FORT MYERS, Fla. — With the Orioles bringing him along slowly because of soreness in his left side, closer Zach Britton didn’t pitch in his first spring game until nearly three weeks into Grapefruit League play. But Britton said he’s still well on pace to be ready for the beginning of the season.

Heading into a one-inning appearance in a minor league game Monday, Britton had made just two Grapefruit League appearances. He pitched a scoreless inning Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton but also allowed two runs on four hits in his Grapefruit League debut last Tuesday at home against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“The second one was a lot better than the first one. That’s a good sign,” Britton said Monday morning, before heading to Twins Lakes Park in Sarasota. “I actually feel really good. No more symptoms of that, nothing’s creeped back or anything. I feel really good now. I can just focus on getting ready for the season. I feel pretty good with where I’m at this year compared to where I was last year.”

Britton said he likely will get four more outings before the end of spring training, including one appearance on a second straight day. He said he likely won’t make a multiple-inning outing, which has been a staple of his spring training preparation.

“That’s more important than maybe the two-inning [outing],” Britton said of pitching on consecutive days. “In the past, we’ve been able to do two innings. I don’t think that’s going to happen this spring based on where we started. Feel really good for the schedule [pitching coach] Roger [McDowell] laid out for me, and we’re keeping on that time frame, which is huge.

“[The soreness is] completely gone now, and my focus is really just getting ready for the season. I’m pretty close. As a reliever now, it only takes a few innings. It kind of clicks for you one day, and then you’re ready for the season to start, where, as a starter, you’ve got to build up those innings, and I don’t need to do that anymore.”

Minor leaguers see major playing time: The Orioles often bring several minor league players to get playing time in the late innings of Grapefruit League games. Orioles manager Buck Showalter calls them “JICs,” or “just in case” players, and considers their presence a good evaluation opportunity. This spring, more minor leaguers have gotten into games because of the longer spring training and the drain on players caused by the World Baseball Classic.

Of the 30 players on the Orioles’ travel squad for Monday’s road game against the Red Sox, 13 were not on the big league camp roster. Once starter Wade Miley was sent home because of flulike symptoms, Showalter had just two pitchers from big league camp available: Vidal Nuno and Oliver Drake.

Over the course of this spring, 28 Orioles minor league players have played in Grapefruit League games. Some are highly regarded prospects, such as shortstop Ryan Mountcastle and right-hander Cody Sedlock, getting their first glimpse of big league spring training. But most are less heralded players the Orioles want to check out in person.

“That’s the whole idea,” Showalter said. “And we make sure we see different ones. You can’t sit there and ride the same one because he’s been effective, because some of these guys who come over here are going to impact our team this year.”

Last spring, left-handed reliever Donnie Hart was a minor league camper who had the opportunity to pitch in the Grapefruit League. By the end of last season, he was the Orioles’ situational left-hander.

“It’s great to see a face to the name,” Showalter said. “You see the box scores come across. It’s pretty good. I think it’s a great tool for us, and also when we’re selling to these guys about going to this camp, you can always say: ‘Here’s what happened last year.’ ”

Bundy, Gausman getting work done: Right-handers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman will make their next spring starts in minor league games this week.

Bundy will pitch in a minor league game on the team’s day off Thursday in order to stay on turn. Gausman is slated to throw at Twin Lakes Park on Friday so that the club can get another look at right-hander Mike Wright against major league competition Friday on the road against the Minnesota Twins. Wright is one of five pitchers competing to fill the rotation void left by Chris Tillman’s shoulder injury.

The Orioles will continue to hold auditions for the rotation spot this week, as two other candidates will receive starts. Left-hander Chris Lee is slated to start Wednesday against the Rays, and right-hander Gabriel Ynoa will start Saturday against the Twins.

Around the horn:Manny Machado and Welington Castillo, who were away from the club while playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, were slated to arrive in Sarasota on Monday night and are expected to return to camp Wednesday. ... Showalter said the return of outfielder and Rule 5 draft pick Anthony Santander (elbow inflammation) to games “is not imminent.” … The club could make multiple roster cuts today. The camp roster currently has 46 players. … Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez is slated to start today’s Grapefruit League home game against the Blue Jays.

eencina@baltsun.com

twitter.com/EddieInTheYard