Inside the remarkable start for this Baltimore Orioles reliever
Like many other minor leaguers, Yennier Cano suffered from the lack of a season in 2020.
The Cuban relief pitcher -- now with the Baltimore Orioles -- was coming off a short yet promising debut in Minnesota's system when it was announced no minor league games would be played during a raging COVID pandemic.
While his first stint in the minor leagues was solid, it also revealed an issue that has plagued Cano throughout his career: control. The right-handed reliever walked 10 in 13 innings, and control issues followed him as he rose the minor league ranks and made his major league debut.
Cano got off to a hot start in Triple-A St. Paul last season, posting a 1.90 ERA in 23.2 innings. The most promising sign was his walk rate, which plummeted to 2.3 per nine innings. It was enough for him to get the call to Minnesota.
Cano's walk problems, however, resurfaced at the major league level, where he allowed 14 earned runs in just under 14 innings. In August, the Twins sent Cano to Baltimore in a trade-deadline deal that netted the Twins pitcher Jorge López.
Cano's four-inning stint with the Orioles in 2022 wasn't anything special, but something seemed to click this offseason. After beginning the year at Triple-A Norfolk, Cano quickly got the call to the majors and has played a big role in Baltimore's bullpen.
Through 11 innings, Cano has yet to surrender a walk or hit and has two saves. He's the only player in Major League Baseball to have a 0.00 WHIP in over five innings.
In the absence of Orioles relievers Mychal Givens and Dillon Tate, Cano has done an outstanding job, limiting hard contact. Batters have an average exit velocity of 85.2 miles per hour against the 29-year-old pitcher, per Baseball Savant, among the lowest figures in the AL.
Over the offseason, Cano seems to have dialed in his control, which has led to a drastic turnaround in his performance.
“I know my stuff is good," he recently told MLB.com through a translator, adding, "It was just a matter of finding the strike zone."
Cano's sinker, changeup and slider are the perfect mix to induce lots of ground balls. So far this season, 70% of balls in play against Cano are ground balls. When coupled with his 36.4% strikeout rate, it becomes an effective mix for hitters.
If Cano maintains his success, he could cement himself into a high-leverage role in the Baltimore bullpen.
While he won't keep his perfect WHIP and ERA, Cano looks to be a solid bullpen piece and part of the reason the 19-9 Orioles are second in one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
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