The Orioles beefed up the rotation by trading for Shane Baz and resigning Zach Eflin. With the current roster configuration, Baltimore’s depth chart will feature more than five starting pitchers if each player remains healthy. Anyone that watched the Birds lose starter after starter last season knows that’s a big “if.” Mike Elias knows that too, and he continues to explore external options for the front of Baltimore’s starting five.
The O’s seem legitimately interested in adding Framber Valdez or
Ranger Suárez, and there’s no doubt that Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers could use some extra help at the top of the rotation. Every good team needs more than five starters to get through a season, and there’s absolutely room for another difference maker on the roster.
Bradish, Rogers and Baz all appear to be locks for the rotation, and Eflin should fall into the same category when healthy. Even without another addition, that leaves Dean Kremer or Tyler Wells as the odd man out.
Kremer tossed 171.2 innings last season while posting a 4.19 ERA. The righty turned 30-years-old today, and he has next to no relief experience at the major league level. Kremer has been a solid starter for the Orioles over the last six seasons and profiles as a quality fifth starter on a playoff team.
Wells missed a majority of last season after undergoing right UCL revision surgery in 2024. The 6-foot-8 righty completed an extended rehab stint across the minors before joining Baltimore’s rotation at the beginning of September.
Wells proceeded to post a 2-1 record and 2.91 ERA over four late-season starts. He struck out 18 batters compared to only two walks and used a 0.877 WHIP to notch a 140 ERA+. Wells might have joined Baltimore’s bullpen for a late season push if the Birds remained in contention, but the last place O’s had a spot in the rotation and Wells took advantage.
Many have penciled in Wells as a swingman for 2026 but that could be a misnomer. The righty has 50 starts compared to 49 relief appearances in his career, but 44 of those relief outings came during his rookie season. The former Rule 5 selection earned high-leverage appearances for a struggling Baltimore bullpen back in 2021.
Wells converted a few save opportunities as rookie, but his time as a “closer” has been overstated. Wells notched four saves in 2021, but he didn’t exactly flourish in the role. He posted a 0-2 record, 12.15 ERA and 1.950 ERA in nine save situations.
I’m not looking to put Wells down for climbing all the way to the top of the bullpen hierarchy during his rookie season. The guy may not be a closer, but the Orioles already have Ryan Helsley. Wells is a starting pitcher, and he has the potential to be a damn good one in 2026.
A healthy Eflin likely bumps Kremer or Wells to the bullpen, and another signing would make it inevitable. That being said, Wells’ prior experience working in relief shouldn’t be the deciding factor. Elias and new skipper Craig Albernaz should send their five best pitchers out to the take the ball every fifth day regardless of previous experience.
It’s far too early to deem anything a head-to-head competition for the final spot. Baltimore could fail to add another starter, slow play Eflin, or see another pitcher go down with an injury. The Orioles could already be aware of an injury or two that will not be disclosed until pitchers and catchers report to camp.
Wells reminded everyone that he can hack it as a starter last September, but there’s more evidence than that. He posted a 3.64 ERA over 118.2 innings in 2023 and appeared poised to make an impact before being shutdown in April 2024.
The Orioles didn’t want to depend on an injury-prone Grayson Rodriguez, and both Bradish and Wells represent less than sure things after missing a majority of last year. That said, Bradish will enter spring with a legitimate chance to be the Opening Day starter.
Look for the Orioles to use Wells as a starting pitcher early in camp. It’s always easier to begin the year as a starter than to stretch out in the middle of the season. The bullpen still needs filled out, but Albert Suárez could serve as the “swingman” that many have tabbed Wells for this offseason. Cade Povich, Brandon Young, and even Kremer could find their way into that conversation as well.
Wells still holds two minor-league options. The Orioles could bump him to Triple-A if he loses a rotation competition, but the guy is too talented to keep off the roster when healthy. A shift to the bullpen could become necessary if the Birds add another top arm, but there’s still a world where Wells heads north as a member of the rotation.
