For a pitcher who has made just seven appearances in the last two seasons combined, Tyler Wells suddenly looms very large for the 2026 Orioles. And not just because of his 6-foot-8 frame.
Wells, who hasn’t pitched in relief since 2023, enters the season as a key bullpen piece, likely serving as the late-inning setup man to closer Ryan Helsley. The right shoulder injury suffered by presumed eighth-inning guy Andrew Kittredge has created a void that Wells might be the best equipped to fill. The right-hander
has a career 3.49 ERA as a reliever, holding opposing batters to a .168 average and .531 OPS. Wells briefly served as the Orioles’ closer during his rookie season in 2021 and again during the stretch run in 2023.
Most of the 2024-25 seasons were a wash for Wells, who underwent UCL revision surgery on his elbow after only three starts in 2024 and returned for just four outings last year. Entering this spring, his role was up in the air, but once the Orioles signed Chris Bassitt to bolster their starting staff, there was no potential rotation spot for Wells. The Kittredge injury further solidified the Orioles’ need for Wells in the bullpen.
The 31-year-old could be a boon to a relief corps that added nobody except Helsley and Kittredge this offseason and is filled with untested youngsters and uninspiring veterans. Wells attacks the strike zone and generally doesn’t get himself into trouble. As a reliever, he has a 1.7 BB/9 and an excellent 0.791 WHIP in 49 career games. His one bugaboo is home runs; Wells has served up nine career dingers in 67 relief innings. But at least there usually isn’t much traffic on the bases when he does so.
What do the projections say about Wells’s 2026 campaign? We’ll exclude ZiPS, which projects him as a starting pitcher, and instead look at the relief-only projections from Steamer and Baseball Reference:
- Steamer: 72 IP, 4.29 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.5 HR/9
- Baseball Reference: 68 IP, 3.97 ERA, 8.3 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 1.5 HR/9
Both of these projections grade Wells as an adequate but unremarkable relief pitcher this year. That may be disappointing to O’s fans who are hoping Wells could turn into a lockdown setup man and backup closer. But hey, projections are just projections. They’re no guarantee of what’s going to happen.
What do you think will happen, Camden Chatters? What kind of 2026 season will Tyler Wells have?
