Can an Influx of Pitching Help the Orioles Play Spoiler?

The pitching staff will also be welcoming back former ace Kyle Bradish sometime next week according to interim manager Tony Mansolino. The right-hander has been out since June of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Bradish broke out in 2023, going 12-7 with 168 strikeouts and 3.27 FIP. After missing the beginning of the 2024 season due to a UCL sprain, Bradish returned in June without skipping a beat.

Across eight starts the New Mexico State product pitched to a 2.51 FIP and 12.13 K/9. The three-headed monster of Corbin Burnes, Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez had the O’s soaring in June of 2024. 

However, Bradish’s Tommy John diagnosis turned out to be the first of many dominoes to fall in the 2024 season. 

It has been increasingly obvious that the O’s early pitching woes were due to the rotation missing that ace-caliber arm. You can see the difference from when Rogers got back into the rotation.

Since May 24, when Rogers made his first start this season, the Orioles have a 43-35 record. Compare that to the 16-33 record they had before Rogers’ arrival, and it becomes pretty obvious that the O’s were missing an ace.

Bradish’s return helps take some pressure off of other guys in the rotation and builds on the momentum that the group has been building in August.

Adding Vets in the Pen

The other two arms the Orioles are looking to add back are right-handers Tyler Wells and Albert Suarez. Let’s start with looking at Wells.

Just like Bradish, Wells had a strong 2023 season. The 30-year-old threw 118.2 innings across 20 starts, managing a 0.99 WHIP. Wells was also on the mound to record the final out the night the O’s clinched their first playoff berth since 2016.

As Wells was nearing his innings limit in 2023, the right-hander was moved into the bullpen. Across 10 innings Wells allowed one baserunner while striking out eight.

While Wells has played most of his career as a starter, the Orioles are in desperate need of bullpen arms for both this season and the 2026 season. Keeping Wells in the bullpen, where he has had previous success, could help keep him healthy and fill a spot the O’s would’ve had to fill in the offseason.

Next we have Suarez who is further behind in his rehab compared to Bradish and Wells. Suarez went on the IL in the first week of the season with a shoulder injury.

The 35-year-old broke out last year for the Orioles in the rotation. Across 133.2 innings Suarez managed a 3.70 ERA. Seven of the 24 starts he made were quality starts.

Out of spring training, Suarez lost the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation to Cade Povich, which put Suarez in the bullpen as the O’s long relief option. Suarez had pitched out the bullpen in 2024 as well, so the veteran was already familiar with the process.

In 2024, Suarez pitched 11.2 innings out of the pen, recording a 3.09 ERA and opponent wOBA of .252.

Both Wells and Suarez, while it is limited, have successful bullpen experience. While their stuff does not follow typical reliever stuff, the O’s will have to rebuild nearly the entire bullpen this offseason. Wells and Suarez could provide the veteran leadership needed to act as a foundation for the new group.

Short Term and Long Term

For the 2025 season, the returns of Bradish, Wells and Suarez are coming a bit too late to have any impact on how the Orioles season is perceived. Instead, the remaining games should be used to ensure these guys can work out any issues before heading into the offseason.

These returns have a much larger impact in the long term view. With so many question marks hanging around the Orioles pitching staff this offseason, the trio could help Mike Elias have less roster spots that need to be filled.

If these guys can eventually find their form, a pitching staff that has had its ups and downs could hopefully find some stability.