Question: What do you think of the 5-man rotation of Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, Charlie Morton, Trevor Rogers and Tomoyuki Sugano? And what about a 6-man rotation with Cade Povich added? From: Bob Stier
Answer: Bob, many fans were excited when they saw Rogers’ excellent start in Boston last month, but for the moment, I think the current rotation is doing well, though I think they’ll find a spot for Rogers soon.
The problem with a six-man rotation is that means a seven-pitcher bullpen instead of eight, and that could leave the Orioles short-handed. If they’re in playoff contention September 1st when they’ll add another pitcher to the roster, a six-man rotation makes more sense then.
Question: There’s growing chatter about selling off pending free-agent pitching: Zach Eflin, Tomoyuki Sugano, Charlie Morton, Gregory Soto are all pending free agents. Any chance Mike Elias surprises us and actually extends any of these guys? I’m thinking Eflin and Sugano, in particular. From: Stuart Nabors, Richmond, Virginia
Answer: Stuart, I would be surprised if any pitcher is extended, though Eflin and Sugano make sense for the club. The upcoming free-agent class doesn’t seem terribly strong, and I think it’s probably in Eflin and Sugano’s best interest to consider offers from all teams, not just the Orioles, when free agency arrives this fall.
Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.