Which Orioles Pitchers Will Be Back In 2027? And Who Is Gone? We Have Answers

The Orioles pitching staff carried them as far as they went in 2026.

Okay, that’s not particularly far. We get it. But without a run of 60 games with the rotation having like a 3.88 ERA (mid June-late August) this team would have eliminated from the Wild Card last month.

Given the third-straight Frankenstein roster Mike Elias built, and the fifth-straight trade deadline he botched and the fact that a lineup that was supposed to carry this team to the AL East title is the primary reason they sit last in the division, the pitching being far better than anyone could have hoped for has been much needed.

When you factor in that the three outside starters Elias brough in to bolster the rotation – Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin – have combined for 12 wins total, and the latest broken closer he overpaid (Ryan Helsley) offered 15 largely-pathetic innings to the cause, and it’s even more surprising. But it would also be foolish to expect all these guys to pick up where they left off, there were good reasons the industry was unsure about this staff and it begs questions of the future

So, much like we did with the bats earlier in the week (full breakdown here), it’s time to assess which of the pitchers on this roster are definitely gone, which are back, and who is in the middle. Again, we are operating like we are stuck with Elias, and thus we have to, gulp, think like Elias:

They’ll Be Back

Sep 6, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) pitches in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Baz, Kyle Bradish, Brandon Young, Felix Bautista, Rico Garcia, Yennier Cano, Alex Hoppe, Luis De Leon, Anthony Nunez, Cam Sanders, Hesley

Three of the regular starters are either signed long-term (Baz and Bradish) or young and cheap and controllable (Young). There needs to be additional work done to find better depth than they managed last year (with Bassitt and Eflin), until the next wave, headlined by youngsters Anthony Eyanson (acquired in the Adley Rutschman deal) and Joseph Dzierwa (second-round in 2025) is ready.

They just extended Cano (he’s cheap and can be traded but they have kept him around this long for a reason). Garcia bounced back from a midseason slump. Hoppe is going to have command issues (trust me), but did enough immediately after being in the Taylor Ward salary dump that Elias will try like hell to prop him up and make him a thing next year. Nunez has stuff and has had his moments, same with Sanders.

De Leon might start back in AAA but he is a top pitching prospect and Helsley ain’t opting out (like Tyler O’Neill wasn’t opting out). Bautista has one more year of arbitration eligibility and he’s battled so hard after multiple surgeries hopefully he can see regular action in some capacity next season but penciling him at closer would be silly.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No

Trevor Rogers, Josh Walker, Grant Wolfram

The Orioles are obviously going to give Rogers a qualifying offer, or they would have dealt him at the deadline. They whispered to the media that they couldn’t get more for him in August than what he would fetch in a compensatory pick if he leaves in free agency. We’ll see. He is so high-variance it could limit his market, but it’s also a bad free agent class that might boost him up.

The Orioles need a lefty in this rotation to start 2026, we know that much, and it’s not Cade Povich (back in AAA).

Walker and Wolfram are journeyman relievers and the kind of guys Elias thinks can make him look smart, too, but they’ll be in a battle to make the club and they really need to find a quality lefty reliever or two who can replace what Wolfram offers, as he is a lefty with reverse splits (lefties bat .281 off him and reach 36% of the time).

They’re Gone

Maltimore Orioles pitcher Zach Eflin (24) throws during the first inning against the Texas Rangers — Mar 31, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Zach Eflin (24) throws during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bassitt, Eflin, Andrew Kittredge, Keegan Akin

These guys are free agents, and they need to upgrade on all of them. Kittredge is pushing 40 and having to use him in the 9th inning was nuts. No way they pick up Eflin’s hefty option and he might be done after years of injury and Bassitt, 36, needed in-season surgery this year. Enough of those guys.

Akin was terrible before getting hurt and his deal is up too. Did I mention they need real lefties with swing-and-miss in the pen next year?

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