It's those guys again.
Yeah, they're good. They've slipped to second place in the AL East, mainly because the Yankees - without Gerritt Cole, mind you - have become the toughest team to score against in all of baseball. Just as everyone expected.
It wasn't that long ago (three years ago) when Cedric Mullins seemed like the only decent player in the Baltimore lineup - he was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, he finished top 10 in the MVP voting. Now, at the tender age of 29, he's become the Black Hole in their lineup. They get by. They've got other guys. Sometimes your team is terrible, you get the first overall pick, and Adley Rutschmann falls into your lap. Sometimes your team is terrible, you get the first overall pick, and you end up with Spencer Torkelson. Or Casey Mize.
The Orioles just put two of their starting pitchers - John Means and Tyler Wells - on the IL. They're both scheduled for UCL surgery, are done for the year, and can now provide closer Felix Bautista company in the Rehab Room.
Means used to be their best starter, but they've learned how to get along without him. His latest setback means he'll have started just ten games in the last three seasons. The Orioles are expecting Dean Kremer to return before June is over. For now, Albert Suarez will fill in.
Suarez is 34 years old and was last seen in North America back in 2018, pitching in AAA Reno for the Diamondbacks organization. He'd had a shot at the majors with San Francisco in 2016 (3-5, 4.29) and 2017 (0-3, 5.12). He went to Japan in 2019, and spent four years pitching relief for the Yakult Swallows. He moved on to Korea and spent two years as a starter for the Samsung Lions. The Orioles signed him to a minor league deal last September, and he began this season in AAA Norfolk. He was added to the MLB roster in April when Tyler Wells went on the IL. Suarez didn't allow a run in two of his three starts, which probably was why he stayed in the majors when Kyle Bradish was ready to get his season started. Suarez made 7 appearances out of the Baltimore bullpen, pitching 10 innings with an ERA of 0.90, and when Dean Kremer went on the IL, Suarez moved back into the rotation.
Matchups
Mon 3 June - Rodriguez (5-2, 3.53) vs Gausman (4-3, 4.14)
Tue 4 June - Burnes (5-2, 2.35) vs TBD
Wed 5 June - Suarez (2-0, 1.57) vs Berrios (5-4, 2.78)
Thu 6 June - Bradysh (1-0, 3.18) vs Kikuchi (2-5, 3.66)
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20240603143403294