SARASOTA, Fla. — For Charlie Morton, spring training is about building strength and tinkering with different approaches to ensure his pitch mix best takes advantage of his repertoire once the games begin to count. It’s a gradual process that the 41-year-old doesn’t mind extending into the first chunk of the regular season.

“All in all, I feel pretty good,” Morton said after exiting the Orioles’ 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. “I think probably another few weeks until I’m actually able to — even into the regular season — until I’m really, truly and honestly aware of where I’m at. Right now, I’m still getting in shape, quite frankly, [getting] my arm and my body in pitching shape, but I feel good.”

Morton, who has yet to allow a run in six innings this spring, has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to getting his arm ready for a six-month season. The right-hander has made at least 30 starts in six of the past seven seasons, with the lone exception the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. He’s hit the injured list three times in that span and never missed more than three weeks at a time.

His teammates and coaching staff aren’t trying to push Morton, a veteran of 17 MLB seasons, to change his approach now.

“I think I got some good feedback and, getting to work with [catcher Adley Rutschman] again, I think he understands kind of where I’m at,” Morton said. “I think he gets my tools, and in conjunction with some of our guys in the analytics side, or pitching coaches like [Drew French], I feel really good. I feel good about the whole combination.”

Morton has been working on his two-seam fastball, a pitch he plans to throw more this season against right-handed hitters. He had reverse splits last season, allowing right-handed hitters to put up a .775 OPS against him compared with a .753 OPS for left-handed hitters. In particular, hitters from the right side were able to hit for more power — something he’s conscious of in his preparation for the season.

“I threw a couple pretty good four-seamers, a couple ones that I think didn’t necessarily play,” Morton said. “I think the two-seamer, I think we’ve been talking about that and maybe mixing that a little bit more, especially to righties because last year, especially righties were giving me fits and to see some swing and miss on my breaking ball.”

Around the horn

Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge underwent left knee debridement with Dr. Leigh Ann Curl in Baltimore on Friday, the team announced. Manager Brandon Hyde said Kittredge is expected to miss a couple of months, opening up a competition for the final roster spot in their bullpen.

Another spot might be available as well, however. Hyde said Saturday morning that the Orioles “haven’t determined” whether closer Félix Bautista will be built up enough to rejoin the active roster by opening day. Bautista has made two appearances this spring and Hyde previously said that he would need six or seven to be ready.

Orioles right-hander Seranthony Domínguez had a rough afternoon Saturday, allowing five runs to the Rays in the seventh inning on five hits with two strikeouts. With Kittredge out, he joins Yennier Cano as one of the top right-handed setup men expected to compete for high-leverage innings in front of Bautista. Cano, Cionel Pérez and Gregory Soto all pitched scoreless frames Saturday.

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill said in the clubhouse that his rib cage soreness didn’t stem from a specific activity and that he would’ve played through it had it occurred in the regular season. He expects to rejoin the Orioles’ lineup Sunday assuming his progress continues.

Baltimore’s 2024 first-round draft picks Vance Honeycutt and Griff O’Ferrall made their first career Grapefruit League appearances Saturday, entering the game in the seventh inning after coming over from minor league camp for the day. O’Ferrall said after the game that the Orioles want him to play both his natural position of shortstop and second base this season: “I’ll play wherever, to be honest.”

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