Orioles Rotation Battle 2026: Shane Baz vs Dean Kremer Fantasy Outlook

While the Orioles, publicly at least, were looking for a front-end starter in free agency they ultimately decided that Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers could headline their Starting 5 and did add veteran Chris Bassitt to shore up the middle of the rotation. That signing created a surplus of available starters that includes Baz, Eflin, Kremer, Cade Povich and Tyler Wells. Povich was sent to the minors recently, and Wells will start the season in the bullpen.

Kremer last season gave the Orioles 171.2 IP, starting 29 games with a 4.19 ERA (3.88 xERA), a solid back-end stat line. He doesn’t quite strike out a batter per inning (7.44 K/9 last season) but he did improve his walk rate to 2.36 from 3.54. Overall, he was a better pitcher, but for fantasy baseball purposes he mostly provides reliability and availability, “skills” that are underrated.

He’s logged only 4.2 IP in 2 starts in spring training and has not been good in that short span, giving up 4 earned runs and issuing twice as many walks as strikeouts. He does have a minor league option remaining, so he might start the season in AAA.

Baz, a 26-year-old righty acquired from Tampa Bay in the offseason, offers the O’s a more exciting option on the back end, though control issues have limited his performance. In 31 starts he pitched to a forgettable 4.87 ERA, but a 3.86 xERA. He struck out 9.52 batters per nine, but his 3.46 BB/9 rate dictated his fate. In just 5.1 IP this spring he has a 6.75 walk rate but a 15.19 K rate — both noisy numbers in such a small sample size. Baz is presumed to be in the rotation barring any dramatic developments in the last week of spring.

Eflin, a soft-tossing righty, gave the Orioles just 71.1 IP last season, with a 6.31 K/9 mark and a 1.64 BB/9 mark and a 5.93 ERA — all due to a balky back that required surgery. He is slowly ramping up in spring training, so he figures to be the last starter out of the gate in the regular season. In the prior two seasons, Eflin pitched 343 innings with good control and an ERA in the 3.50s, so he can be a valuable rotation piece when healthy.

Fantasy Strategies for Intermediate Managers

Whether we are talking Baz, Eflin or Kremer, only Baz will have appeal in most leagues, with Eflin and Kremer could provide reliable and (fairly) steady innings.

While there has been a lot of discussion of starting the season with a six man rotation, I would guess that, instead, Eflin will start the season on a short injured list stint to continue to progress and recover in a warmer climate.

In any case, the situation is worth monitoring as the spring closes and the big club heads north.

People Want To Know More About The Orioles' Rotation Battle Heading Into The Season

Who is in the Orioles rotation battle 2026?
Shane Baz, Dean Kremer, and Zach Eflin compete for back-end spots with six-man rotation talk.

Is Shane Baz fantasy relevant in 2026?
Yes, he is a high-upside breakout candidate despite ongoing control issues.

Will Dean Kremer keep his rotation spot?
Uncertain; poor results and roster flexibility make him the likely odd man out.

What is Zach Eflin’s usage outlook?
Limited early due to back surgery recovery and a slower buildup.

Are the Orioles using a six-man rotation in 2026?
There is a strong possibility early in the season to manage depth and workload.

Should I draft Orioles starters in fantasy?
Yes, particularly in deeper leagues where early-season rotation volatility creates opportunity.