Orioles' starter avoids significant injury after scare

The scare capped a brutal three-day stretch, despite winning two of three against the reigning World Series champions. On Friday, fellow right-hander Dean Kremer left his start with forearm discomfort. The next day, catcher Samuel Basallo departed with right hand discomfort.

Before leaving, Sugano allowed four runs on seven hits, including three home runs, while striking out one over three innings of work.

In his rookie season, Sugano has a 4.51 ERA in 143.2 innings, with 96 strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP.

What Sugano's Injury Means

Baltimore has already placed 28 players on the injured list this season, and Sugano's reliability has been one of the few constants in a turbulent rotation. He has made 27 starts for Baltimore, and ranks second on the team only behind Dean Kremer for most innings pitched.

With Trevor Rogers, Cade Povich, Tyler Wells and others missing significant time, Sugano's health has been a saving grace that kept Baltimore's rotation afloat. The Orioles have more options now than they did earlier in the year after shifting to a six-man rotation, but back-to-back injuries to Kremer and Sugano raise new questions.

Kremer will skip his next start in hopes of avoiding an IL stint, while Sugano is questionable for his next turn, which would likely be this weekend in Toronto.

As Sugano's injury timeline remains uncertain, so does his future in Baltimore. The right-hander is set to become a free agent after signing a one-year, $13 million contract with Baltimore last December.

The Orioles' starting rotation is a key question this offseason with Sugano and Zach Eflin both set to be free agents. In addition, the roles of Grayson Rodriguez and Brandon Young for 2026 remain uncertain as they work their way back from injuries.

Whether Sugano plays in Baltimore or somewhere else in 2026, he certainly has been a relatively stable force in a chaotic pitching staff that sports a disappointing 4.65 team ERA.