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    O's finalize their Opening Day roster

    Team's makeup will change after Game 1, when Davis' suspension ends

    O's finalize their Opening Day roster
    Manager Buck Showalter and the O's open the season on the road against the Rays. (AP)
    By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com | |

    SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Orioles set their Opening Day roster on Sunday, going with 14 pitchers and 11 position players for a squad that will change immediately after Game 1, as Chris Davis' suspension ends.

    It could also change sooner than that, with executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette reminding reporters that trades can be made at any time during the regular season.

    "We have more pitchers than we want to carry," Duquette said. "We have some more work to do, but we have some pitching depth. We will be able to weed through that during the season.

    "It's not ideal, we have more work to do."

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    The O's are planning on adding Davis from the restricted list for the second game of the season, and they will remove a pitcher from the 25-man roster when they do so.

    Pitchers on the current roster are Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Bud Norris, Ubaldo Jimenez, Kevin Gausman, Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, Tommy Hunter, Brad Brach, Brian Matusz, Ryan Webb, Wesley Wright, and Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia.

    Webb is the biggest surprise of the group, with the right-hander clearing outright waivers last week as the O's tried desperately to see if they could find a trade partner. He is making $2.75 million this season and the Orioles would have to eat that money if they cut him loose.

    Garcia had a minor hamstring injury this spring, but showed enough upside that the O's don't want to offer him back to Boston.

    "We think Jason has a chance to be a good pitcher at the Major League level at some point, if he stays in attack mode," manager Buck Showalter said. "You can't keep them all, but we want to find out about him ourself."

    The O's made their final three cuts prior to announcing their roster. Ryan Lavarnway and Nolan Reimold were reassigned to Minor League camp, while left-hander T.J. McFarland was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.

    Position players who made the club -- which now has just a two-man bench -- are Manny Machado, Everth Cabrera, Jonathan Schoop, Delmon Young, Alejandro De Aza, Adam Jones, Steve Pearce, Travis Snider, Ryan Flaherty, Caleb Joseph and Steve Clevenger.

    As expected the O's placed Matt Wieters, Jimmy Paredes, J.J. Hardy and David Lough on the disabled list. All except Paredes are backdated to March 27, with Paredes backdated to April 1.

    Showalter also announced the plan to start Jimenez in the fifth game of the season, with Gausman slated to be in the bullpen. The O's could have skipped the fifth spot with Thursday's off-day, but wanted to keep Jimenez, who had a solid spring, on a schedule.

    "[On Monday], we get to start out and try to win the last game of the season this year," Duquette said.

    Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Britt's Bird Watch, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter @britt_ghiroli. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.