Bundy shrugs off rocky spring start

Right-hander concentrates on control after tough debut

CLEARWATER, FLA. – Even though Dylan Bundy is only 25 years old, his first big league spring training was six years ago, in 2012. Despite a litany of injuries, he’s pitched in 24 Grapefruit League games over his career. He’s been around long enough to realize you don’t put too much stock in any one outing.

Bundy, the Orioles’ most consistent returning starter from last season, made his spring training debut Saturday afternoon in the team’s split-squad road game against the Philadelphia Phillies, a 9-6 loss at Spectrum Field.

And while the result was ugly — he allowed five runs, including a grand slam to Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro, and needed 49 pitches to get through two innings — Bundy didn’t get caught up in the scoreboard.

“Not the scoreboard — I don’t care too much about that right now,” Bundy said. “Later in the spring, absolutely. But three walks, I felt like — I wasn’t nibbling, but I was missing just off the plate and my misses were terrible. Two sliders high and those were probably the only two pitches I’d take back. I was happy with all the pitches, the movements, stuff like that. It was fine.”

As manager Buck Showalter noted after the game, Alfaro’s slam carried in the wind, and some borderline pitches that were called balls didn’t miss by much.

“You had a wind-blown home run,” Showalter said. “You’ve got about five strikes that were called balls. He was good, right where he needs to be. It was good to see. Arm strength was good.”