BALTIMORE—The Orioles will need a fifth starter early next week in Chicago, depending on when Trevor Rogers makes his next start. With Thursday’s offday, Rogers could start on Monday against the White Sox on normal rest.
The Orioles also could slot someone else on Monday, which would have been Zach Eflin’s turn. They’ll need a fifth starter on either Monday or Tuesday.
Eflin was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort on Wednesday, the day after he made his first start and came out of the game in the fourth inning.
Dean Kremer, who started the past four seasons, isn’t eligible to return until April 9th, unless there’s another injury to a starting pitcher. Kremer is scheduled to start for Triple-A Norfolk on Friday.
When Kremer was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on March 21st, president of baseball operations Mike Elias predicted that he would return soon. The Orioles chose Eflin over Kremer as the fifth starter, convinced that Eflin was ready to start the season after having back surgery last August.
“It’s important to us that we keep our starters lengthened out, up and running because we have a very long season ahead of us, and I’m positive we’re going to need more than five, so this was the maneuver we landed on after extensive discussion,” Elias said about demoting Kremer.
“It is always tough when you’re sending someone out, especially a veteran that’s spent a lot of time with this team and had a good season last year, but managing a pitching staff over the course of a major league season is not easy and requires maneuvering. We’re pretty confident and hopeful that it will be a short-term affair.”
Kremer will certainly be back with the Orioles during their next homestand, which begins on April 10th. In the first two weeks of the season, the Orioles have three off days, but beginning April 10th, the Orioles will play 13 straight.
Elias tried to ensure that this year’s Orioles’ rotation would be deeper than last year’s. In 2025, the Orioles used 12 true starters at least once in addition to four who served as openers.
Of those 12 starters, only Kyle Bradish, who started just six times after Tommy John surgery in June 2024, and Trevor Rogers, who was Wednesday’s starter are currently in the rotation. Rogers won his second game on Wednesday, giving up just two runs in six innings in the Orioles’ 8-3 win over the Rangers to give them a 3-3 record to start the season.
Albert Suárez, whose contract was purchased on Wednesday from Triple-A Norfolk and pitched in relief of Rogers, and Tyler Wells, who started four times last year after his right elbow surgery in June 2024, are in the bullpen.
Suárez could start in Chicago early next week, but for now, he’s part of a nine-man bullpen.
The Orioles have Cade Povich and Brandon Young, who combined for 32 starts last season, at Norfolk. Presumably, they’ll be called up after Kremer should another starter be needed.
Norfolk has a better rotation this season with top pitching prospects Trey Gibson, Nestor German and Levi Wells all getting early starts. Another excellent prospect, left-hander Luis De Léon, is at Double-A Chesapeake and could be with the Orioles late in 2026.
Last year, when the Orioles finished 75-87 and in last placed in the American League East, they began the season with Eflin, Charlie Morton, Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Povich as their starters.
Eflin was lost early in the season with a lat strain. He had three stints on the injured list, the last two for a back injury, which required season-ending surgery in August. He was re-signed in December.
Morton was ineffective, especially at the start of the season, and traded to Detroit at the trade deadline. Sugano, whose 30 starts led the team, wasn’t re-signed. Morton retired after last season and Sugano signed with Colorado.
Rogers didn’t join the rotation for good until last June and dazzled with a 1.81 ERA and 9-3 record in 18 starts. He began the season on the injured list with a knee injury.
Last season, the Orioles expected a productive season from Grayson Rodriguez, but he never pitched because of a variety of ailments. He was sent to the Los Angeles Angels in November for outfielder Taylor Ward and effectively replaced in the rotation by Shane Baz, who came from Tampa Bay in December for four prospects. Last Friday, the 26-year-old right-hander signed a five-year, $68 million contract extension.
Rodriguez began the season on the Angels’ injured list because of right shoulder inflammation.
Just before the end of last year’s spring training, knowing that Rodriguez wasn’t going to be available, Elias attempted to fortify the starting rotation by bringing back Kyle Gibson, who’d been key to the 2023 team’s American League East win. Gibson had four disastrous starts with a 16.78 ERA and was quickly released.
This year, the Orioles signed 37-year-old Chris Bassitt early in spring training, and he should be a big help.
It’s early, but not unheard of for trades if Elias wants to pursue that avenue in searching for further starter depth. Lucas Giolito, who was 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts, remains unsigned.
If the Orioles decided to sign Giolito, he’d need six weeks to be ready since he missed spring training.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: [email protected]