These are the O's undecided spring battles

Last Thursday, the Orioles showed up at their Sarasota, Fla., complex prepared to travel south to play the Twins in a game that figured to help bring their roster picture more clearly into focus. When Spring Training was suspended later that day due to the national emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic, so too were the position battles that had been brewing since camp opened.

• 4 Spring Training takeaways for Orioles

With baseball on hold for now, let’s take a look at some of those competitions that were not yet decided when Orioles camp was halted.

Starting rotation
Spots open when camp began: Three
Contenders: Asher Wojciechowski, Wade LeBlanc, Kohl Stewart, Tommy Milone, Keegan Akin, Brandon Bailey, Michael Rucker
Leg up: Wojciechowski, LeBlanc, Stewart

Of all the position battles, the rotation was where the most uncertainty resided when the Orioles arrived to camp in early February. It was also where, by mid-March, the most clarity had emerged.

The Orioles decided fairly quickly they would not be able to carry Bailey and Rucker all season, per Rule Draft 5 requirements, and returned them to the Astros and Cubs, respectively. Milone was signed to a Minor League deal after camp opened and was slowed by some pesky left trapezius soreness enough to where, though he’d returned to the mound by the time camp was halted, he’d fallen behind the other candidates. Akin showed flashes, but he was optioned to Triple-A after posting a 7.45 ERA in Grapefruit League play.

Meanwhile, Wojciechowski did nothing to hinder his projection as a mid-rotation starter. Stewart’s debut was delayed by a right triceps issue, but not enough to jeopardize his rotation chances. LeBlanc was sharp enough in his first few starts to look like the steady veteran presence he was brought in to be. If the season started tomorrow, the biggest question would probably be whether Milone did enough to make the team in a long-relief role.

Utility infielder
Spots open when camp began: Two
Contenders: Pat Valaika, Andrew Velazquez, Richie Martin, Stevie Wilkerson, Richard Ureña, Ramón Urías
Leg up: Valaika, Velazquez, Martin

In what developed into the most hotly contested position battle in O’s camp, Spring Training closed with at least seven players in consideration for the club’s two open utility spots.

The incumbents: Free of his Rule 5 Draft status, Martin showed well vying to back up José Iglesias at short and Hanser Alberto at second, while Wilkerson’s path became complicated as a non-roster player.

The newcomers: Valaika and Ureña hold the same non-roster status, while Velazquez and Urías remain on the 40-man for now. But Valaika may find himself there after hitting three homers in Grapefruit League play, enjoying as productive a spring as almost any Oriole. Velazquez also appeared to separate himself with his speed and ability to play center field, something no other candidate besides Wilkerson can say. That could prove more attractive now with Trey Mancini’s status up in the air, as the O’s might need to carry another player capable of manning the outfield.

Fourth outfielder
Spots open when camp began: One
Contenders: Cedric Mullins, DJ Stewart, Dwight Smith Jr., Mason Williams
Leg up: Smith, Mullins

With Stewart still rehabbing from right ankle surgery, Smith and Mullins arrived in Sarasota as the main candidates for the backup outfielder job. Mancini’s recent operation to remove a malignant tumor from his colon complicated the picture. The uncertain timeline of both his health and the coronavirus situation means it's impossible to ascertain his status going forward.

But it’s probably safe to assume the Orioles will need to carry two from this candidate crop when, as recently as a week ago, they were only looking at carrying one. The break probably benefits Stewart, who was approaching a return to game action when camp was halted and now will likely be fully healthy by the time baseball resumes. He, Smith and Williams profile as options to start in right, while the speedy Mullins looks more equipped for a bench role, with Austin Hays the starter in center field.

Backup catcher
Spots open when camp opened: One
Contenders: Chance Sisco, Bryan Holaday
Leg up: Holaday

By the final week of camp, Holaday, 32, was drawing rave reviews for his leadership and defensive skills, particularly in his ability to handle pitchers. Those are attributes the Orioles have worked hard to develop in Sisco, who, by the time camp closed, had not appeared in Grapefruit League games for more than a week due to a sore right hand. Offensively, Sisco lagged down the stretch last season and had yet to warm this spring, leading to a feeling around camp that the O's might opt to start Sisco, 25, in the Minors like they did last March.