Shaky outing doesn’t help Wright’s rotation case

SARASOTA, FLA. – Orioles right-hander

knows someone in his position — out of minor league options and on the roster bubble entering the last week of spring training — doesn’t have the luxury of using spring training just to get ready for the season.

He needs results, and after the fifth inning got away from him Saturday, he didn’t leave the 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays with good ones.

“It doesn’t help, that’s for sure,” Wright said after allowing four runs on nine hits in 42⁄3 innings. “But leading up to that point, I think I was in a good spot. Hopefully what I did those first four innings helps my case going forward.”

Before that fifth inning, Wright’s mentality of pitching to contact and using his defense was working. He got a pair of double plays started on line drive outs to center field in the first and third innings that helped erase runners, and had cruised other than a tricky third until that fifth inning.

But after an opening flyout, the Blue Jays scored three runs on a pair of singles, a triple and a fielder’s choice to spell the end for Wright.

The 73-pitch outing leaves Wright entering the final week of spring having allowed eight runs on 16 hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in 142⁄3 innings over five appearances. He’s in the mix for a rotation spot as the Orioles’ fifth starter, joined by

and as leading candidates.

Wright hopes that more than just the problems in the fifth inning Saturday are considered for his candidacy.

“If I could have stopped after those first four innings, we’d be having a lot different conversation here,” Wright said. Handling Scott: Hard-throwing left-handed pitching prospect has been working regular one-inning stints for the Orioles this spring, leading to some speculation that he could be pitching his way onto the major league roster already.

But manager said he believes the plan is still for Scott to pitch as a starter in three-inning stints in five-man rotation at Triple-A Norfolk, a plan that worked well for Scott last season at Double-A Bowie.

“We think he’d really benefit from him being here as much as we can,” Showalter said. “That’s kind of the idea—as long as he was able to defend himself and throw it over. He’s been able to do that, for the most part.”

Scott allowed a run in the ninth inning of the Orioles’ loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday, meaning he’s allowed an earned run in three of his last four outings after five scoreless innings to start the spring.