Baltimore Orioles Announce Starting Rotation; Option 2025 Innings Leader

The Baltimore Orioles will start the season on Thursday at home against the Minnesota Twins. They announced that Trevor Rogers will be getting the ball. This morning, they made a surprising move as they optioned Dean Kremer, their 2025 innings leader, to minor league camp. The remainder of the rotation will be Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, and Zach Eflin. Many question the Orioles’ rotation entering the season, lacking a true ace, but this staff features some solid two or three options that will hope to lead the Orioles back to the postseason in 2026.

Trevor Rogers

Rogers this spring has made four starts, going 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. He made 18 starts for the Orioles last season, going 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts in 109.2 innings.

Kyle Bradish

Bradish, in three starts this spring, is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and nine strikeouts in ten innings. Last season, he made six starts, going 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 32 innings.

Shane Baz

Baz, in two starts this spring, is 0-1. He’s posting a 5.06 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings. The Orioles acquired him on December 19th from the Rays. In 31 starts last season with the Rays, he went 10-12. He posted a 4.87 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and 176 strikeouts in 166.1 innings.

Chris Bassitt

Bassitt signed with the Orioles as a free agent back in February. In four appearances with three of those coming as starts this spring, he’s posting a 2.51 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and nine strikeouts in 14.1 innings. Bassitt made 32 appearances with 31 of those coming as starts for the Blue Jays last season, going 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and 166 strikeouts in 170.1 innings.

Zach Eflin

Eflin made two starts this spring; he didn’t allow a run, he did allow two hits, walked one, and struck out ten in 7.1 innings. In 14 starts last season, he went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA, a 1.42 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.