Baltimore Orioles Going with Quantity Over Quality in Starting Rotation

Do the Baltimore Orioles have enough top-end talent in their starting rotation?

Sep 25, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin (24) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With the start of Spring Training right around the corner for the Baltimore Orioles, the franchise will be hoping to continue to build on their success from the past few seasons.

The Orioles have had a busy offseason, and the team will have a somewhat different look in 2025.

This winter, Baltimore saw two key players from 2024 leave in free agency. Both Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander signed elsewhere this offseason, and the loss of Burnes is going to be a hard one to overcome.

The former Cy Young award winner was a great addition by the Orioles last winter from the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2024, he totaled a (15-9) record and a 2.92 ERA. He certainly lived up to the expectations of being one of the best pitchers in the league, and Baltimore is going to miss him.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently broke down what the starting rotation will look like for the Orioles on Opening Day. He highlights them settling for some veterans in hopes of replacing their ace.

“The O's settled for adding 41-year-old Charlie Morton and 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano to replace Corbin Burnes in the rotation, though a full season of Zach Eflin will also be a factor.”

Not getting a front-end starting pitcher this offseason could end up costing Baltimore in the long run.

While the additions of Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano are fine moves, both are on the older side and Sugano has never pitched in the Majors. This could result in some issues down the road for the Orioles if one or both of them struggle.

The Orioles will have Zach Eflin for a full season and his performance in the second half of the year might have influenced the decision not to pursue another front-end starter. The veteran right-hander pitched very well down the stretch with Baltimore, totaling a 2.60 ERA in nine starts.

However, while he did pitch well, his lifetime ERA is 4.17, which doesn’t scream a front-end of the rotation starter.

Another pitcher who the Orioles will be relying heavily on without Burnes is Grayson Rodriguez. The young right-hander has flashed some great upside, but he will need to stay healthy.

Overall, Baltimore has depth in the rotation but currently lacks an ace of their staff. When looking at teams like the New York Yankees in their division and some of the other contenders in the American League, the Orioles fall way short in this category.

While there is still time to make a splash in the trade market, Baltimore might be limiting their ability to contend in October without a proven ace on the staff. Overall, while there is plenty of quantity in the rotation, it does lack high-end quality.