Orioles Bullpen Is Coming Through When It Matters Most

Does Baltimore have the most underrated bullpen in baseball?

Aug 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano (78) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Baltimore Orioles bullpen is a sneaky solid unit.

It ranks 11th in baseball with a 3.90 ERA, so they are effectively an above-average group. They have done this without their closer, Felix Bautista, who is currently playing rehab games in the minors with an eye on rejoining the O’s for the stretch run. And with repalcement closer Ryan Helsley pitching only 15 innings around injuries.

The unit, however, has been lights-out in recent games, better than even the most optimistic fan imagined. Take, for example, its performance in August: they were 10th in ERA with a 3.65 mark, but fifth in fWAR with 1.9. And they added more reinforcements in a flurry of transactions Tuesday.

The Orioles’ bullpen has peaked since late-August, though, particularly since the 21st. Baltimore’s relief corps has led the majors since that date, and through Monday, with a brilliant 0.81 ERA in 41 innings of work. Those are some impressive numbers, indeed.

Grant Wolfram, Alex Hoppe, Rico Garcia, Andrew Kittredge, Anthony Nunez, Josh Walker, Yennier Cano, and even Cam Sanders have contributed in recent games to the surging Orioles. They are helping secure late leads, keeping the team in games and giving the offense a chance to come back when they are down in the score. This unit is versatile and underrated, and it’s time it gets the recognition it deserves on a squad that is actually fighting to get into the postseason.

A Solid, Underrated Unit

Cano (3.07 ERA) has been solid all year, but we have seen Wolfram’s excellent 3.06 FIP actually prevail over his mediocre 4.81 ERA. Kittredge, Garcia, and Sanders all have an ERA in the threes, too.

After posting a 5.79 ERA in 28 innings with the Seattle Mariners prior to the deadline, Hoppe has a perfect 0.00 ERA in nine frames since joining the Orioles. He was identified as one of the potential winners of the Taylor Ward trade.

If Bautista manages to complete a successful comeback and pitch at 85 percent of the pitcher we all know he can be, the O’s bullpen could be close to unstoppable. It’s a big if, yes, but it’s nice to know that the team is managing just fine while they wait for him. The Orioles promoted top pitching prospect Luis De Leon from Norfolk Tuesday with rosters expanding and also added durable Albert Suarez, the team announced, to the pen. They designated pitchers Nick Raquet and Cam Weston for assignment. Lefty starter Cade Povich was optioned back to Norfolk.

After trading their franchise catcher, Adley Rutschman, and other key players before the deadline, the Orioles are shockingly 15-11 before taking the field on Tuesday night. Yes, some hitters, particularly Pete Alonso and the outfielders, have stepped up their game and are playing well, but the evidence suggests the bullpen has had a lot to do with Baltimore’s surge in the Wild Card standings.

All these pitchers will need to keep up the momentum if the team is going to make a serious run at an unlikely playoff berth.