TAMPA, Fla. -- Pedro Alvarez, who was introduced by the Orioles on Thursday in a news conference, could make his Grapefruit League debut early next week.
"I talked to him some today about when he's going to play," manager Buck Showalter said of Alvarez, who was signed to a one-year deal. "See how the next few days go, but I'm hoping Sunday or Monday."
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Alvarez has been out working on the team's half-field the past two mornings and doing defensive drills with infield coach Bobby Dickerson. Showalter said that's something both parties wanted to get started on quickly.
"He's wanting to go 100 mph the first day, and [we] try to remind him he's not really behind," Showalter said. "Just acclimating him to the team's defense, what the signals are for that and trying to catch up ... it will take him a day or two. The memory bank will kick in. He was wanting to play today."
Showalter, who has often referenced 30 plate appearances as a good target for Spring Training, said he's not worried about Alvarez getting enough work before Opening Day. The team can also schedule "B" games or have Alvarez go to Minor League camp to give him some extra work.
"We are not going to run him into the ground, but he'll have plate appearances," Showalter said. "He'll be ready to go."