The Orioles will need plenty of pitching to secure a third straight postseason spot for the first time since 1969-1971. This offseason, executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has concentrated on adding starters and relievers.
Last month, the Orioles signed Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, and on January 3rd, 41-year-old right-hander Charlie Morton. They’ve reportedly added 35-year-old right-hand reliever Andrew Kittredge, and on Friday picked up still another right-hander, Roansy Contreras, off waivers.
Elias is accumulating starters and relievers, and seemingly has more qualified candidates for roster spots than the Orioles have roster spots.
They’re allowed 13 pitchers, and when they go to spring training in a little over a month, they’ll try to find out who fits where.
Who’s most likely to start?
The returnees are Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer, with Morton and Sugano in line to join them. They also have Albert Suárez, who can start and relieve, and left-handers Cade Povich and Trevor Rogers, plus right-handed rookies Chayce McDermott and Brandon Young.
It’s possible players with options, such as Povich, will spend time in Triple-A Norfolk and the Orioles, replacing perhaps Sugano and Morton on occasion. Sugano has never pitched in a five-man rotation. In Japan, there are six pitchers in a rotation, but to do that early in the season would be difficult.
Manager Brandon Hyde could use Sugano in the bullpen while Povich starts.
Later in the season, the Orioles hope to get right-handers Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells back. Each had elbow surgery last June, but Wells’ wasn’t Tommy John, so he could return sooner than Bradish.
If the starters remain healthy, the team could have substantial depth and a fresher rotation longer in the season.
How many bullpen candidates are there?
Assuming Félix Bautista is ready after his October 2023 Tommy John surgery, Kittredge would join Yennier Cano and Seranthony Domínguez as right-handers while Keegan Akin, Cionel Pérez and Gregory Soto provide relief from the left side.
Suárez could end up in the bullpen, too.
There are other pitchers who could find their way onto the staff if there are injuries or ineffectiveness.
Colin Selby impressed the Orioles with three scoreless appearances and was on the Wild Card roster. The team added 32-year-old left-hander Luis González, who’s never pitched in the majors, to the 40-man roster. They also added right-hander Kade Strowd and Young, but he’d probably start the season in Norfolk’s rotation instead of going to the bullpen.
There’s also Contreras, who has pitched well against the Orioles (1.86 ERA in 9 2/3 innings), and Bryan Baker, who could be vulnerable when Kittredge is added to the 40-man roster.
Matt Bowman, who pitched well during August and September, also will be in camp as a non-roster pitcher.
Who has options?
It’s essential to have options, particularly in the bullpen.
Among starters, Rodriguez and Kremer have options, as do Povich, Rogers, McDermott and Young.
Akin, Bautista, Cano and Selby are veteran relievers with options. González and Strowd have them, too.
If a pitcher is optioned to the minor leagues, they must stay for 15 days unless they’re replacing a pitcher placed on the injured list. Pitchers on the injured list must stay on it for a minimum of 15 days.
Position players can stay on the injured list for 10 days and, when optioned, must remain in the minors for 10 days unless replacing an injured player.
Who will have what role in the bullpen?
We won’t see that until the regular season begins on March 27th in Toronto. Relievers in spring training pitch earlier in the game because they’ll face regulars. The final innings, especially early in spring training, are used for pitchers not likely to make the Opening Day roster.
Hyde said he’ll try to protect Bautista, particularly early in the season, but last year he used his two healthiest relievers, Akin and Cano, often. Akin pitched 78 2/3 innings, and Cano was in 70 games. In 2023, Hyde used Cano 72 times, and he wasn’t with the team to begin the season.
Kittredge pitched in 74 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, a career high and fifth in the National League, and threw 70 2/3 innings.
The Orioles won’t have left-hander Danny Coulombe or right-hander Jacob Webb in 2024, but with Kittredge, Suárez and a return from Bautista, the bullpen could be better.
Note: According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Orioles had a tentative agreement with right-hander Jeff Hoffman on a three-year, $40 million contract, but he didn’t pass the team’s physical. Instead, he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with Toronto on Friday.
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