SARASOTA, Fla. -- While small crowds puttered around the back field bleachers Friday morning, Richard Bleier jogged largely unseen into an empty Ed Smith Stadium, hopped on the mound, and hit a milestone.

Center field hopeful Cedric Mullins stepped in as the first batter to face Bleier since June 13, when he suffered a Grade 3 lat tear that required season-ending surgery. Bleier got Mullins to lunge for and tap a changeup in front of the mound before facing Jace Peterson and Andrew Susac without much incident.

All told, Bleier threw 20 cutters, sinkers, changeups and sliders to Austin Wynns in what amounted to his first competitive pitches in more than eight months.

“Honestly, it went as good as it could’ve went,” Bleier said. “I tried it all today and it seemed to all go well.”

Bleier took four months off after undergoing surgery to correct his lat tear in June, then spent chunks of the winter building back into throwing strength. Though Bleier called the four bullpens he’d thrown since arriving in Florida “a little inconsistent,” he looked strong enough in those sessions to receive clearance for the next exercise. Several live BP sessions and at least one simulated game still stand between Bleier and game action. But if he emerges from those without setback, the lefty figures to test his repaired lat in Grapefruit League play with an eye toward being ready for Opening Day.

Before last year’s injury, Bleier was in the midst of his second season as the Orioles’ most reliable reliever. The former sixth-round pick didn’t debut in the Majors until 2016, at age 29, but owns a 1.97 ERA in 111 career appearances since.

“After today … they’re obviously going to want to take it slow. But I’m ready to compete,” Bleier said. “It felt great to be back out there, honestly. I was really excited. I was really pumped up to be in a completely empty stadium, this early in the year. Then to make the pitches I did. It’s definitely a good feeling.”

More pitching plans

Right-hander David Hess has been tabbed to start Sunday against the Blue Jays, meaning fifth starter candidates will open each of the Orioles’ first two Grapefruit League games. Though the competition may end up running some seven deep, Hess and Yefry Ramírez enter camp as favorites given their experience last year. Hess went 3-10 with a 4.88 ERA in 21 games (19 starts) as a rookie in 2018. Ramirez, who went 1-8 with a 5.92 in 17 games (12 starts), will start Saturday’s opener vs. Minnesota.

Roster move

In what amounted to a rare one-for-one waivers swap, the Orioles lost infielder Hanser Alberto on a claim Friday to the Giants. The club designated Alberto for assignment earlier in the week after claiming left-handed Josh Osich off waivers from San Francisco.

Topps comes to town

The Orioles received a visit Friday morning from Topps, the longtime trading card behemoth, and shortly after, more than 200 cards were arranged across the clubhouse pingpong table. The spread attracted a slew of visitors, including reliever Mychal Givens. Givens made a point to bypass his own card and grab bullpen mate Bleier’s, hang it at his locker, and ask Bleier for an autograph.

More honors for Robinson

In tandem with the commemorative patches they’ll wear on their right jersey sleeves, the Orioles will also honor late icon Frank Robinson with several charitable initiatives this season.

In honor of Robinson’s commitment to advancing civil rights for African Americans, the Orioles Charitable Foundation will donate a total of $20,000 to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History & Culture in Baltimore. The Orioles will present the donations, also ticketed for the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., and the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C, prior to their April 4 home opener against the Yankees.

The club is also planning to host a public celebration of life for Robinson at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at some point that month. The ceremony will include a video tribute and remarks from a variety of guest speakers. The date is TBD.