The Baltimore Orioles have set their season-opening starting rotation with their newly acquired ace Corbin Burnes leading the five-man rotation.
Corbin Burnes will get the ball for the Orioles as they face the Angels on Opening Day, March 28. Grayson Rodriguez will start game two on March 30th, and Tyler Wells will close out the three-game series on March 31. Dean Kremer will open the three-game series against Kansas City on April 1, while Cole Irvin starts game two on April 2. Each of the Orioles’ first six games will be played at Camden Yards. Then, the Orioles will travel to Pittsburgh to begin a six-game road trip.
The Orioles Will Open the Season Without Two Key Starters
Baltimore will be without two key starters, Kyle Bradish and John Means, who will open the season on the injured list. Bradish was diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament last month and began a throwing program after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said earlier this week that Bradish is throwing off the mound and “responding well.” According to Hyde, the 27-year-old has been throwing mainly fastballs “extremely well” and “might have spun a couple breaking balls.”
John Means had Tommy John surgery in 2022 and was activated from the injured list by the Orioles in September. Shortly after returning to the team, he had a flare-up and sat out the American League Division Series. The flare-up set the 30-year-old lefty back a month in his off-season throwing program. Means has thrown multiple live bullpen sessions and hopes to return to the Orioles rotation by late April.
Plans for Any Setbacks
Barring any setbacks, Orioles general manager Mike Elias hopes to have Bradish and Means back before the All-Star break. In the meantime, Tyler Wells and Cole Irvin will join Burnes, Rodriguez, and Kremer in the Orioles’ starting rotation.
Wells was one of Baltimore’s best starters in the first half last year and is “throwing the ball great,” according to Hyde. Wells has given up just two runs over 10 2/3 innings of work this spring, earning him the third rotation spot.
Irvin started camp with five shutout innings but has given up 10 runs over his two Grapefruit League starts. In his first season in Baltimore last year, Irvin pitched to a 4.42 ERA through 77 1/3 innings. Irvin made 12 starts for the Orioles in 2023 and will round out the starting rotation behind right-hander Kremer.
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