Kyle Bradish’s season ended with a rough stretch, and now the Orioles right-hander is headed for hernia surgery.
President of baseball operations Mike Elias said at his end-of-season press conference that Bradish will have the procedure tomorrow. The issue had been hanging over him for his last three starts, and Baltimore put him on the 15-day injured list in mid-September because of abdominal discomfort. Bradish was already known to be dealing with a hernia, and at the time he landed on the IL, he said surgery was one possible path.
The final three outings weren’t kind to him. Over 12 innings, the 30-year-old allowed 10 runs, seven earned, on 16 hits and eight walks while striking out nine.
The start before that? Seven runs allowed to the Rockies at Coors Field.
That late slide pushed his ERA from 3.70 to 4.12.
Even with the rocky finish, 2026 was still a strong year for Bradish. In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, he made 29 starts and threw 155 innings, both the second-highest totals of his career. His busiest season remains 2023, when he made 30 starts and logged 168 2/3 innings.
Baltimore’s confidence in him showed up in a big way. Bradish won his arbitration hearing against the Orioles last winter, landing a $3.55MM salary, and the relationship clearly held up just fine.
Five months later, the club signed him to a five-year, $90MM deal covering the 2027-31 seasons. That contract buys out his final two arbitration years and three would-be free-agent seasons.
The good news for the Orioles is that the surgery shouldn’t threaten Bradish’s availability for 2027. Barring any unexpected setbacks, he should be back in the mix for a rotation that already includes Shane Baz, who also signed a five-year extension this season, and Brandon Young, who broke out this year. Trey Gibson and Luis De Leon should get another shot, while former top prospect Cade Povich could still be in the picture as well.
Still, the bigger offseason picture is getting thinner by the day. Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin are all set to hit free agency this winter.
Rogers is expected to receive a qualifying offer and turn it down in search of a multiyear deal. Elias said only that he plans to check in with Rogers’ agents at PSI Sports Management before Rogers officially reaches the open market five days after the World Series ends.
Eflin’s year was limited to one start before UCL surgery, but he entered the season with a rotation job locked in. With him, Rogers and Bassitt all potentially moving on, the Orioles could be staring at the loss of three veteran arms they were counting on heavily when the year began. Young’s emergence and the additions of Double-A right-hander Anthony Eyanson and High-A righty Kyson Witherspoon in the Adley Rutschman blockbuster have added some depth, but Baltimore still looks likely to explore ways to upgrade and fortify the rotation this winter.
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