BRADENTON, Fla. — Pedro Alvarez, the former Pirates first and third baseman, will make his spring debut Wednesday for the Baltimore Orioles against the Pirates at LECOM Park. Alvarez signed with the Orioles earlier this week on a minor league deal. He will transition to the outfield, since infield gave him fits for years.
Against the Pirates, Alvarez will be the designated hitter, batting fifth.
“I’m going to be surprised if he can’t do it,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter told the Baltimore Sun. “Pretty athletic, kind of fits his skill set too. He’s got a plus arm, and he’s going to work hard at it.