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Orioles' Trey Mancini met with standing ovation in first at-bat since cancer fight

Trey Mancini returned to the diamond with a warm welcome from socially distanced fans and peers at the Baltimore Orioles spring training facility. It was the first game back for the first baseman after undergoing surgery and recovering from colon cancer in 2020.

The Orioles opened Grapefruit League play against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday with a 25% capacity crowd at Ed Smith Stadium. Mancini received an ovation after warm-ups and a full-on ovation as he stepped into the box for his first at-bat in a calendar year. He was back in the batting order in the two-hole.

It was a feel-good moment for Mancini, but also for everyone as the nation still grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. Both dugouts also began cheering when he went up to bat.

Mancini hit a single off of Chad Kuhl and later stole second base, but it was called back due to batter's interference. The Orioles shared a cool shot of his hit from the dugout.

But the view from the press box really showcases the fan support in the stadium.

Mancini said afterward he almost teared up during the ovation and it "meant the world to me."

Mancini, 28, underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon in March 2020. He was one of the club's few bright spots in an extensive rebuild and hit .275/.334/.480 over three full MLB seasons. Mancini averaged 28 home runs and 29 doubles in each season, buoyed by a career-best 35 home runs in 2019.

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