What Has Caused Orioles Star Tomoyuki Sugano To Struggle in His Recent Starts?

The Baltimore Orioles have seen a drop in play from their veteran starter, and they know the reason why.

Jul 2, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (19) comes off the field after he pitches against the Texas Rangers during the second inning at Globe Life Field | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

When the Baltimore Orioles signed Tomoyuki Sugano out of Japan this past offseason, there was always an element of risk that came with the addition.

Sugano was 35 years old, had never pitched in Major League Baseball before and didn't have an overwhelming fastball, making it hard for him to just come in and overpower hitters.

But what he did have was excellent command, locating his fastball well and mixing in breaking pitches to keep hitters off-balance.

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That resulted in Sugano being the Orioles' most consistent starting pitcher in the early going.

While that wasn't a high bar to clear considering how poorly that unit had performed, he still sat with a 3.23 ERA entering the month of June.

Unfortunately, after pitching a seven-inning gem on the road against the Seattle Mariners to open the month where he gave up just one earned run, his production has fallen off a cliff.

Since that June 1 start, Sugano has allowed 22 runs in his last five outings, getting shelled for seven and six runs during his last two starts, respectively.

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Now, after performing like Baltimore's best starter during the first two months of the year, his ERA+ of 88 is 12 points below the league.

What has caused the drop in Sugano's performance?

They believe his failing command is the culprit.

"I think a lot of it is just location," interim manager Tony Mansolino said, per Roch Kubatko of MASN. "I think his command."

Sugano echoed that sentiment, stating, "And also the missed pitches, leaving in the zone. But more than anything, I think it's more about the combination of pitches that I throw."

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For someone who doesn't possess overwhelming stuff, hitting spots is crucial. And that has not been happening for the veteran pitcher during his last few outings.

For Sugano to get back to where he was earlier in the season, he has to find his command again.

"As he goes forward in the league this year, just commanding the fastball, getting the split in the right location, the sweeper, getting that to the right spot. I think that's probably the key to success for him going forward," Mansolino added.

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