SARASOTA, Fla. — For a team supposedly burdened by question marks about its staff, with as many as 12 candidates for five sports in the starting rotation, there appears to be a low level of concern about the Orioles’ pitching department.
That competition for starting roles, for the most part, has been nonexistent almost from the start of spring training. If anything, the biggest question mark seems to revolve around the candidate with the biggest upside — Grayson Rodriguez, the Orioles’ rookie ace-in-waiting. Rodriguez was dominant for three innings in his most recent start, just as he had been in a pair of earlier outings, but his first attempt to complete four innings was a disaster as his control faltered, leading to five straight baserunners.
It continues a somewhat disturbing trend among pitchers throughout the game having difficulty once they get through the lineup one time. At this point, the Orioles’ five-man rotation is all but officially set — with only the order to be determined. How deep into games those pitchers are able to get will determine the degree of success.
When GM Mike Elias signed free-agent right-hander Kyle Gibson and then traded for left-handed Cole Irvin, he all but eliminated the two question marks about manager Brandon Hyde’s rotation. Based on their performances the second half of the 2022 season, Kyle Bradish and Dean Kremer earned two spots heading into 2023, barring any health concerns. And, having been declared a “full go,” Rodriguez will be slotted No. 5 for the present, but with the clear expectation of being No. 1, perhaps as early as the end of this season.
Nothing has changed in that regard, despite the hiccup against the Red Sox JV lineup in his last start. But the time has come to take the training wheels off and look for Rodriguez to extend beyond five innings, something he has rarely been asked to do during the first four seasons of his pro career.
From this observation point, if there was a “mystery man” in the so-called competition for a starting role it was Mike Baumann, whose progress may have been derailed by his own hiccup the last time out. After being lights out through the first five hitters faced against the Phillies, things unraveled in a hurry, leading to a disastrous six runs in the last one-third of an inning.
Like Rodriguez, Baumann had shown electric stuff in his first two outings, with eight strikeouts in five innings, putting him at the head of the class of other would-be starters. One-third of an inning won’t define his entire body of work this spring, but it probably leaves Baumann in the middle of the pack, along with those with minor league options left.
Gibson’s effort against the Tigers on March 13 (four innings, 13 batters faced, one run) would appear to put him in the lead for the Opening Day assignment. Bradish and Kremer, who pitched four scoreless innings for Team Israel against Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic, figure to slot in somewhere around the left-handed Irvin — with Rodriguez the wild card.
There’s still three weeks to go, but that five-man rotation has pretty much been set since the start of spring training and only health concerns would change things. The real competition is among those who will fill the role of long relief — and will most likely be determined by which ones still have minor league options left.
DL Hall, who has yet to make an appearance this spring, is certainly destined for the rotation at Triple-A Norfolk, a fate that barring any late spring trades probably also awaits Bruce Zimmermann.
For whatever it’s worth, this is the best shape the Orioles have been in, pitching-wise, for at least the last half-dozen years. Hope is no longer part of the game plan — but health is, and will play a prominent role going forward.
Jim Henneman can be reached at JimH@pressboxonline.com
Photo Credit: Scott Sears