A new report suggests the Baltimore Orioles could soon add a notable pitcher in free agency, but it won’t be Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery.
The Orioles received a double dose of bad news this week. First, it was revealed ace Kyle Bradish — who finished fourth in the 2023 AL Cy Young voting — will begin the season on the injured list due to a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm.
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Then the organization announced that lefty John Means was, unfortunately, a full month behind schedule in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and may not be ready for opening day on March 28. It was a double whammy that could leave two holes in their rotation to begin the season.
While they made a blockbuster trade to land 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes earlier this month, The Athletic’s MLB insider Ken Rosenthal believes they could make another worthwhile addition to the starting staff in the coming days.
“I would expect that they would at least be checking in on some of the free-agent starters still remaining. And I’m not just talking about Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery,” Rosenthal said during an appearance on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “Those two are probably outside of their reach until the ownership change takes place. … But there are other starting pitchers available.”
With that in mind, let’s look at four pitchers not named Snell and Montgomery the team could target in the next couple of weeks.
4 pitchers Baltimore Orioles could sign very soon
Hyun-Jin Ryu
If he can stay healthy, Hyun-Jin Ryu is a rock-solid MLB starter who has won 14 games four different times during his 10-year career. In the end, the Baltimore Orioles won’t be searching for aces to add but middle and back-of-the-rotation veterans. The one-time All-Star fits that criteria and could be a worthwhile addition at an affordable cost.
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Michael Lorenzen
Michael Lorenzen had a career year in 2023 as he earned All-Star honors for the first time and had some big moments down the stretch for the Philadelphia Phillies and in the playoffs. While he may not blow fan’s hair back he is a solid pitcher who is versatile and has even been an impact reliever at times during his career.
Trevor Bauer
Behind Snell, Trevor Bauer is probably the best pitcher still available in MLB free agency. However, we all know the reason why he was suspended for a season and has not been added to a club since getting his ban in 2022. Sooner or later a team will give him a second chance, and with him willing to take a very cheap contract, a pairing with Baltimore for a title run could be a good fit for both.
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Mike Clevinger
Like Ryu, Mike Clevinger is a proven starter in the big leagues and has won 12 or more games three times during his career. His contract would not be pricey and he would give the starting rotation depth and a reliable arm in 2024.