Baltimore Orioles' Improved Hurler Makes Rotation Much More Interesting
The 2024 season didn't get off to the greatest start for the Baltimore Orioles when three worrisome injuries were announced for three of their important organizational pieces.
Kyle Bradish and John Means are dealing with some elbow issues that are expected to keep them out for the beginning of the year. Samuel Basallo has a stress fracture that is preventing him from throwing.
The Bradish and Means injuries are much more pertinent to the immediate success of the Orioles this season.
It's important for other players to step up in their absence.
Pitchers who were projected to be relievers will now get a shot in the starting rotation.
That's what is occurring for Cole Irvin, who only started half of his appearances last season after he started out in the rotation before poor performances demoted him to Triple-A and into the bullpen when called up again.
With the Orioles being short-staffed due to Bradish and Means' injuries, Irvin will get another opportunity to showcase what he can do.
So far in Spring Training, he's been impressive.
The left-hander threw the hardest pitch of his career against the Pittsburgh Pirates, touching 95.9 miles per hour and eclipsing his previous mark of 95.3.
Irvin not only flashed increased velocity, but he was pounding the strike zone with 20 of his 28 pitches being strikes.
"It was good. I'm feeling good. A lot of the hard work in the offseason is starting to pay off, and that’s what I’m attributing it to," he said according to Jake Rill of MLB.com.
Batters were taking note of the "new and improved" Irvin.
Not only were the Pirates players uncomfortable when facing him, some of Baltimore's own players were surprised by what they were seeing.
"It kind of caught us off-guard -- the velo, the way the ball was coming out of his hand," veteran catcher James McCann said about the pitcher.
This is a great sign for the Orioles.
Not only does Irvin look like the best version of himself so far, not allowing a hit in two innings pitched with three strikeouts, but he also gives them another option to be used in a versatile way.
Baltimore was likely going to have him come out of the bullpen all year.
With the performances he's had in camp and his first Spring Training outing, he could be a real option to eat up innings in a starting role throughout the year, while being used as a reliever as well.
