Orioles juggle significant pitching changes. Will a deep, six-man rotation or a leaner five-man approach best protect their valuable arms?
With opening day right around the corner, the Baltmore Orioles have a decision looming over their heads regarding their starting pitching rotation.
Baltimore significantly shook up their pitching rotation this offseason when they traded away former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels, and traded for Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays. Additionally, Baltimore added veteran Chris Bassitt on a one-year deal, and resigned Zach Eflin with a mutual option for 2027.
Heading into 2026, the belief was that Baltimore would bolster their rotation by signing a top of the line arm; however, that was not the case. Instead, President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias valued quantity over quality for the second year in a row. Baltimore now has a possible six man pitching rotation of Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer.
With opening day in 23 days, Baltimore has to make a decision as to whether or not they want to start the 2026 season with a six man pitching rotation. I believe a six man rotation would be best for a multitude of reasons.
Baltimore Orioles Starting Pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) | © John Jones-Imagn ImagesThe first reason being that it would help preserve the top of the rotation arms of Rogers and Bradish.
Rogers is coming off of one of the greatest pitching seasons of recent memory. In 109.2 innings, Rogers posted a stellar 1.81 ERA with a 3.3 WAR according to FanGraphs. Rogers isn't expected to duplicate his 2025 season in 2026, but many believe he could be an all-star. Bradish is arguably Baltimore's best pitcher, and has the potential to be a Cy Young candidate in 2026. However, Bradish has had two arm surgeries since 2023, so his health is certainly a priority. By having a deeper, six man rotation, this would allow for both Rogers and Bradish to have more time to rest, resulting in longevity and better health.
My second reason as to why Baltimore should go with a six man rotation is simply because they have the talent to. After adding Baz, Bassitt and resigning Eflin, Baltimore now has six MLB ready starters. Additionally, they have Tyler Wells, Cade Povich and Albert Suarez who all have starting pitching experience throughout their careers. Baltimore has a lot of mouths to feed within their pitching rotation, and it's never a bad idea to feed all of them and see what you have in house.
The belief is that Baltimore will indeed go with a six man rotation to open up the season, and possibly shrink it down to five after the August trade deadline.