CHICAGO—Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that starting pitcher Dean Kremer first noticed an issue with his right triceps on Monday in St. Louis. It’s why he came out of the game after four innings.
On Friday, the Orioles placed Kremer on the injured list retroactive to Tuesday.
“After the fourth inning the other day, he said something,” Hyde said. “That’s why he didn’t go back out for the fifth inning. It was a little soreness in there. We’re hoping he’d show some improvement since then. It’s still lingering, so we want to use some caution and put him on the IL. We’re hoping it’s not going to be very long.”
Five of the seven regular starters the Orioles have used this season — Kremer, Kyle Bradish, John Means, Grayson Rodriguez and Tyler Wells — have been on the injured list. Means and Wells are currently on the list; Rodriguez came off the injured list on May 18th.
“Grayson went on the IL and it was 16, 17 days, something like that,” Hyde said. “Hopefully that’s the same for Dean.”
Kremer was scheduled to start on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, and the Orioles haven’t announced a replacement.
“This is pretty fresh, and we’re still talking about it right now,” Hyde said. “I’ll probably announce it after the game.”
The Orioles have needed depth. Albert Suárez started three games and is currently in the bullpen. He’s a possibility for Saturday as is left-hander Cade Povich, who is scheduled to start for Triple-A Norfolk.
“This isn’t uncommon right now,” Hyde said. “You’ve got to be able to make adjustments and deal with some adversity. Pitching hiccups are going to happen. Injuries are going to happen. That’s why you create as much depth as you possibly can on your 40-man roster or Triple-A, and we’ve had to tap into it so far this year. I’m sure we’re going to have to continue to tap into it. More things are going to happen.”
In 2022 and 2023, the Orioles were one of the healthiest teams in the majors.
“The last couple of years we were really fortunate. We stayed as healthy as you possibly could,” Hyde said.
Hyde also said that Means, who was placed on the injured list with a left forearm strain on Wednesday, is seeking a second opinion.