Baltimore Orioles Announce Starting Pitcher for Rays Series Opener

The Baltimore Orioles haven’t set their whole rotation for their Tampa Bay series, but the Friday starter is now set.

Orioles Cole Irvin (19) pitches during the Reds vs. Orioles game on Friday May 3, 2024 at Great American Ball Park. The Orioles won the game with a final score of 3-0. | Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

The Baltimore Orioles have opted to start Cole Irvin on regular rest when they open their four-games series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, reports MLB.com.

The Orioles (39-22) hadn’t released their Friday starter before they got on the plane from Toronto to head to Tampa. On Thursday the O’s had Cade Povich, one of their top pitching prospects, make his MLB debut in a 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays.

Before Povich’s start, Baltimore indicated that they’re looking for opportunities to get starting pitchers breaks whenever possible. Povich’s start represented part of that strategy.

The Orioles are in a particularly brutal stretch of their season. Baltimore's only off day in June is not until the 17th.

Irvin, a left-hander, is 5-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) with 37 strikeouts and 12 walks in 37 innings. In his last start on Sunday against Tampa Bay he took a no-decision as he threw 6.1 innings, giving up eight hits, two earned runs and one walk. He struck out one.

From there, it’s not clear what the Orioles will do. First pitch for Friday’s game is 6:50 p.m. eastern. Saturday’s game is at 4:10 p.m., Sunday’s game is at 1:40 p.m. and Monday’s game is at 6:50 p.m.

Since Irvin’s start, Baltimore started right-hander Grayson Rodriguez on Monday, right-hander Corbin Burnes on Tuesday and right-hander Albert Suárez on Wednesday before Povich.

Kyle Bradish has not started since his appearance against Tampa Bay on Saturday. The Orioles pushed back his scheduled start on Thursday and manager Brandon Hyde indicated it wasn’t about health but about getting the right-hander some extra rest.

Bradish started the season on the injured list with an elbow injury. He is 1-0 with a 3.16 ERA in six starts.

Baltimore is being careful with its rotation after losing both left-handed starter John Means and right-handed starter Tyler Wells, both of which are out for the season. Means has already had Tommy John surgery and Wells will undergo UCL surgery on his right elbow that could become Tommy John, depending on what the injury looks like.

The Orioles also have right-hander Dean Kremer on the 15-day injured list with a right triceps injury. They hope to have him back sometime in June.