Orioles Spring Notebook: Bradish Feels Like Himself Again, Rogers Impresses, Ward Settles In, Kowar Seeks Fresh Start
SARASOTA - For the first time in two years, Kyle Bradish is heading into spring training feeling like a normal pitcher again - and that’s no small thing for a guy trying to bounce back from Tommy John surgery.
The 29-year-old right-hander made six starts late last season after undergoing the procedure in June 2024, logging 32 innings for the Orioles. Now, with a full offseason under his belt and no restrictions to start camp, Bradish is eyeing a full-season workload - whatever that ends up looking like.
“To pitch a full season,” Bradish said Sunday. “Whatever that looks like right now.
I think there’s going to be some innings limits. As of right now, I’m a full-go.”
That “full-go” comes with some caveats, of course. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz emphasized that Bradish’s own feedback will play a major role in determining how much he pitches in 2026.
“That’s where his feedback is going to be the biggest thing, the biggest driver,” Albernaz said. “If he’s feeling great, and he’s doing everything right in the weight room and the training room, and he goes through his throwing program and bullpens, that’s where we’re going to lean on him.”
Albernaz made it clear: there’s no plan to push Bradish to the limit. They’ll be smart about his innings, and Bradish will have a major say in how things progress.
“If he’s feeling sluggish or grindy or he’s feeling it, we might pull back a little bit. It’s all about how KB is feeling and what our medical and strength team is saying.”
A Rotation Taking Shape
Bradish likes what he sees from the Orioles’ starting rotation heading into 2026.
“I think we’re in a really good spot right now,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of depth and a lot of really good arms.”
One of those arms is left-hander Trevor Rogers, who turned heads on Saturday by striking out seven of the 10 batters he faced. It was a dominant spring debut and enough to spark some light-hearted chatter about the Opening Day starter job.
“I don’t know how much competition there is after [the] performance yesterday from Rogers,” Bradish joked. “It’s just another spot in the rotation for me.”
Albernaz was just as impressed.
“That was fun to watch,” he said. “He was moving great, throwing strikes.
The intent was there. I love the feedback from our hitters.
Our guys never really faced him.”
One thing Albernaz isn’t doing this spring: hiding his pitchers from AL East rivals. With 10 Grapefruit League games against division opponents, he’s prioritizing pitcher development over gamesmanship.
“You want to be mindful of the buildup,” he said. “Our guys have to get built up. In a perfect world, if it lines up, yeah sure, but we don’t want to sacrifice the player’s buildup for the Yankees, the Red Sox, Toronto, the Rays.”
New Faces, Big Bats
Taylor Ward is still getting used to his new surroundings after being acquired from the Angels in November in the trade that sent Grayson Rodriguez to Los Angeles. The 32-year-old outfielder brings a big bat with him - he hit 36 homers last season - and a simple mindset to match.
“I think just continue to do what I’ve been doing,” Ward said. “Try to clean up things that I can, really just keep it simple like I’ve talked about. I just like to go out there and hone my approach and really not think about anything else.”
Ward was the first of several major additions this offseason, joining a group that later included Ryan Helsley, Pete Alonso, Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt. That kind of aggressive roster-building hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Just to see how motivated this organization is to win is awesome,” Ward said. “Whatever the team needs, I’m there.”
Prospects and Pitching Depth on Display
While the big-league names are drawing attention, the Orioles’ pipeline continues to flex its muscle. Trey Gibson, the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year, and Levi Wells each threw three simulated innings at Ed Smith Stadium. On the hitting side, prospects and depth pieces like Samuel Basallo, Jeremiah Jackson, Heston Kjerstad, Jud Fabian, Weston Wilson, and Luis Vázquez all got in work at the plate.
Kowar Looking to Stick
Jackson Kowar’s journey has been anything but smooth lately. The 29-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Twins for cash considerations on Saturday, just days after being designated for assignment. Now, he’s in Orioles camp looking to carve out a role in the bullpen.
“It’s definitely been a crazy couple of weeks here,” Kowar said. “I’m out of options, so this spring is about winning a job … Hopefully, a place I can stay for more than a couple of days.”
Kowar brings some intriguing tools to the table, including a standout changeup and a reputation for pounding the strike zone.
“He throws strikes. He has elite stuff,” Albernaz said.
“We want him to get settled first before we start throwing stuff at him. I look forward to getting to know him.”
Kowar admitted he’s still learning about the Orioles’ roster but sees this as a fresh opportunity.
“Everywhere you go, there’s a bunch of talented guys. That’s the game now,” he said.
“There’s no clubhouse you walk into that doesn’t have a bunch of talented guys. This is a good opportunity.
When you’re around really successful guys, it helps you raise your level.”
Leadership and Lessons from the Past
Albernaz, who spent last season as associate manager in Cleveland, reflected briefly on the clubhouse impact when star reliever Emmanuel Clase was placed on administrative leave for his alleged involvement in a pitch-rigging scheme.
“It was a blow to the clubhouse in the sense of yes, he’s a really good pitcher and he helped us win a lot of games,” Albernaz said. “He’s one of our boys, and we’re in it together.
To have something like that happen, I’m as shocked as anyone else. To the clubhouse in Cleveland’s credit, they didn’t miss a beat.”
Turning the Page
Bradish made it clear that the Orioles have already moved on from last year’s disappointing 75-87 finish.
“I think that’s already flushed after game 162 last year,” he said. “I think a lot of guys [said] in the offseason, we’re not going to let that happen again this year.”
Camp Count: 72
With Kowar reporting to camp, the Orioles now have 72 players in Sarasota. The competition is heating up, the arms are getting loose, and the message from this group is clear: last year’s struggles are in the rearview. This team is aiming much higher.