SARASOTA, Fla. — Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins smacked a triple and drove in a run in the O's' 4-2 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday at Ed Smith Stadium. The game was a seven-inning contest.
Mullins is batting left-handed full-time in 2021. He had previously been a switch hitter.
"I fully committed to it during this off-season kept in contact with [Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde and General Manager Mike Elias] telling them how much I was working on it what kind of different approaches I was using to get adjusted to seeing left on left and the results showed today," said Mullins.
"I’m just happy with his at-bats," said Hyde. "I had seen him in a live batting practice but hadn’t seen it in game action and he stayed on the ball well. So, another good day for Cedric."
Projected opening day starter John Means made his spring debut and a new Grapefruit League rule allowed him an unusual stat line.
Means was pulled from the game with two outs in the top of the first inning. He had allowed a run on three hits. He then returned to pitch the second inning, allowing a hit and no runs.
"Being a competitive person, not the best but this is the first game of spring training. So, it’s just warming up," said Means. "I was still happy with the performance."
"I thought his fastball was really good. He looked strong. He felt good. Just a lot of foul balls. We didn’t help him out much also, we misplayed a ball in left and there were a couple close pitches there that didn’t go his way but I thought he threw the ball very, very well," said Hyde.
Trey Mancini registered his first RBI of the spring in the first inning.
Top prospect Adley Rutschman flied out and walked.
Reliever Paul Fry took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in the third inning. Luke Voit singled home Aaron Judge before Mike Ford plated Voit and Gleyber Torres on a double in that third frame.
In other news from Sarasota, Hyde said new pitchers Felix Hernandez and Matt Harvey will see action this week. Harvey will pitch Friday against the Blue Jays. Hernandez will start Saturday against the Tigers.
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