Locked On Orioles - Daily Podcast On The Baltimore Orioles

Samuel Basallo "feels fine" after leaving Orioles spring training game with side injury

11 snips
Feb 28, 2026
A spring training injury scare for Samuel Basallo and the team’s cautious handling of his right-side discomfort. Discussion of catching depth and how lineups could change if catchers miss time. Analysis of spring debuts and prospect performances, plus concerns about defensive issues and Statcast data quirks. Mailbag answers on position changes and pitch-classification mysteries.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Basallo's Spring Training Injury Scare

  • Samuel Basallo left a spring training game after diving to make a tag and clutching his left side, creating an oblique/abdominal scare.
  • Connor Newcomb reports trainers removed him as a precaution, Basallo said he felt fine the next day and was back in catching gear by Friday.
INSIGHT

How Orioles Would Replace Basallo

  • If Basallo missed time the likely roster response is to promote veteran depth Sam Huff as the backup catcher and lean on Adley Rutschman to catch more.
  • Connor explains Huff's MLB experience and power ceiling make him the easier choice over Maverick Hanley, who'd likely stay in Triple-A.
ADVICE

Prioritize Experienced Catcher Depth

  • Avoid relying solely on low-cost, inexperienced catchers; the Orioles need a vet like Huff to bridge injuries.
  • Connor notes free-agent options are thin and internal depth (Huff, Hanley, Creed Willems) is what the team must trust.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app