SARASOTA, Fla. – Because he didn’t play winter ball, Orioles pitcher Albert Suárez is in the best shape of his life.

He really means it.

Suárez didn’t join Caracas in Venezuela after making 32 appearances with the Orioles last season and totaling a career-high 133 2/3 innings in his return to the majors. He rested, he worked out and he earned the first exhibition start Saturday afternoon against the Pirates in Sarasota.

“For me, just how I prepared in the offseason,” he said of receiving the honor. “I think I’m well prepared to be able to start the first game of spring training. So it means a lot.”

Times can change quickly and Suárez is a baseball example. He reported to camp last spring as a non-roster invite and impressed the Orioles to the point that they selected his contract in April. Now he’s practically a lock to be introduced on Opening Day in Toronto.

“It means that I’m improving,” he said. “I’m getting better, and for me, that’s a challenge, too.”

Manager Brandon Hyde praised Suárez’s preparation earlier today while revealing his choice to the assembled media. Suárez credited an altered routine.

“The years before I was playing winter ball and it’s different,” he said. “When you’re playing, you don’t have too much time to do lifting or things like that. This offseason was different. I had the whole offseason to prepare myself.”

Suárez said he is scheduled to throw two innings Saturday if his pitch count allows it.

* The Orioles will play 15 road exhibition games and 13 are implementing the automated ball-strike challenge system.

ABS is available only in Florida State League ballparks, which excludes the Orioles in Sarasota, Red Sox in Fort Myers and Braves in North Port.

Major League Baseball is testing it in spring training to determine whether it’s suitable for the regular season. ABS is used in Triple-A, and we saw it in Bradenton for the Spring Breakout game.

Each team is given two challenges.

The Orioles have met multiple times to discuss the system.

“The league introduced us to it, showed us the techniques and some examples from Triple-A last year of how they were using it there,” Hyde said. “I am interested in seeing what it looks like. I’ve never seen it. I think it’s possibly going to bring some excitement to the game. On a big pitch in a big spot, everybody’s eyes are gonna go to the Jumbotron.

“I think that’s interesting. I’m gonna make sure our main guys use it. I want them to practice or see the timing of everything. You can’t get any help from the bench. You have to do it immediately yourself. There’s gonna be strategic factors whenever it does get implemented into the season.

“Anything that can generate more interest, make the game more exciting, I’m definitely open to it.”

* Tomoyuki Sugano threw a second bullpen session today but it didn’t last as long as Tuesday’s side work.

Sugano went from 35 to 13 pitches, smiled afterward and shook hands with catcher Joel Polanco. He seemed happy with the outcome.

Grayson Rodriguez also threw in the bullpen and tested out his new sweeper.

* The late-inning relievers impressed today in live batting practice.

Cionel Pérez went first, followed by Gregory Soto, Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano. The batters consisted of Jackson Holliday, Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser and Ryan O’Hearn on one side, and Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Gary Sánchez, Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle on the other.

O’Neill smoke a ball up the middle against Pérez, who struck out Holliday. Soto fanned Henderson twice in his inning.

O’Hearn struck out looking against Domínguez and Cowser went down swinging. Mullins struck out against Cano.

Mountcastle poked a ball into right field against Soto that the media scored a single.

* The Earl Weaver Little Field is no longer part of the Ed Smith Stadium complex. The mound, grass and sign are gone.

The half-field has been turned into another parking lot to fit more vehicles near the baseball operations center.