SARASOTA, Fla. -- After an injury-plagued 2025 season, the Orioles were hoping for improved health and better fortune in ‘26, when they reported for Spring Training a little more than two weeks ago. To this point, that hasn’t been the case -- although they appear to have survived a scare Thursday afternoon.
Catcher Samuel Basallo exited with right side abdominal discomfort in the third inning of a 6-5 walk-off Grapefruit League win over Detroit at Ed Smith Stadium, a move manager Craig Albernaz later described as “precautionary.” The 21-year-old departed after laying in pain while holding his right side, though he walked off the field -- and back to the clubhouse -- alongside head athletic trainer Scott Barringer.
“It’s Feb. 26, saw his reaction, goes down,” Albernaz said. “To me, he could have stayed in the game, but that was me being the voice of reason to get him out of there and make sure everything was fine.”
On Friday morning, Basallo described the discomfort as "cramping" and said he was feeling better. He was checked over by the medical team and did not anticipate further testing, while he and Albernaz are both optimistic the youngster will return to game action this weekend. It was an encouraging sign to see Basallo in catcher's gear later in the day, preparing to play catch with teammates.
"Didn't feel anything grave, not an explosion of sorts or anything like that," Basallo said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. "Everything is good."
The O’s have already lost second baseman Jackson Holliday (broken hamate bone in right hand) and third baseman Jordan Westburg (partial right UCL tear) for the start of the year, so it’s clear why fans quickly showed a ton of concern as soon as Basallo was hurt.
Basallo was on the end of a 9-4-2 relay play, receiving a throw from second baseman Jeremiah Jackson after a double by Hao-Yu Lee was fielded and thrown in by right fielder Tyler O’Neill. Basallo was successful in tagging out Matt Vierling, but he was immediately in visible pain after making a lunging dive toward the runner.
After completing the tag, Basallo remained on the ground. He was checked over by Barringer for several minutes before his exit.
Basallo (MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall prospect) is expected to be among the front-runners for the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2026. The 21-year-old Dominican backstop reached the big leagues last year, when he hit .165 with six doubles, four home runs, 15 RBIs and a .559 OPS in 31 games.
Although Adley Rutschman remains Baltimore’s No. 1 catcher, Basallo is expected to get a lot of time behind the plate, while also making plenty of starts at designated hitter (and perhaps sporadic opportunities at first base). Basallo is also a big part of the O’s future, as he signed an eight-year, $67 million extension with the club last August.
Last year, Basallo sustained a left hamstring strain in his seventh game of the season for Triple-A Norfolk, which led to him going on the injured list from April 5-25. However, he avoided the IL the rest of the season, unlike many players on the O’s big league roster.
The Orioles used the IL 39 times last year for 29 players. That was one of the primary reasons why they went 75-87 and finished last in the American League East after entering the 2025 season looking to make a third consecutive postseason appearance.