BALTIMORE — The news wasn’t encouraging for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts after seeking a second opinion on his right hamstring as he’ll undergo surgery and will be sidelined at least six more weeks.

Roberts visited knee specialist Dr. Daniel Cooper in Dallas on Wednesday morning as it was determined the 35-year-old would undergo a “semitendinosus release” procedure on Thursday. Roberts will eventually report to Sarasota to begin rehabilitation in hopes of making his return this summer.

Earlier this week, Roberts was taking light batting practice before complaining that the back of his right knee didn’t feel right, which prompted the infielder to see Dr. Cooper. He is the same doctor who cared for Rays third baseman Evan Longoria’s injured hamstring last year.

“If you look at all the scenarios and the way it’s transpired, this is the best chance for him to get back and not have an issue with it again,” said manager Buck Showalter, who added that Dr. Cooper was the specialist who handled his recent knee surgery. “A lot of experts think this can get you back and not have it reoccur again because it keeps the scar tissue from forming, which creates other issues. Full support of it and hopefully he’ll make the time period and be able to pick up where he left off and not have that in the back of his mind. I know what his goals are.”

Roberts has played in only three games this season as the original prognosis for a return was three to four weeks after he injured his knee sliding into second base on April 4 at Tropicana Field. The club has officially labeled the injury a right hamstring strain, but Roberts actually tore the tendon behind his knee.

This procedure will hopefully facilitate quicker healing for the veteran infielder, who has played in only 118 games over the last four seasons while dealing with various ailments. It is all but a certainty that Roberts will be transferred to the 60-day disabled list once a need arises to make a 40-man roster move.

“He’s very frustrated by it, as we are, but Brian Roberts is going to come back and make a contribution to this club this year,” Showalter said. “I’ve got a good feeling about that.”

The starting second baseman was sent to the 15-day DL on April 5 and has been replaced by a platoon of Ryan Flaherty and Alexi Casilla.

The hamstring procedure will mark the third time in the last year Roberts has undergone surgery after dealing with a torn labrum in his hip last season and a sports hernia in the offseason. The longtime Oriole is in the final year of a four-year contract that is paying him $10 million this season.

Markakis serves as DH again

Never one to miss much playing time before a 2012 campaign marred by two freak injuries, right fielder Nick Markakis served as the designated hitter for the third time this season on Wednesday night.

You can imagine the stoic Markakis isn’t thrilled about serving in a limited capacity, but the 29-year-old expressed appreciation to Showalter, acknowledging that it will help keep him fresh over the course of a 162-game schedule. The Gold Glove right fielder served as the club’s DH only four times combined from 2010 through 2012.

“It’s different,” Markakis said. “You just have to stay loose, stay stretched and wait for your turn to hit. Haven’t done it too much, but it’s good. It gives me time off and a chance to get my feet back under me. It’s a different mindset, but it’s good every once in a while.”

Showalter told Markakis he would see more time in the role this season and the right fielder denied there was any physical challenge that’s limiting his time in the field. Little-used reserve Chris Dickerson started in right field in the second game of a three-game set with Kansas City.

Observers have noted that Markakis’ throwing arm hasn’t looked as strong this season, which could be a product of wear and tear as well as long-term effects of serving as a power pitcher in college. Upon selecting Markakis with the seventh overall pick of the 2003 draft, many talent evaluators suggested the Orioles should make Markakis a pitcher at the professional level after he played in the outfield and pitched for Young Harris College.

“It’s tough to go out there and play every day, especially for a long time over years,” Markakis said. “This is good every once in a while. There is a lot of running in the outfield. To not have to worry about defense and just focus on offense, it gives you mentally a break as well as physically.”

Guesswork with Gonzalez

Right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez will throw a bullpen session on Thursday to test out the healing blister on his right thumb and determine whether he can make Saturday’s start in Minnesota.

Both Gonzalez and Showalter have admitted there will be a certain amount of guesswork in determine whether he will take the hill against the Twins or whether he will be skipped in favor of someone else. He will throw with a bandage covering the area to protect it while going through his workday, but Showalter acknowledged they won’t fully know whether he’s OK until he’s pitching without the added protection.

Gonzalez feels confident that his four-seam fastball won’t be an issue, but he expressed some hesitation whether his two-seam and off-speed grips will impact the healing area.

Depending on how the next few games go, Showalter could elect to make Saturday a bullpen day should Gonzalez need additional time before his next start or the club could dip to Triple-A Norfolk where Steve Johnson would be pitching on normal rest on Saturday.

The club will receive a break with the rotation headaches next week as Monday and Thursday are scheduled days off and will allow Showalter to reset his bullpen in a way he’d like while managing Gonzalez’s blister even more if necessary.

Betemit progressing slowly

Veteran switch-hitter Wilson Betemit continues to make progress in recovering from a Grade 2/3 PCL tear but hasn’t been cleared for baseball-related activities.

The 31-year-old is eligible to return from the 60-day DL at the end of the month, but Showalter acknowledged that would likely be a stretch at this point.

The Orioles would benefit from Betemit’s bat in the lineup against right-handed pitching as their DH position is hitting just .145 with three home runs and nine RBIs this season.

BALTIMORE — Taking light batting practice in Sarasota was supposed to be an important step in the return of Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, but it instead created more uncertainty regarding his status moving forward.

Complaining that the back of his knee didn’t feel right as he attempted to take swings, the 35-year-old infielder will see knee specialist Dr. Daniel Cooper in Dallas to get a second opinion on his recovery from a torn tendon suffered behind his right knee. Dr. Cooper is the same specialist who cared for Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria when the All-Star infielder suffered a hamstring injury last season.

“He started taking some batting practice and just didn’t like the way it felt,” said manager Buck Showalter, who supported Roberts’ request for a second opinion. “He said he wasn’t expecting that with the progression that we’ve done, and I think he’s just a little frustrated that it hasn’t come faster.”

The original prognosis for a return was three to four weeks after Roberts injured his knee sliding into second base on April 4 at Tropicana Field. The club has officially labeled the injury a right hamstring strain, but Roberts actually tore the tendon behind his knee.

In Roberts’ absence, the club has used a second-base platoon of Ryan Flaherty and Alexi Casilla that’s provided little offensive production as Flaherty is hitting just .125 and Casilla is sitting at .200. After previously hesitating to place Roberts on the 60-day disabled list, which would officially keep him off the big-league roster until early June, it now appears the Orioles wouldn’t hesitate to make the move should a roster need arise elsewhere.

The new development also makes you wonder if executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette will look more carefully outside the organization for help at second base, but Showalter is publicly remaining optimistic until Dr. Cooper provides answers that might suggest otherwise in regards to Roberts being a likely candidate for the 60-day DL.

“No more than he was before,” Showalter said. “I’m not looking at it that way. I’m still holding out hope that this will get going. I like the fact that we don’t have a need for it yet.”

Wait-and-see mode with Gonzalez

The Orioles won’t know when right-handed pitcher Miguel Gonzalez will make his next start until he completes his bullpen day on Thursday to determine how well the blister on his right thumb has healed.

Gonzalez will cover the area with a bandage during his workday, but the pitcher isn’t allowed to wear as much as a Band-Aid on his finger when throwing in a game. The earlier Gonzalez would be ready to pitch is likely Saturday with his bullpen day falling on the final day of the Kansas City series.

Showalter isn’t ruling out the possibility of Gonzalez being skipped in the rotation entirely if the blister continues to be an issue.

“It’s getting better,” Showalter said. “It’s a blister underneath a callous. It’s kind of good in a way that it broke, tore off — whatever you want to say — so we’ve gotten all the way down to the bottom. Now, it’s a matter of getting [it] calloused over.”

Thursday would have been Gonzalez’s normal turn in the starting rotation, but veteran Freddy Garcia will instead take the hill against former Orioles Jeremy Guthrie in the series finale against the Royals.

Odds & ends

Shortstop J.J. Hardy received an injection in his right elbow from Dr. Lewis Yocum in Anaheim over the weekend for a case of mild tennis elbow, according to Showalter. It is not considered a big deal. … Starter Jason Hammel picked up his fifth win on Sunday to begin the year 5-1. According to Elias, with a win in his next decision, Hammel will become the first Orioles pitcher to go 6-1 or better to start consecutive seasons since Mike Boddicker, who started 6-1 in 1985 and 10-1 in 1986. … The Orioles have made just one error in the last 10 games and three in the last 17 games. … The Orioles (0-for-9) and Royals (1-for-10) are batting a combined .053 as pinch-hitters. … Baltimore has eight players with three or more home runs, the most for any American League team. Cleveland and Oakland are tied for second with six each. The Chicago Cubs lead the majors with nine players having three or more homers.

BALTIMORE — Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed what was already assumed on Tuesday that second baseman Brian Roberts will not be activated from the 15-day disabled list when he becomes eligible on Saturday.

In Sarasota since last week, the 35-year-old is improving in his recovery from what the club has labeled a hamstring strain. Roberts tore a tendon behind his right knee in the third game of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays and has yet to resume baseball-related activities.

With Roberts shelved, 26-year-old Ryan Flaherty has handled the bulk of the work at second base, going 2-for-24 with one home run in seven games. Utility infielder Alexi Casilla has gone 3-for-11 when given his opportunities at the position.

In other injury-related news, pitchers Steve Johnson and Tsuyoshi Wada are each scheduled to throw in Sarasota on Thursday. If all goes well, Johnson could be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment as he moves closer to a return from the back injury he’s dealt with since March.

With Tuesday’s starter Jake Arrieta off to a poor start in his first two outings, the Orioles will be watching Johnson’s status closely as he could find an opportunity in the back end of the starting rotation sooner rather than later. Showalter expressed his wish that Arrieta simply provide the club a chance to win whenever he takes the hill, but the 27-year-old appears to be on a short leash already after allowing eight earned runs and six walks in his first two starts covering 10 innings.

“It doesn’t always follow a script like I’ve said too many times,” Showalter said. “Last year started out great [for him] and then had some challenges. Hopefully, he’ll get a little better each time out and give us a chance to win every time he takes the hill. We’re kind of living in the moment when he’s concerned. All of our pitchers are.”

Showalter expressed a desire for Arrieta to pitch deeper into games as he completed only five innings against Minnesota in the home opener and left last week’s start at Fenway that lasted five innings before a 43-minute rain delay ended his evening prematurely.

Here are Tuesday night’s lineups…

TAMPA BAY
CF Desmond Jennings
DH Kelly Johnson
2B Ben Zobrist
3B Evan Longoria
LF Matt Joyce
SS Yunel Escobar
1B James Loney
C Jose Lobaton
RF Sam Fuld

RHP Roberto Hernandez (0-2, 6.08 ERA)

BALTIMORE
LF Nate McLouth
3B Manny Machado
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
2B Ryan Flaherty
DH Nolan Reimold

RHP Jake Arrieta (0-0, 7.20 ERA)

(Updated: 7: 15 a.m.)

The Orioles lost their series finale against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday and may have lost two more pieces for the time being.

After grounding into a double play to end the sixth inning, left fielder Nolan Reimold left the game with hamstring tightness and will be reevaluated on Monday. Meanwhile, relief pitcher Luis Ayala did not play in the series finale but was taken to the hospital after becoming ill in the sixth or seventh inning, according to manager Buck Showalter.

The pair joined a growing list of health concerns that has included infielders Brian Roberts and Wilson Betemit and pitcher Steve Johnson.

However, the Orioles received good news Sunday night as Ayala joined the team in Boston after only experiencing dizzy spells on Sunday, according to several reports.

Reimold’s status will be tricky as the Orioles are already playing with a three-man bench after activating right-handed pitcher Chris Tillman to make Saturday’s start. The club is preparing for contingency plans, which could include a trip to the 15-day disabled list for Reimold if the hamstring injury is expected to keep him out for more than a day or two.

“We’re trying to evaluate it now,” Showalter said after the 4-3 loss to the Twins at Camden Yards. “[Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette] is going on the trip with us to Boston. I talked to him a little bit during the game to let him know where we were.”

The Orioles play an afternoon game at Fenway Park against the Red Sox on Monday before a day off on Tuesday. One would assume the club would need to make a decision by then on Reimold’s status and the need to have another bench player available.

Reimold painted an optimistic picture regarding his status, but April night games with potentially chilly temperatures won’t do a tight hamstring any favors without adequate rest.

“I came in here and did some [treatment] and calmed it down,” Reimold said following the game. “It’s a little tight still, but it’s not cramping up anymore. It should be all right.”

Showalter expressed confidence that the club’s medical staff was just being proactive in sending Ayala to the hospital to be checked out. The right-hander didn’t accompany the Orioles on their flight to Boston.

The reliever’s status wasn’t as critical as Reimold considering the Orioles are currently playing with an eight-man bullpen.

“He had some things you normally don’t have and they decided after looking at him — better go check it out,” Showalter said. “I’ve got a pretty good idea of what we’re dealing with. See how things go.”

Showalter also confirmed that the Orioles will push back Miguel Gonzalez’s next start until the weekend against the Yankees despite his turn falling during the Boston series. The Baltimore manager said there isn’t a health concern and wants to simply give the slight right-handed pitcher a few extra days.

The club gave Gonzalez an extra day or two on several occasions over the final two months of the 2012 season.

“We’re not matching people up,” Showalter said. “We’re going to have 20-something games in a row. We’ve got an opportunity here. It’s not going to come very often. We’re going to hopefully be pitching him every fifth day for a long, long time. He’s got a chance if he stays healthy to pitch over 200 innings, so we want to have him in good shape for the long haul.”

Gonzalez was the club’s most effective starter the first time through the rotation as the 28-year-old allowed two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings to earn the victory in the final game of the season-opening series against Tampa Bay.

PRESS RELEASE

The Orioles announced Friday that they have recalled infielder Yamaico Navarro from Triple-A Norfolk and placed infielder Brian Roberts on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.

Navarro, 25, was acquired from Pittsburgh on November 30, 2012 in exchange for minor league RHP JHONDANIEL MEDINA. He batted .276/.417/.379 in 29 spring training at-bats for the Orioles after hitting .279/.366/.491 in 66 games with Triple-A Indianapolis last season and going 8-for-50 with the Pirates. He will wear #54.

Roberts, 35, went 5-for-12 with a double, run scored, RBI and stolen base in the first three games of the season.

BALTIMORE — Opening their 60th season in Baltimore on Friday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins, the Orioles were hoping for the best for second baseman Brian Roberts as he underwent an MRI earlier in the morning.

Manager Buck Showalter remained optimistic in his pre-game press conference, but the Orioles summoned infielder Yamaico Navarro from Triple-A Norfolk with Roberts heading to the 15-day disabled list. Ryan Flaherty will start in Roberts’ place at second base in the home opener and newcomer Alexi Casilla will also be counted on to fill in for the 35-year-old infielder.

It was learned after the presser that Roberts ruptured a tendon in the back of his knee, an injury that will likely keep him out for two to four weeks. The good news is the injury won’t require surgery and it’s a tendon typically used for ACL repairs, making it inconsequential in the long run.

“Just because things are delayed doesn’t mean they’re denied,” said Showalter about Roberts’ injury that will likely send him to the DL. “It’s something that, regardless of what [the result] says, it will heal and he will play for us again.”

Right-handed pitcher Chris Tillman will be activated from the DL to make Saturday’s start, so the Orioles could have elected to wait a day with Roberts and go with a short bench instead while avoiding the need to make an additional move. Moving Roberts to the DL now means another one is coming on Saturday.

Tillman declared himself ready to go and will not have any limitations as he makes his first start of the year after dealing with abdominal soreness.

Right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta will make the start in the home opener for the third straight season, but Showalter downplayed Arrieta’s strong spring that resulted in him winning the final spot in the rotation and the exceptional start he made last year against the Twins to begin the season.

“Minnesota answers those questions. His next start, those guys will answer those questions,” Showalter said. “It’s something that you like seeing him do well [in the spring] and he did well at it, but just because he had a good start last Opening Day at home doesn’t mean it’s going to carry over.”

Here are Friday’s lineups…

MINNESOTA
CF Aaron Hicks
DH Joe Mauer
LF Josh Willingham
1B Dustin Morneau
C Ryan Doumit
3B Trevor Plouffe
RF Chris Parmalee
2B Brian Dozier
SS Eduardo Escobar

SP Liam Hendriks (2012 stats: 1-8, 5.59 ERA)

BALTIMORE
LF Nate McLouth
3B Manny Machado
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
C Matt Wieters
SS J.J. Hardy
2B Ryan Flaherty
DH Nolan Reimold

SP Jake Arrieta (2012 stats: 3-9, 6.20 ERA)

The good vibes of a 6-3 victory and a series win over the Tampa Bay Rays were dampened by a hamstring injury suffered by second baseman Brian Roberts on Thursday.

The 35-year-old injured his right leg as he stole second base in the ninth inning. Sliding headfirst into the base safely, Roberts immediately grabbed his right leg and had to be helped off the field.

“He felt something at the bottom of the hamstring. The [doctor] will look at it,” manager Buck Showalter told MASN following the game in St. Petersburg. “We’ve got an early read on it, but I think we’ll know a lot more [Friday]. He’s in some discomfort. It’s going to be a challenge right now.

Roberts is off to a 5-for-12 start in the first three games, including a double and one run batted in. Considered a major question mark entering spring training after having played only 115 games over the last three seasons, Roberts remained healthy all spring and began the season in the No. 9 spot in the order.

Utility infielder Alexi Casilla replaced Roberts in the ninth inning and would likely share duties at second base with Ryan Flaherty if Roberts is to be sidelined for any period of time. The two-time All-Star infielder will undergo an MRI on Friday.

Roberts returned to action last June after more than a year off while dealing with concussion-related symptoms. However, he played in only 17 games before suffering a season-ending hip injury and then underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason.

Even if the veteran appears on his way to the disabled list, Showalter maintained an optimistic outlook while discussing his second baseman.

“I’m not going to live in that doom and gloom world,” Showalter said. “Just because the good Lord delays things doesn’t mean he denies them. He’s off to a good start and he’ll be back with us at some point and continue to contribute.”

The Orioles’ season-opening win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday had just about everything you’d like to see.

A five-run seventh inning turned a 3-2 deficit into a 7-4 a comeback victory over an American League East foe.

Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, and Chris Davis combined to go 6-for-12 with two home runs, three walks, and seven runs batted in. Wieters’ two-run home run provided the early lead, Jones’ two-run double in the seventh put the Orioles back in front, and Davis’ three-run blast later that inning finished off Tampa Bay for good. You can’t ask for much more from the heart of the order.

Starting pitcher Jason Hammel pitched six solid innings and allowed only three runs despite being up in the strike zone for a good portion of the afternoon. The de facto ace earned his first victory of the season and was picked up by Troy Patton and Darren O’Day in the seventh and eighth innings.

All-Star closer Jim Johnson earned his first save in an uneventful ninth inning.

20-year-old third baseman Manny Machado picked up where he left off in the field last year with a couple smooth plays and collected a single and a walk hitting in the No. 2 spot.

Even Brian Roberts and Nolan Reimold, two players the Orioles are depending on to remain healthy this season, went a combined 4-for-8 at the plate.

The euphoria accompanying any Opening Day win aside, we know pennants aren’t won or lost in April except in the most extreme cases, but a victory in a game pitched by 2012 American League Cy Young Award winner David Price is one to put in your back pocket over the course of a 162-game schedule. Price didn’t factor into the decision, but the patience and tough at-bats put together by Baltimore hitters — including a 13-pitch walk drawn by Wieters in the third — pushed the left-hander’s pitch count to 100 through six innings and forced Rays manager Joe Maddon to go to his bullpen earlier than he wanted to with his ace on the mound.

The Orioles made life more difficult than it needed to be for themselves by going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and leaving four runners stranded on second or third with Price in the ball game, but that’s as much a credit to the 27-year-old pitcher as any shortcoming of Buck Showalter’s lineup. Jones finally broke the 1-for-9 drought overall with runners in scoring position with the double off lefty Jake McGee, who relieved Price to start the seventh.

In three starts against Baltimore last season, Price was 2-0 and allowed one earned run and 13 hits in 22 1/3 innings. No player on the current 25-man roster had ever hit a homer against Price until Wieters launched one into the left-field seats to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

The Orioles weren’t fazed by the power lefty, even after he threw four shutout innings against them in Sarasota last week. And they came away with a win in the first of 19 meetings with the Rays, who are regarded by most as a division favorite along with the Toronto Blue Jays this year.

Tueday’s victory is only one in a 162-game marathon, but it’s one you put on the positive side of the ledger that you typically wouldn’t expect to have when facing one of the best pitchers in the game. Of course, it means nothing if you don’t win the close games in which you have a chance, an area in which the Orioles excelled last year with their 29-9 record in one-run games, 16-2 mark in extra-inning affairs, and astonishing 74-0 record when leading after seven innings.

As we would have said had they lost 11-1 at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, it’s only one game. But it is one game just as important as the 161 to follow. And for what’s expected to be an extremely tight division race, Tuesday’s victory represents one the Orioles won’t have to make up in September.

It’s a new season and the improbable 2012 season is only a memory, but the Orioles have already come away with one that you would not have expected.

And that was a familiar feeling.

With only a week to go until the start of the 2013 season for the Orioles, it’s time to revisit the five questions that were posed at the start of spring training.

Some questions have been answered while others still hold cloudy solutions as manager Buck Showalter and his club finish up the Grapefruit League before traveling to St. Petersburg to open the season against the Tampa Bay Rays next Tuesday.

Here’s what I was pondering nearly six weeks ago as Baltimore was coming off its first playoff appearance in 15 years:

1. Can Nolan Reimold stay healthy and be the impact bat the Orioles failed to acquire in the offseason?

A sore throwing shoulder limited Reimold to the designated hitter spot for a large portion of the spring, but he returned to the outfield last week and does not appear to be feeling any lingering effects.

In 41 spring at-bats, the 29-year-old is hitting .244 with four home runs and eight runs batted in. Reimold appears to have regained all strength lost in the aftermath of the spinal fusion surgery he underwent last summer and should be in line to begin the season on the 25-man roster and in the starting lineup.

Considering the Orioles didn’t add an impact bat in the offseason and right fielder Nick Markakis is still recovering from a small herniation in his neck, Reimold must stay healthy to give the lineup a boost from a year ago.

This question ultimately won’t be answered until the Orioles head north and begin the season, but the good news is that Reimold has been healthy enough to play in 14 Grapefruit League games, which is only two fewer than the number he played in the entire 2012 season. And he’s shown to be the same power hitter he was prior to the neck injury.

2. What will the starting rotation look like when the Orioles come north to Baltimore?

Nothing has changed dramatically in the makeup of the starting rotation from what was projected at the start of spring training, but there are plenty of question marks based on what we’ve seen in Sarasota.

The good news is Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen, and Miguel Gonzalez are still projected to hold the top three spots in the rotation, but all come with questions. Hammel hasn’t shown any lingering effects from last year’s knee surgery and is in line to be the club’s Opening Day starter, but he’s also appeared in just three Grapefruit League games, allowing five earned runs in nine innings of work and not displaying the same command with the two-seam fastball that he did last year.

Chen was roughed up by the Phillies over the weekend and has allowed seven earned runs in 7 2/3 innings in three big-league outings. Meanwhile, Gonzalez has seen the least amount of action as he’s made just two spring appearances covering four innings (one earned run).

All have received regular work by pitching in minor-league camp and simulated games, but you do wonder if the top of the Baltimore rotation is adequately prepared to face big-league hitters beginning in a week. Then again, Showalter could simply be hiding his top starters to prevent American League foes from getting a good look at them in Florida.

The rotation becomes foggier after that as Chris Tillman would appear to be ready to take the No. 4 spot in the rotation, but abdominal soreness has limited him to 4 1/3 innings of Grapefruit League action. A four-inning stint at the Orioles’ Twin Lakes facility on Sunday indicates Tillman is ready to begin the season in the starting rotation and not on the disabled list.

Jake Arrieta appears to have the clear edge for the final spot in the rotation as he holds a sparkling 1.56 earned run average in 17 1/3 spring innings covering five appearances. Originally scheduled to start against the Twins on Tuesday, Arrieta was pulled to instead pitch at the Orioles’ minor-league facility, another indicator that he will be the fifth starter when you remember Minnesota visits Camden Yards for the first home series of the season late next week.

Brian Matusz appeared to fall behind Arrieta after struggling in his start on Sunday, but the Orioles must think carefully on what to do with the 26-year-old left-hander. There is clear incentive to shift him to the bullpen role in which he thrived late last season, but this also comes with the understanding that pushing him to a short-relief role means it may be difficult to move him back into the starting rotation from a conditioning and health standpoint later in the season. Moving a starter to the bullpen is one thing, but asking a relief pitcher to suddenly stretch himself out in the middle of the season is begging for an injury to occur.

Rule 5 selection T.J. McFarland and Steve Johnson remain in the hunt, but it appears both pitchers would be more likely to earn a bullpen job as a long reliever if they’re to make the club. Because the Orioles don’t want to risk losing the 23-year-old McFarland, they will likely try to stash the lefty sinkerballer in the bullpen for as long as they can, meaning it’s a good possibility that Johnson begins the year at Triple-A Norfolk.

After a rough start to the spring, Jair Jurrjens has rebounded nicely — pitching five shutout innings in his latest outing — and appears he’ll be among the first pitchers on call at Norfolk early in the season. He and Zach Britton will be nice insurance policies at the Triple-A level for now.

3. Who will step up to play second base?

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE >>>>>

In their first spring meeting with the New York Yankees, the Orioles didn’t exactly face the 1927 Bronx Bombers in a 5-1 win in Sarasota on Monday afternoon.

New York right-hander Vidal Nuno made the start while Brett Gardner, Jayson Nix, Juan Rivera, and Francisco Cervelli were the most recognizable names in the Yankees’ batting order against left-hander Brian Matusz. The Orioles starter pitched two shutout innings to collect the victory while primarily using his fastball against an underwhelming lineup of hitters.

It’s only a snapshot, but here were five thoughts taken away from the Orioles’ first televised spring training contest:

1. You want to knock on wood when you say it — or pinch yourself because you assume you’re dreaming — but healthy versions of Brian Roberts and Nolan Reimold at the top of the order would do wonders for this offense. Roberts was the more impressive of the two Monday as he doubled from each side of the plate while hitting in the No. 2 spot in the order behind Reimold. The second baseman is also no longer wearing the double-flapped batting helmet he sported last season, another indication that his concussion-related symptoms might be behind him once and for all. Reimold was 0-for-2 against the Yankees after going 0-for-3 in his spring debut on Sunday, but he continues to build strength and confidence after being declared ready to go at the start of the spring.

Manager Buck Showalter has stated his preference to lower J.J. Hardy in the order after the shortstop was miscast as a top-of-the-lineup hitter in his first two seasons with the Orioles, and Roberts’ .351 career on-base percentage and Reimold’s .338 mark would fit nicely at the top of the lineup as long as you continue to see no health concerns for either player this spring. It would be a welcome change for a lineup that included low on-base percentage options such as Hardy and the departed Robert Andino at the top of the order before Nick Markakis and Nate McLouth moved into those roles out of necessity in the second half of last season.

It feels like a long shot to be able to count on a 35-year-old Roberts — who is trying to bounce back from season-ending hip surgery as well as offseason sports hernia surgery — after three injury-plagued seasons in a row, but the 29-year-old Reimold could still have plenty of good baseball in front of him if he can finally stay on the field.

2. The case of right-hander Tommy Hunter will be one to follow this spring as he is out of options. Hunter allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless inning of work on Monday, and it appears the 26-year-old will be eyed as a relief option this spring.

Hunter has made 75 career starts in the big leagues between Texas and Baltimore, but his stuff has never screamed starting pitcher as he’s averaged only 5.0 strikeouts per nine innings pitched and has a career 4.77 earned run average. In 12 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen last September, Hunter allowed one earned run and struck out 12 and featured fastball velocity in the upper 90s.

This becomes more interesting when considering Hunter would need to clear waivers to be sent to Triple-A Norfolk at the end of the spring. Other fringe starters such as Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, and Steve Johnson all have at least one option remaining, making it possible that Hunter could be viewed in a more favorable light in starting the season as the long reliever out of the bullpen while at least some of the others could find themselves pitching with the Tides to start the year.

Showalter has said the club won’t make roster decisions based on option years, but it would appear Hunter would have the inside track on a bullpen role if he has a reasonably strong spring. On the other hand, a poor performance from the right-hander would also mean he’s more likely to pass through waivers unclaimed.

3. If you’re looking for this year’s version of Lew Ford or Steve Pearce, keep an eye on Russ Canzler. The 26-year-old is capable of playing first base and the corner outfield spots and hit 61 combined home runs in his last three minor-league seasons split between Double A and Triple A.

It was a crazy offseason for Canzler, who was selected off waivers four different times with executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette finally nabbing him from the Yankees on Feb. 5. The right-handed hitter drove in a run with a single in Monday’s 5-1 win and was strongly endorsed by Norfolk manager Ron Johnson prior to the Orioles acquiring him this winter.

It would be an upset to see Canzler break camp as a member of the 25-man roster — he also has two option years remaining — but his .819 on-base plus slugging percentage over nine minor-league seasons is the type of statistic that intrigues Duquette when searching for bargain-basement deals. Canzler was selected in the 30th round of the 2004 draft as an 18-year-old by the Chicago Cubs and spent seven years in that organization before spending a season each with Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

It’s a long shot, of course, that we’ll see Canzler making any tangible contribution to the 2013 Orioles, but no one expected Ford or Pearce to contribute to the Orioles’ first playoff team in 15 years at the start of the season, either.

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