The Orioles have had a wildly profitable 2023 marketing campaign, with an 84-51 document that locations them 2.5 video games forward of the Rays in a extremely aggressive AL East division. Regardless of that success, the membership’s clear Achilles heel all through the season has been the beginning rotation, which has produced simply 8.3 fWAR this yr, nineteenth within the majors and solely higher than San Francisco amongst golf equipment at the moment in playoff place. Whereas the membership added right-hander Jack Flaherty on the commerce deadline to bolster their workers, he’s struggled to a 6.41 ERA in 19 2/3 innings of labor with Baltimore.
Given this, it needs to be a significant reduction to Orioles followers that left-hander John Means could also be nearing a return to the massive league membership. MLB.com’s Jake Rill relays that supervisor Brandon Hyde indicated to reporters that Means will make one other rehab begin with Triple-A Norfolk however might be out there to affix the membership’s huge league rotation following that. Means, in fact, hasn’t pitched since April 2022 after present process Tommy John surgical procedure however sports activities a 3.72 ERA and 4.59 FIP in 353 1/3 innings of labor for the reason that begin of his rookie marketing campaign again in 2019. If the 30-year-old lefty can recapture his regular, mid-rotation efficiency from previous to his surgical procedure in time for the postseason, he’ll absolutely be an asset to a rotation that figures to incorporate right-handers Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, and Kyle Gibson.
Extra from across the AL East…
- Sticking with the Orioles, nearer Felix Bautista hit the injured listing with “some extent of damage” to his UCL final week, although since then specifics relating to his state of affairs have been sparse. Hyde supplied an replace relating to Bautista to reporters this afternoon, with Rill relaying that the membership is ready for irritation in Bautista’s elbow to go down earlier than deciding on subsequent steps. Whereas Bautista already underwent an MRI, Rill notes that extra checks might be within the 28-year-old’s future because the membership tries to find out the most effective plan of action for his or her breakout reduction ace.
- Purple Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo exited in the present day’s sport in opposition to the Royals as a consequence of what the membership termed as hamstring tightness. Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe caught up with Verdugo following the sport and the 27-year-old downplayed the severity of the problem, suggesting that he “felt a little bit one thing” in his hamstring in the course of the sixth inning and that it needs to be taken care of with a day or two of relaxation. Ought to Verdugo miss extra time than that, the membership has Wilyer Abreu, Cedanne Rafaela, and Rob Refsnyder as choices to fill out the outfield alongside Adam Duvall and Masataka Yoshida.
- The Rays recalled rookie starter Taj Bradley in the present day, with the 22-year-old hurler taking the place of the recently-injured Jason Adam on the lively roster. Bradley’s first sixteen begins with Tampa had been one thing of a blended bag; whereas the teenager dazzled with a 30% strikeout price in opposition to a 7.9% stroll price, his 5.67 ERA in 74 2/3 innings left an ideal deal to be desired when it comes to each outcomes and quantity. After all, it’s price stating that Bradley’s BABIP allowed was the sixth-highest determine within the majors amongst pitchers with at the least 70 innings of labor this yr, whereas his strand price was tenth lowest. That mixture signifies some extent of unhealthy luck in Bradley’s outcomes, although a whopping 17.3% of his fly balls leaving the yard for residence runs serves as an indicator that not all of his struggles have been pure misfortune. Bradley will look to finish his rookie marketing campaign on a excessive notice as a member of the rotation alongside Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Civale, Zach Eflin, and Zack Littell.
