Baltimore Orioles Starting Pitchers Have Been Team's Best Surprise

The Baltimore Orioles starting pitchers have battled through a lot and still come out as one of MLB's best groups.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher John Means (47) delivers a pitch in the second inning of a baseball game / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

The Baltimore Orioles pitching staff has battled through injuries and come out on top to start 2024.

MLB.com listed Baltimore's ability to make it out on top despite their setbacks as the team's 'most surprising development.'

The Orioles currently have two starting pitchers on the IL and have had a total of four different key starters land there at some point this season.

John Means and Kyle Bradish were previously injured but back to health and playing at a very high level.

Means has had one outing this season and it was completely dominant. In seven scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds he gave up just three hits while striking out eight batters and walking none.

Bradish has had two outings, but they were also impressive. In 9.2 innings pitched, he has a 1.86 ERA and 2.13 FIP. The 27-year-old is carrying over his strong performance from last season.

Unlike those two pitchers, Grayson Rodriguez and Tyler wells started the season healthy but are now out with injuries. They weren't having the dominant seasons that the rest of the rotation has had, but are still important pieces to the roster.

Cole Irvin has emerged as a surprise performer among the injuries. He split time as a starter and in the bullpen last season, but was never as good as he has been in his six outings.

The 30-year-old has a 2.86 ERA while maintaining an impressive 1.067 WHIP. He started slow but hasn't allowed a run since April 15 or walked a batter in his last two starts.

Through all of the adversity, the Orioles' rotation has been one of the best in the league. They're currently top five in WAR, BB/9, WHIP, BA and SIERA. The staff is top ten in pretty much everything else important.

Once they get fully back to health, some decisions will need to be made in order to get to five starters, but the sky is the limit for Baltimore.

On top of everything else, being pleasantly surprising, newly acquired ace Corbin Burnes has looked as good as promised and is in the running for the AL Cy Young Award.