Orioles Should Remain Patient as Young Pitcher Shows MLB Progress

A Baltimore Orioles young starting pitcher has provided some positives in what is looking like a lost season.

May 6, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich (37) pitches against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The starting pitching for the Baltimore Orioles has been a disaster during the 2025 MLB regular season.

It is one of the main culprits for the team being in the position that it is, owning a 19-36 record. Instead of contending for the postseason, they are in the cellar of the American League East, looking like sellers at the deadline.

With things looking lost, the Orioles need to adjust their goals for the remainder of the year, with a focus on getting their young core back on track.

The lineup is just as much to blame as the pitching, with several expected contributors falling woefully short of expectations. Catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson are two players they desperately need more from.

On the mound, Baltimore needs to exhibit some patience with one of their former top prospects, starting pitcher Cade Povich.

Why Cade Povich Deserves the Orioles' Patience

His Major League production to this point has been nothing to write home about.

He has made 26 starts, throwing 130.2 innings with an ugly 5.23 ERA and 1.469 WHIP. His FIP indicates things are a little better with a 4.66, but that doesn’t hint at being more than a backend of the rotation starter.

Povich may never develop into an ace, but given the state of Baltimore’s pitching rotation, but being a serviceable starter would be a great outcome.

One statistic that insinuates the possibility still exists is his K/9 ratio.

As shared by Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun on social media, Povich is currently fourth in the American League amongst left-handed pitchers with at least 50 innings thrown with a 9.4 K/9.

The players ahead of him are reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, Carlos Rodon of the New York Yankees and Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox.

Highest K/9 by a left-handed starter in the AL this season (min. 50 IP):

1. Tarik Skubal (12.1)
2. Carlos Rodón (11.1)
3. Garrett Crochet (10.7)
4. Cade Povich (9.4)

Orioles' Povich is still growing as a young SP (read: 2nd, 3rd time through), but the potential is there.

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) May 29, 2025

All three have been performing like aces in 2025, and being near those players in any statistic should provide some optimism for Povich’s future.

He is still young, only 25 years old, and is developing, learning how to be a Major League pitcher.

Control is something he will need to harness, since working deep into games has been a challenge with an elevated pitch count.

But, being able to miss bats consistently is normally a good indicator of how a pitcher will perform in the future.

Povich has been great in that regard, but the rest of his game needs some polish. Figuring out or abandoning breaking balls altogether, with a -10 Breaking Run Value per Baseball Savant, would be a good place to start building from.