Baltimore Orioles Relief Pitcher Could be 'Dark Horse' Candidate To Make Roster

With spring training games starting up for the Baltimore Orioles, the team is starting to take shape for 2025.

This winter, even though the Orioles spent more than they have in recent years, they appear like they might have taken a step back.

Losing two key players in Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes won’t be easy to replace and Baltimore has high expectations despite both leaving in free agency.

While the production of Santander might be easier to replace with their plethora of talent in the lineup, losing Burnes was a significant blow to the starting rotation.

The pitching staff will be under a microscope for much of the season until proven otherwise. If the Orioles are going to compete in the American League East, receiving good performances from their pitchers will be key. The divsion is looking really strong on paper, and Baltimore is lacking in the pitching department on paper.

While the 26-man roster appears to be set in all likelihood, there are always surprises to make the team, especially if there’s an injury.

Jake Rill of MLB.com recently spoke about right-handed pitcher Colin Selby potentially being a dark-horse candidate to make the Opening Day roster.

“There’s potential for him to be an impactful addition to the bullpen down the line, and it could be to start the season if a hole is created before then.”

The 27-year-old Selby has bounced around a bit throughout his career so far, but he made a positive impression on Baltimore last year.

In three games, he didn’t allow a run over four innings of work and was actually on the American League Wild Card roster for the Orioles.

Even though he might not make the roster on Opening Day, he will be an interesting name to watch. The bullpen of Baltimore wasn’t nearly as good as it was in 2023 last year without their star closer Felix Bautista.

As shown by giving Selby a chance late in the season, they were looking for someone to step up, and they may have found him,

Unfortunately, injuries always seem to occur in spring training, but that makes having a good 40-man roster just as important as having a good 26-man roster. The right-hander is one of those players who could provide some depth to the team in 2025.

Since he made the postseason roster, a good spring might result in him making the Opening Day roster for Baltimore.

If he can perform as he did in a small sample size last year, he could be a valuable weapon for a team that needs all the pitching that they can get.  

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