The Orioles have found their biggest surprise in the one place that usually keeps a season afloat: the rotation. That’s the twist in a year that has gone sideways fast for a club flirting with last place in a rough American League.
It’s also why the deadline conversation in Baltimore can’t stop with the position players who have stalled out. Yes, the lineup has plenty of names that have not developed the way the organization hoped, and yes, Adley Rutschman - Mike Elias’s first draft pick - belongs in the middle of that discussion. But the pitching deserves a hard look too, because this group is not built to carry a contender deep into October, and the Orioles are nowhere near that conversation anyway.
If the goal is to get real about the short-term and long-term shape of this roster, then the smart play is obvious: sell high on two starters while there’s still a market.
Trevor Rogers is the first one. He’s in the middle of a strong run after an eight-game stretch that made him look like he belonged in AAA, and that kind of volatility is exactly the problem.
Last year, after the manager was fired and the season was already over, he put together an 18-game stretch that made him look like Cy Young. Before that, after being acquired at the deadline, he made four starts and then got shipped to AAA with a WHIP around 2.00.
That’s the profile here: flashes, swings, and no real reason to believe the ride won’t get bumpy again. He’s also a free agent after the season, and Baltimore has almost no payroll obligations next year.
There’s no sense in chasing a comp pick when the organization’s drafting record is suspect. If the Orioles can get close-to-MLB ready talent for him now, that’s the move.
If they really believe he’s fixed, they can try to buy him back later.
There is a path to replacing him internally. Trey Gibson is raw and the command issues showed up in his first stint, but he brings swing-and-miss stuff.
The Orioles also have 2023 draft pick Nestor German, and there’s room to take another look at young arms and see what they can become. Cade Povich was once talked up by Elias as a future front-of-the-rotation starter when he was acquired, and while that isn’t going to be the case, the idea of piggybacking the lefty with either of those younger arms makes sense.
Dean Kremer is the other name worth moving if the right offer comes along. He’s the classic inning eater, the kind of starter who can usually land around league-average ERA most seasons, and there’s real value in that. But the last two years have brought more signs of wear, and he has one more year of arbitration control in 2027, which matters even more in what could be a labor-shortened season.
He’s also the sort of pitcher who can be found every offseason if a team knows what it’s doing. Baltimore, though, has almost no guaranteed money on the books and a farm system that is middling at best with a poor track record on pitchers.
That makes extra lottery tickets the better bet. Another strong start or two, and the Orioles would actually be selling relatively high on someone for once.
His ERA+ of 104 is the second-best of his career.
If Kremer goes, the replacement is already on the roster in some form. Chris Bassitt is working back from injury and making $18 million, so the Orioles are going to be stuck with him. He’s known for being good with young pitchers, so there’s value in using him that way while he handles innings or tries to handle them.
In Other News...
Orioles May Be Regretting One Bullpen Call More Than Ever
About a year ago, the Orioles made a bullpen move that looked sensible enough at the time, sending Bryan Baker to the Rays for a draft pick and betting on the value of the selection over the arm. Baltimore has never been shy about treating the back end of the roster as a place to churn, and the deal fit that mindset, especially with a rival in the division willing to take the pitcher off its hands.
What has changed is Bakers trajectory since landing in Tampa Bay, where he has turned into the kind of reliever Baltimore could use right now. The Orioles can point to the pick they got back, but the trade has become a reminder that bullpen evaluations are fragile, and that a move that seems minor in July can look much larger once a pitcher settles in and starts missing bats for someone else. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles May Have Finally Found The Pitching Gem Elias Rarely Drafts
Ryan Piechs path to Baltimore looks a lot more interesting than the usual late-round arm flier. The Xavier right-hander came back from Tommy John surgery and put together a strong 2026 season, finishing with a 3.18 ERA and 98 strikeouts while showing the kind of durability and command that can make a college pitcher stand out in a system that has not always leaned heavily on that profile. Scouts have pointed to a fastball that can get into the mid-90s, along with a slider and changeup, and there is a sense that the Orioles may have found a pitcher with a real foundation to build on.
What makes Piech worth watching from here is the combination of stuff, feel and reputation. Evaluators have liked the way his control has sharpened, and his high school coach Joe Bowers has been just as bullish about the work ethic and long-term upside. For an Orioles organization that has often been more aggressive with bats than arms, the question now is how quickly Piech can translate that college success into the minor league system and whether the early promise holds up against better professional hitters. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles First Round Pick Hit With Another Frustrating Setback
Vance Honeycutts first full season in pro ball has already been a stop-start grind, and the latest interruption adds another layer to what has been a frustrating beginning for the Orioles 2024 first-round pick. The High-A Frederick outfielder has battled offensive inconsistency while trying to adjust to professional pitching, and he has also had to navigate more than one health issue along the way.
Honeycutt, ranked No. 28 in Baltimores system by MLB Pipeline, had shown enough raw power to hint at why the Orioles were intrigued, but the bigger question now is simply getting him on the field long enough to build rhythm. For a player whose development depends on reps, the combination of strikeouts, slumps and repeated injuries has made every setback feel a little more costly. [Read more 🡒]