The Baltimore Orioles’ starting rotation has suffered many injuries and therefore struggled. But heading into September, some guys need to step up. Heading into spring training, the Orioles had almost too many starting pitchers. The projected rotation consisted of Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, John Means, and Dean Kremer. That rotation contains two former All-Stars, two rising stars, and a solid pitcher. The depth was also strong. With guys like Tyler Wells and Cole Irvin there were a lot of options.
However, Bradish, Means, and Wells were ruled out for the season very early on. Rodriguez is currently on the injured list, and Kremer and Irvin have been underwhelming. That leaves just Burnes from the beginning of the season as a reliable option, and even he has struggled in the second half. Zach Eflin and Albert Suárez have joined the team and stepped up big-time, but that is still not enough. The Orioles need to find some answers quickly. Otherwise, the rotation may not be strong enough for a deep postseason run.
The Orioles Rotation’s Second-Half Struggles
All-Star starter Corbin Burnes, who had a phenomenal first half, has struggled heavily post-All-Star break. In 6 starts since the break, Burnes has a 5.40 ERA. That is over double his first-half ERA of 2.43. Also, Burnes is walking batters at a much higher clip, while striking them out less. His K/BB ratio is just 2.6 in the second half after it ended at 4.4 in the first half. Then, Friday against the Boston Red Sox, Burnes had the worst start of his career, giving up eight runs.
And that’s a career-high 8 runs allowed by Corbin Burnes #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) August 17, 2024
That type of performance will not cut it for the Orioles ace down the stretch. However, Burnes is not the only Orioles pitcher in the rotation struggling right now. Trade deadline acquisition Trevor Rogers has been nothing short of terrible, amassing a 7.53 ERA in three starts so far. Dean Kremer has just a 4.48 ERA this season and a -0.3 bWAR. Finally, rookie Cade Povich, who has made a handful of starts, has had some struggles as well. Overall, a majority of the rotation has not been good, which begs the question, do the Orioles have enough pitching for a deep postseason push?
The Strong Performers
Despite the Orioles’ pitching woes, two starters have had standout second halves: Zach Eflin and Albert Suárez. Acquired a week before the trade deadline, Eflin has become the steadiest pitcher for the O’s. He has picked up a win in each of his first four starts as an Oriole.
Zach Eflin is the first player in Orioles history to win each of his first four appearances, all of which were starts. https://t.co/Ejr5T8Jr18
— Birdland Insider (@BirdlandInsider) August 16, 2024
While doing this, his Orioles ERA is a minuscule 2.13. Heading into a playoff series, it would be hard to argue against having Eflin start Game 1. Additionally, Suárez has been a stud for the Orioles all season and has delivered in a bigger role during the second half. In his last two starts, he has pitched 11 2/3 innings and allowed no earned runs. His importance down the stretch can not be overstated. These two bright spots can certainly keep the Orioles competitive, but they need some help from their teammates.
Potential Orioles Postseason Rotation
Hoping Rodriguez is back from injury, the Orioles’ starting five in the playoffs would be Burnes, Eflin, Rodriguez, Kremer, and Suárez. Obviously, the Orioles could keep a four-man rotation as well, but they will need five starters on the roster. As of right now, only two are pitching at anywhere close to a high level. Last season, the Orioles gave up 21 runs in three games against the Rangers in the ALDS. More of the same is certainly on the horizon if multiple pitchers do not start to show signs of improvement. Playoff baseball is an entirely different atmosphere, and if you can’t pitch well in the regular season, bad things will come in the playoffs.
A lot will be answered over the next month and a half in terms of Baltimore’s rotation. Their success will determine how far the Orioles go this season, as they chase their fourth World Series title.
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