Tate has been deployed as a reliever this spring, but the Orioles haven't abandoned developing the right-hander as a rotation option, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports. "I don't think we've given up on the idea of him being a starter," manager Brandon Hyde said. "He's going to be a multiple-innings guy."
All 35 of Tate's appearances over his past two seasons in the minors have come as a starter, with the right-hander turning in a 3.61 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 159:58 K:BB in 206.2 innings. The early results from his dalliance in the bullpen haven't been impressive, but working in relief may represent Tate's clearest path to the big leagues and allow his otherwise middling fastball to play up.