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Orioles’ Pitching Woes Contribute to disappointing Start to 2025 Season
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles are grappling with a disappointing start to the 2025 season, sitting at the bottom of the American League East with a 6-10 record as of Wednesday, april 16. The team’s struggles can largely be attributed to their starting pitchers, who collectively hold the worst ERA in the league.
Starting Pitching Struggles Plague Baltimore
Baltimore’s starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries and inconsistent performances. Prior to the season, Grayson Rodriguez, projected as the team’s top pitcher, suffered elbow inflammation and has yet to make an appearance. This led to Cade Povich‘s call-up.
Individual Performances Under Scrutiny
Cade Povich has posted a respectable 3.60 ERA with a 14:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 innings. However, he has also allowed 24 hits, indicating some struggles with command and allowing runners on base. Veteran Tomoyuki sugano has a 3.86 ERA despite a less-than-stellar 5 strikeouts and 5 walks against 17 hits in 14 innings.
Veteran Struggles Compound Issues
Charlie Morton’s recent outing, where he surrendered five earned runs in five innings, exemplifies the challenges the Orioles’ rotation faces. The team will need improved performances from its starters if they hope to climb out of the AL East cellar and contend this season.
MLB Injury Bug Bites: Orioles and Rays Pitching Rotations Face Early-Season Challenges
Baltimore and Tampa Bay are grappling with significant early-season pitching injuries, testing their roster depth. The Orioles, in particular, have seen key starters sidelined, forcing them to tap into their pitching reserves earlier than anticipated.The Rays are also dealing with pitching woes as Opening Day starter Zach Eflin lands on the injured list.
Baltimore Orioles Pitching Depth Tested Early
The Baltimore Orioles are facing an early test of their pitching depth with several key starters sidelined. The absence of Grayson Rodriguez, a significant blow to the rotation, has been compounded by other injuries. while the team signed veteran Kyle Gibson in mid-March, his projected DRA (deserved run average) of 114 raises concerns about his potential impact. Further complicating matters, several other pitchers who would typically be called upon to fill injury gaps, including Albert Suárez, trevor Rogers, and Chayce McDermott, are also dealing with their own health issues. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells began the season recovering from elbow surgeries.
Tampa Bay Rays Lose Zach Eflin to Injury
The Tampa Bay Rays have also been hit by the injury bug, with Opening Day starter Zach eflin landing on the injured list. This absence further impacts a rotation already navigating the challenges of a long season. While their pitchers’ effectiveness has seen a slight increase to 8.84, the team is facing concerns about overall ERA and DRA.
Statistical Concerns for Both Teams
Despite only one of the five starting pitchers for Baltimore having a DRA- above the league average (Povich, 95), none are projected to fall below 101 for the remainder of the season.This suggests potential underlying issues beyond just the surface-level earned run averages.
Orioles GM Acknowledges Depth Concerns
Orioles General Manager Mike Elias addressed the media, acknowledging the early strain on the team’s pitching depth. “In terms of pitching, I think we have already tapped into, basically, the depth,” Elias stated, highlighting the unexpected challenge of navigating injuries to key starters so early in the season. “To say this on April 15th is not the plan… To have Grayson and Eflin on the bench concurrently…”
Orioles’ Pitching Woes: Did Management Overlook Warning Signs?
Injuries Expose Potential Flaws in Baltimore’s Roster Construction
The Baltimore Orioles’ pitching staff is facing challenges early in the season, prompting questions about whether the team adequately prepared for potential injuries and departures. General Manager Mike Elias’s recent statement that the team “never foresaw” the current pitching struggles has raised eyebrows, given the injury history of key pitchers.
Recurring Injuries Plague Key Pitchers
The losses of pitchers like Rodríguez and Eflin have undoubtedly strained the Orioles. However, Eflin’s consistent presence on the injured list throughout his MLB career (excluding 2020), dating back to 2016, and Rodríguez’s two IL stints last season, including one that sidelined him for the postseason, highlight a pattern of fragility. This history suggests that relying heavily on these pitchers without sufficient backup plans could be viewed as a miscalculation.
Missed Opportunities in the Offseason?
The Orioles’ apparent reluctance to address the pitching situation aggressively during the offseason, especially after trading for Corbin Burnes, has also drawn scrutiny. While the Burnes trade was seen as a positive move, the team’s failure to follow up with additional acquisitions to bolster the rotation’s depth raises concerns about their commitment to addressing a clear need.
The Orioles are known for accumulating promising hitting prospects. A logical step would be to follow up on the Joey Ortiz/DL Hall trade for Corbin Burnes with a similar acquisition aimed at strengthening the pitching staff. While suitable options may not have been available during the winter, the Orioles could have potentially competed with Boston for Garret Crochet. Another option could be waiting to make a move during the season for players like Sandy Alcántara or someone of similar caliber.
Postseason Hopes Remain Alive
Despite these challenges, Elias maintains optimism, stating that he still believes the Orioles are a playoff-caliber team.Projections, based on PECOTA, give the Orioles a 20% chance of winning their division.
Orioles’ Playoff Hopes Hinge on Aggressive Roster Moves
AL East’s Tight Race Puts Pressure on Baltimore to Bolster Roster
Baltimore’s playoff aspirations rest on the front office’s willingness to abandon a conservative team-building approach and pursue impactful acquisitions, particularly a top-tier starting pitcher, to address glaring roster deficiencies.
Mediocrity in the American League Creates possibility for Orioles
Projections estimate the Orioles will win 85 games, putting them in a tight race with the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, and just a game behind the Toronto Blue Jays. The mediocrity across the american League means no team currently projects to win more than 88 games, creating an opportunity for Baltimore to emerge as a contender.
Acquiring a Top-Tier Pitcher Key to Overcoming Deficiencies
Acquiring a frontline starting pitcher, such as Sandy Alcantara or a comparable player, would address significant deficiencies and silence much of the criticism surrounding the team. However,remaining passive in the trade market risks turning the franchise into a team defined by consistent rebuilding rather than aggressive contention.
Lack of offseason Aggression Questioned
While acknowledging the Orioles’ unique situation, the article questions why the team didn’t proactively address its weaknesses before the season began. Even the explanation that the team did not anticipate multiple players being sidelined simultaneously early in the year is viewed as insufficient, highlighting the front office’s obligation to foresee and mitigate potential risks.
According to the article, how does DRA differ from ERA in evaluating a pitcher’s performance?
Image credit: Syndication: Arizona Republic
Orioles’ Pitching Woes: frequently Asked Questions
Q&A
Q: What’s the main problem plaguing the Orioles’ pitching?
A: Injuries and inconsistent performances from starting pitchers, leading to a league-worst ERA.
Q: which key pitchers are currently injured?
A: Grayson Rodriguez (elbow inflammation) and Zach Eflin (specific injury not detailed in the article), Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, Albert Suárez, Trevor rogers and Chayce McDermott.
Q: How is Cade Povich performing?
A: Respectable,with a 3.60 ERA and a good strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he’s allowing a lot of hits.
Q: What are some of the issues the Rays are facing?
A: The Rays are also struggling with pitching injuries, specifically with opening Day starter Zach Eflin on the injured list, slightly increasing their effectiveness.
Q: What does the article say about the front office?
A: They are being questioned for not adequately addressing potential pitching issues during the offseason, given the injury history of key pitchers. the GM, Mike Elias, acknowledged tapping into the team’s depth too early.
Q: What is a DRA?
A: DRA, or Deserved Run Average, estimates a pitcher’s true run prevention ability, considering factors beyond ERA.
Q: What moves are being suggested to help the Orioles?
A: Acquiring a top-tier starting pitcher through trade, such as Sandy Alcantara.
Q: What are the Orioles’ chances of making the playoffs?
A: Currently projected with a 20% chance of winning their division, according to PECOTA.
Q: What’s the general sentiment about the team’s approach?
A: The article suggests the team needs to be more aggressive in its roster moves to contend,rather than continuing a rebuilding approach.
Q: Was there a missed opportunity in the offseason?
A: Yes, the article suggests the Orioles could have been more aggressive in the offseason, possibly competing for players like garret Crochet or waiting to make a move during the season for players like Sandy Alcántara.
Trivia: Did you know that the Orioles have a strong farm system known for developing hitting prospects? This makes the need for pitching help all the more critical.
Action: For a winning season this year, the Orioles’ front office needs to act fast to improve the team’s pitching staff by trade or other means.
