If Orioles make playoffs, would starters be strong enough to help? | MAILBAG

Question: Please open an orange Kool-Aid before reading this question: If the O’s make the playoffs, will we be asking a lot from the starting pitchers in September?  They all are nearing their previous innings pitched personal records, and Kyle Bradish is just two years removed from his Tommy John surgery.

Can you speak to the possibility of the starters being worn down for the year, and the possibility that they could be pitching through the end of the World Series? Would they just be expected to rise to the occasion? From: Timothy Morris, Butchers Hill 

Answer: Timothy wrote this on Tuesday, before the Orioles lost the last two games in Colorado. You’re absolutely right that should the Orioles make the playoffs, they’d be asking a lot from the starters, and, yes, four of their starters — Bradish, Shane Baz, Trevor Rogers and Brandon Young — have all thrown between 130 1/3 and 157 innings. They also have Chris Bassitt, who missed about two months because of back surgery. He’s thrown 79 2/3 innings.

It would be a concern, but if the Orioles somehow got to the postseason, they would rely heavily on their bullpen, and perhaps Bassitt would pitch major innings there. Yes, they’d be expected to step up, within reason.

In mapping out a season, teams do take postseason into account, but the Orioles would have to get there first.

Question: With Adley Rutschman gone, any chance the O’s put Ike Irish back at catcher again? He caught my cousin’s son at Auburn. From: Dav 

Answer: Dav, I don’t think you’re going to see Ike Irish behind the plate again unless there’s an emergency. While he started five games for Delmarva last season, he didn’t catch at all for Frederick before he suffered his knee injury.

I don’t think Rutschman’s departure will encourage them to rethink this.

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.