LAKELAND, Fla. — Manager Brandon Hyde is notably not general manager Brandon Hyde, so the question didn’t fall directly under his purview. Hyde manages the players at his disposal. But, given the injury updates for two key members of the Orioles’ pitching staff, it seemed a pertinent question regardless.

Will Baltimore look externally to bolster a pitching staff rocked by the absences of right-handers Grayson Rodriguez and Andrew Kittredge?

Hyde, prudently, noted the query was better suited for general manager Mike Elias. Still, Hyde said, “I do know that Mike is constantly looking to upgrade our team.”

The Orioles remain confident in their depth and are outwardly backing either left-hander Cade Povich or right-hander Albert Suárez to be the fifth starter while Rodriguez is out. An exact timeline for Rodriguez isn’t known, but as he receives multiple opinions for the discomfort he feels on the back of his elbow, Hyde acknowledged Rodriguez won’t be available opening day.

And Kittredge — undergoing arthroscopic surgery to clean the cartilage of his left knee — will be out multiple months, Hyde said. He was signed to be a high-leverage reliever, though Baltimore could lean on right-hander Bryan Baker or others to cover the gap in innings.

But there are players still available on the free agent market if the Orioles decide to add late competition in camp, be it for the bullpen or rotation. None of them would be a plug-in ace or lock-down reliever, but that portion of the offseason is over.

Below are some of the names remaining. Almost all of them, conceivably, could be acquired on low-risk contracts that include performance-related escalators or player opt-outs should they not make the opening day roster.

RHP Kyle Gibson

He’s a known commodity, a clubhouse favorite and an innings eater. He’s Kyle Gibson.

Gibson, 37, has thrown up to 60 pitches in simulated games this spring, a source said (and as MLB Network first reported). Gibson has also proven his durability with four straight seasons with 30-plus starts. Last year, with the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson pitched to a 4.24 ERA in 169 2/3 innings.

For Baltimore in 2023, Gibson allowed the most hits in the American League and held a 4.73 ERA in 192 innings, but he was a floor-raising rotation piece with a massive role off the field in aiding a young team taking the next step.

RHP Lance Lynn

Lance Lynn produced a resurgent 2024 season with the Cardinals by posting a 3.84 ERA, but nagging knee issues held him to 117 1/3 innings. The 37-year-old lost 20 pounds this offseason, however, to reduce pressure on his legs and hips, according to The Athletic.

Lynn lowered his home run rate per nine innings to 1.2, down from the 2.2 he averaged in 2023. A downside, of course, is that Lynn saw his strikeout-to-walk ratio dip to his lowest rate since 2018 (2.48 strikeouts per walk).

RHP Spencer Turnbull

Spencer Turnbull’s 2024 season ended with a right lat strain, something that is only too familiar to Orioles pitchers. Before then, Turnbull’s one year with the Philadelphia Phillies was a return to his best.

Turnbull missed 2022 through Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, and his time in Detroit ended with an ERA that inflated to 7.26. But, after landing with the Phillies, he helped from the bullpen and as a fill-in starter. He finished with a 2.65 ERA in 54 1/3 innings and, if healthy, he could be a useful swingman in Baltimore, especially with a pitch mix that includes a sweeper and a sinker. He induced ground balls 47.5% of the time last year.

RHP David Robertson

David Robertson is the best true reliever remaining on the market. He’s entering his age-40 season, but he still earned 1.7 wins above replacement and was a reliable arm for the Texas Rangers last year. In 72 innings, Robertson held a 3.00 ERA with a 1.111 WHIP.

Since 2022, Robertson has pitched in 188 games with a 2.82 ERA. His ERA+, a metric where 100 is league average, is 147 from those three seasons combined.

RHP Joe Kelly

Joe Kelly knows all about pitching in the postseason. He has the mettle for it. In 60 postseason innings, the 36-year-old right-hander has a 3.45 ERA. Part of the reason Baltimore signed Kittredge was for his experience, and Kelly certainly could bring that to the clubhouse.

Kelly wasn’t his best last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He recorded a 4.78 ERA in 32 innings, and his WHIP elevated to 1.469. But his fastball averaged 98.1 mph last year and his sinker-heavy usage helped draw ground balls on 47.7% of the contact against him.