Orioles Free Agent Signing Has Been Incredible in First MLB Season

The Baltimore Orioles are having an absolutely dreadful season as they sit 15 games out of first place just a third into the season.

A massive part of the reason why things have been so ugly has been a lack of addressing the pitching staff. The unit as a whole ranks No. 29 in all of baseball with a 5.48 ERA, barely eclipsing nine-win Colorado Rockies.

The starting rotation specifically has been no better with a mark of 5.53 that ranks No. 28 in Major League Baseball.

For all the rightful criticism team brass has taken though after an overall lack of moves this offseason, one move they did make has been even better than they thought.

Bringing veteran right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano from Japan has proven to be an absolutely dynamite move, and he has been by far the team's most reliable starter.

Sugano Has Been Spectacular For Orioles

Sugano entered Baltimore on the heels of an incredibly decorated 12-year career in Japan that made him an absolute legend.

At 35 years old and never having pitched in America, expectations from most were not sky high for the one-year contract worth $13 million.

Sugano has responded with a season in which he has an ERA of 3.23 and WHIP of 1.063, demonstrating elite pitching to contact with just 35 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched.

Though he's not overpowering hitters by any means, he is doing exactly what it takes to get outs and giving the Orioles a chance to win every time he takes the hill, something they obviously have not been doing a whole lot of.

Given the fact that he's on a one-year deal and Baltimore is borderline already out of the race, the idea of trading Sugano has grown popular.

Whether or not they actually do that — something that feels unlikely — the scouting job they did on the seasoned arm has been impressive and could be a positive sign of having success in the future from the Japan pipeline.

There has not been a whole lot to smile about this season, but the performance of Sugano has certainly been one.