Mountcastle, Adley among O's starters on Steinbrenner Field scouting trip

TAMPA, Fla. -- An established big leaguer like Adley Rutschman would usually pass on the hour-long drive to Tampa for a Spring Training game. The Orioles All-Star catcher and his teammate, first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, told manager Brandon Hyde they wanted to play Tuesday’s game against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

This wasn't just another Spring Training game but a chance for Baltimore hitters to scout the park.

"I just wanted to get at least a game in here before the season," Mountcastle said after hitting a three-run home run in the Orioles' 6-2 win. "Thankfully, I was able to, and the schedule lined up. Just [to] get as much experience here as possible before the season starts."

Baseball is a game of routine and familiarity. This season, however, the American League East and the Orioles will be thrown out of their normal rhythm when they have to play seven division games in this Minor League park, which will temporarily house the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tropicana Field, the Rays’ usual home, was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton and is unusable this season. At the end of Spring Training, the Rays will take over most of this ballpark and play all their regular-season games here. They will be one of two teams playing in Minor League parks this season, as the A's have temporarily relocated to Sacramento, Calif.

"We got a little taste of it in Buffalo, [N.Y.], a couple of years ago," Hyde said, referring to 2020 -21 when the Blue Jays played at Sahlen Field because of COVID-19 restrictions crossing the Canadian border. "The elements are going to be different. Those of us who have been in the Florida State League understand that and how much it rains, and rain delays, and BP gets rained out and those types of things.

"We'll see, but I kind of wanted to get some of our guys at least a taste of getting the feel for this ballpark."

After Baltimore got 11 hits on Tuesday, the verdict was that it could be a tough place for pitchers this summer.

"This is Yankee Stadium plus a jet stream out to right field," Hyde said. "So it's going to be an offensive ballpark against the Rays with their rotation and [closer Pete Fairbanks] throwing 98 [mph]."

Everyone assumed that, but for Hyde and the Orioles, Tuesday was a chance to experience it before the season began.

"I actually brought more guys here than I normally would because of having to come back here in the season," Hyde said. "Rutsch wanted to play here.

Mountcastle agreed that Steinbrenner Field will be a place hitters enjoy this summer.

The 314-foot short porch in right field was certainly welcoming to Mountcastle. He hammered his first Grapefruit League home run there in the first inning off Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt.

"It's a good, good place to hit," Mountcastle said with a big smile. "Just trying to drive something hard and in the air is a goal here."

Mountcastle said it was a good experience to see the park before he had to play meaningful games there.

"Just looking at the backdrop and everything," he explained. "Just trying to get used to that in batting practice and the game because every place is different. Just trying to get used to the visuals, mostly."

The Orioles come into Tampa to play the Rays for four games from June 16-19 and then again for three games out of the All-Star break, July 18-20. According to AccuWeather, the average temperature range in Tampa for June and July is a high of 90 degrees and a low of 76, with high humidity.

The area averages seven inches of rain in July. MLB adjusted the Rays' schedule to limit playing here during the rainy season, but Baltimore is one of the few teams that will return in the rainiest part of the year.

For Tuesday's Orioles starter, Albert Suárez, the constant rain is his biggest worry, not the tiny park.

"I think it will be a lot different by the time we come back here with the Rays during the summer," Suarez said after allowing two runs and striking out six in his four innings. "I know there is a lot of rain. I played here a long time ago, and in the Florida State League. It's not like it's going to be the first time I pitch here, so I just have to be ready to compete.”