Happy Tuesday, Camden Chat! If you just had a three-day weekend, I hope you enjoyed it. The Orioles gave us a reprieve from the misery with a solid win yesterday. Kyle Bradish stumbled in his second start back from Tommy John and had to exit after four innings with a pitch count of 84. But the bullpen pitched five scoreless innings (really!) and rookies Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, and Jeremiah Jackson knocked in all four runs in the 4-3 victory. You can check out Alex Church’s game recap for full
details.
Bradish has given us reason to be hopeful for next year in his first two starts. Even with his early-innings struggles last night, he looks strong overall. Tonight we’ll get a peek at another pitcher returning from elbow surgery, Tyler Wells. Wells has not appeared in a Major League game since April 12, 2024. He attempted to rehab the injury but ultimately had surgery in June.
Wells joins Bradish, Dean Kremer, Trevor Rogers, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Cade Povich in a six-man rotation for the final month of the season. Wells spent 2022 and 2023 mostly in the starting rotation, and that’s where he started the 2024 season as well. Even so, many believe his future is in the bullpen. He has had more success there than in the rotation, but we’re talking fewer than 50 games in each role. So it’s hard to know for sure where he might end up.
Even if Wells is destined for the bullpen, right now, the Orioles have a 2026 starting rotation problem. The starting pitching pool is shallow, let’s just say. There are a lot of what-if pitchers who could find a place there. Brandon Young and Cade Povich have not yet impressed as major league starting pitchers. Dean Kremer belongs firmly at the back of the rotation. Grayson Rodriguez still exists, but for planning purposes you kind of have to pretend he doesn’t. Trevor Rogers (best pitcher in baseball) and Kyle Bradish make a formidable one-two punch. But after that it’s just a whole lot of question marks.
So why not throw Wells in there to see if he’s a viable option for the rotation? It’s not as if he could upset the Orioles’ postseason chances this year. Maybe he’ll show the team something promising to make things interesting next season. No harm in seeing what’s what.
Wells’s stats in rehab starts don’t mean much, but he has mostly done well. He struck out 24 in 25.1 innings, put up a 2.43 ERA, and pitched into the seventh inning in his final start. I am all for seeing what he can do against a major league lineup.
Links
Ryan O’Hearn eager to face Orioles – Baltimore Baseball
O’Hearn had a lot of nice things to say about his old teammates, even if he is clearly in a better position with the Padres. As for being eager to face them, O’Hearn went 1-for-3 with a walk last night.
Tyler Wells to return Tuesday, Suárez and Handley activated as Orioles’ Sept. 1 additions – The Baltimore Banner
Suárez is a welcome addition to the struggling bullpen for sure. When Wells joins the team tonight, someone will have to be removed from the active roster.
Bradish for Bundy becomes a winner for Orioles – MASN Sports
It’s been a winner for a while now, but Roch Kubatko has a retrospective on how it all happened.
10 Standouts From The 2025 Orioles Dominican Summer League Season – On the Verge
Only a sicko would pay attention to who did well in the DSL. If you are such a sicko, On the Verge has you covered.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have a whopping eight Orioles birthday buddies. You may not have heard of them all, but they are indeed former Orioles.
Today is the 43rd birthday of Jason Hammel, who pitched for the Orioles in 2012 and 2013. The Orioles traded longtime Orioles Jeremy Guthrie to the Rockies for Hammel and Matt Lindstrom just before spring training 2012. I wasn’t impressed with the trade when it happened, but Hammel became an instrumental part of the 2012 playoff team. He made 20 starts with a 3.43 ERA that year.
Also born on this day are relief pitchers John Flinn (71) and Nate Snell (73). Flinn appeared in 22 games in relief in 1978-79 and 1982, while Snell had a 130 ERA+ in 82 games for the Orioles from 1984-86.
Other former Orioles born on this day are Dusten Knight (35), Rex Hudler (65), Drungo Hazewood (b. 1959, d. 2013), Dave Criscione (74), and Marv Throneberry (b. 1933, d. 1994).
On this day in 1960, the Orioles defeated the New York Yankees, 5-0, to move into a virtual tie with the Yankees for first place. Milt Pappas pitched a complete-game three-hitter and Walt Dropo homered. That was the high point for the team as they went 12-12 over the rest of the season and finished eight games back.
In 2012, they beat the Yankees again. Chris Tillman left after three innings with elbow stiffness, but Mark Reynolds hit two home runs and Nick Markakis knocked in three as the leadoff hitter to lead the Orioles to an 8-3 win. The Orioles got to within two games of the Yankees in the division, which is also where they ended the season as the Wild Card.
In 2023, the Orioles claimed pitcher Jorge López off waivers from the Marlins. The idea of a reunion with the former All Star was fun, but it didn’t go so well. López pitched to a 5.25 ERA in 12 games.
One year ago today, the Orioles beat the White Sox, 13-3. Corbin Burnes allowed two runs in five innings, Keegan Akin pitched one scoreless, and Cole Irvin got the always hilarious three-inning save in a blowout. Gunnar Henderson and Cedric Mullins homered. Both Mullins and Austin Slater had three-hit games.
