Left-handed pitcher Bruce Zimmermann underwent successful core muscle surgery on Thursday, the Baltimore Orioles have announced.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Alex Poor at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia, per MASN's Roch Kubatko and others. Zimmermann is expected to be back on the mound in time for Spring Training.
Zimmermann bounced between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk for the third consecutive season in 2023. In seven major league relief appearances, Zimmermann went 2-0 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.275 WHIP and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
Zimmermann came up as a starting pitcher through college and the Orioles' farm system. He was 18-5 with a 3.19 ERA at Mount Olive and 28-25 with a 3.54 ERA in his minor league career.
When he spent time in Baltimore over the past few years, Zimmermann would slide in as a spot starter. Zimmermann started 13 games in both 2021 and 2022, and he remained a starter in all 21 of his outings in Triple-A in 2023.
The Orioles took a step forward this season, winning over 100 games and securing the AL East crown to clinch a spot in the postseason. Although Baltimore got swept out of the ALDS by the Texas Rangers, the club still made it clear its rebuilding phase was over.
Zimmermann lost his spot in the rotation to veteran addition Kyle Gibson, rookie Grayson Rodriguez and trade deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty, among others. Even with John Means missing most of the season with an injury, there still wasn't room for Zimmermann to carve out a consistent role as a starter.
With Gibson and Flaherty both entering free agency and Zimmermann expected to be back at full strength by spring, there is a chance the 28-year-old could reestablish himself in the big leagues. The Orioles only got 17 starts from lefties in 2023, and while Means' return will help solve that problem to an extent, it gives Zimmermann a shot at re-entering the bottom of the rotation in 2024.
Zimmermann is 5-10 with a 5.89 ERA, 1.535 WHIP and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 27 career big league starts. He is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.133 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 11 appearances out of the bullpen in his major league career.
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