Orioles option Tyler Wells to Double-A, call up Joey Krehbiel

Will the Orioles trade for someone to take his spot in the rotation?

After spending most of this season as one of the Orioles’ most reliable starters, Tyler Wells has fallen apart of late and the contending Orioles can no longer afford to keep sending him out to the mound every five days. He has been optioned to the Double-A Bowie Baysox and relief pitcher Joey Krehbiel has been called up to take his place.

Wells pitched to a 3.18 ERA through his first 17 starts this year and there was chatter about him being picked to represent the Orioles on the All-Star team. But over his past three starts, things have gone south for the big righty, as he has lasted just a total of nine innings in which he gave up 11 runs and walked nine. He has pitched 113.2 innings this season, which is 10 more than his career high of 103.2. He reached that number last year.

Tyler Wells isn’t as bad as he has been pitching of late, even though his peripheral stats didn’t support how well he pitched earlier in the season. The Orioles are giving him some time in the minors to rest and work on what has been troubling him.

Wells had been announced as the starting pitcher for the series finale against the Blue Jays on Thursday, which now will obviously not happen. You have to think that this move means the Orioles are working on a trade that will bring in a starting pitcher who can fill out the rotation. If not, the only real option seems to be that they’d move Cole Irvin back into the rotation. If that does happen, it’ll mean a disappointing trade deadline took place for the Orioles.

Krehbiel has not appeared in the majors in 2023 after pitching 56 games in relief for the 2022 team. In 25 games covering 30 innings with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Krehbiel has pitched to a 3.00 ERA. That doesn’t sound too bad, but his 1.467 WHIP is a touch frightening. But with the troubles that the bullpen has faced of late, I say let’s give him a go. Could it be worse? (Don’t answer that).

We’ll see Tyler Wells again, hopefully new and improved. In the meantime, we’ll keep waiting to see what pitcher(s) will be joining the team as we approach the deadline.