Orioles Option Workhorse to Minors in Shocking Move

The Baltimore Orioles made a stunning decision to trim their starting rotation to five pitchers.

On Saturday, various reporters confirmed that the Orioles had optioned right-handed starter Dean Kremer to minor league camp, alongside fellow righties Hans Crouse, Nestor German, and Trey Gibson. Although Kremer has minor league options available, the move is a huge surprise because he had been in Baltimore's starting rotation since 2021 and led the team with 171.2 innings pitched last season.

Surprising: #orioles optioned RHP Dean Kremer to minor league camp.
Reassigned RHP Hans Crouse, RHP Nestor German, and RHP Trey Gibson to minor league camp.
The Orioles’ Spring Training roster currently has 43 players
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) March 21, 2026

Kremer, 30, has a 4.19 ERA and 3.97 FIP in his major league career but has been a dependable mid-rotation workhorse for the Orioles. Over the past four seasons, he pitched 125 innings or more and accumulated 599.1 frames with a 3.95 ERA. Last year, Kremer registered 2.6 fWAR, which is the best of his career from that cited model (he had 2.7 bWAR in 2022), which makes the decision to option him even more surprising.

This spring, Kremer made three starts in Orioles camp while making another for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. His spring training starts brought mixed results with five runs allowed in nine innings, but his WBC start was much more impressive. Facing Team Nicaragua, Kremer allowed just three baserunners (two singles and a walk) and no runs in 4.1 innings to earn a win.

Orioles Choose a Five-Man Rotation by Optioning Dean Kremer

Zach Eflin has seemingly beaten out Dean Kremer for the Orioles' No. 5 spot in the rotation. — Jul 28, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Zach Eflin (24) throws during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

After upgrading the starting staff during the winter, there were questions whether or not Baltimore would go with a five or six-man rotation. Manager Craig Albernaz was non-committal in his previous responses to the media, with every option under consideration. Optioning Kremer, though, all but confirms that the Orioles will roll with a five-man unit.

As of now, Baltimore's rotation will consist of Trevor Rogers (the Opening Day starter), Kyle Bradish, Chris Bassitt, Shane Baz, and Zach Eflin. By choosing five starters instead of six, the last spot was presumably a competition between Kremer and Eflin, with the latter winning the job.

Despite enduring an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Eflin has looked fantastic in camp, not allowing any runs in two spring training starts. In those 7.1 frames, the veteran struck out 10 batters and allowed just three baserunners (two hits and a walk).

The earliest Kremer can rejoin the Orioles is April 9, but it should be all but a given that the team will call him back up by that date. Health is a big question mark in the rotation (particularly with Rogers and Bradish at the top), while Kremer was the only starter to stay healthy last year.

The earliest Dean Kremer can rejoin the Orioles (unless there's an injury) is April 9.

So Baltimore could transition to a 6-man rotation in mid-April, which is when the schedule normalizes after the club has 3 days off in the first 2 weeks.

But it's unclear if that's the plan.
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) March 21, 2026

The decision to option Kremer to the minors is still a shocking one. However, the Orioles still have a very clear role in mind for him, which will be as a valuable depth piece.

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