy Butler always have welcomed trips to the comparatively cozy Camden Yards.

Royals hit three home runs in extra-inning ALCS victory over the Orioles