The Baltimore Orioles are set to enter the 2023 campaign with an impressive collection of young talent.
From Rookie of the Year candidate Adley Rutschman to Ryan Mountcastle, Gunnar Henderson, Austin Hays, Anthony Santander, Ramon Urias, and Cedric Mullins, their offense is looking good and has more talent on the way.
They also put together a nice bullpen, headlined by flamethrower Felix Bautista.
Their starting rotation, however, is not in such a good shape as the offense is.
“Orioles starting rotation right now: Kyle Gibson (5.05 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 in 2022); Cole Irvin (5.26 ERA, .371 wOBA outside OAK in 2022); Kyle Bradish (4.90 ERA, 3.5 BB/9, .350 wOBA vs. RHP in 2022); Dean Kremer & Tyler Wells (not bad). One of the worst rotations in #MLB,” writer Ahaan Rungta tweeted.
Orioles starting rotation right now:
Kyle Gibson (5.05 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 in 2022)
Cole Irvin (5.26 ERA, .371 wOBA outside OAK in 2022)
Kyle Bradish (4.90 ERA, 3.5 BB/9, .350 wOBA vs. RHP in 2022)
Dean Kremer & Tyler Wells (not bad)One of the worst rotations in #MLB. pic.twitter.com/q4pArYmdxF
— Ahaan Rungta (@AhaanRungta) February 24, 2023
While the unit, as currently constructed, is indeed one of the worst in baseball, it does have potential and lots of variables depending on how a couple of minor leaguers develop and how a certain injured hurler rebounds.
Gibson has a career 4.52 ERA so he is better than what he showed last year.
Irvin is underwhelming, but Bradish closed out the season on a nice note and does have more upside than he is usually given credit for.
Kremer and Wells did well in 2022 and have talent.
John Means, who has performed like a solid number two when healthy in recent seasons, should return in July.
Additionally, the O’s have top prospect Grayson Rodriguez and fellow promising minor leaguer DL Hall waiting for their moment.
In a best-case scenario, the O’s rotation could be Kremer, Rodriguez, Bradish, Means, and Hall or Wells.
That’s not a bad group, and remember that the O’s have lots of impact prospects and could package some of them for a deadline pitching acquisition.
Their rotation is currently not good, but it could be more than decent in a few months from now.
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