Orioles face tough decisions with John Means, Kyle Bradish nearing returns

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Orioles have yet to put out a rotation at full strength this season with Kyle Bradish and John Means both opening the year on the injured list. After some surprising performances from their back-end starters over the past two weeks, it’s unclear who will stick around once their rehabbing starters are ready to make their respective returns.

Albert Suárez has been a revelation for Baltimore through his first two starts since replacing Tyler Wells (elbow inflammation) in the rotation. However, despite his 0.00 ERA and 0.79 WHIP, Suárez is also a candidate to move to the bullpen or return to Triple-A Norfolk as soon as Sunday, when Means is slated to make his next start. The Orioles have not yet decided whether the left-hander will make a sixth rehabilitation start in Norfolk or return to Baltimore.

“We’re talking about that right now,” Hyde said in his pregame news conference Wednesday. “He feels really good after his start [Tuesday]. So, I think he gave up seven singles. They were not very well hit. The stuff is much improved. He’s really encouraged about how he felt during the outing and then today. So, we’re kind of mapping out a schedule now.”

Means, 31, was behind in his buildup process this spring after the 2022 Tommy John surgery recipient dealt with elbow soreness down the stretch last season. The results of his rehab starts have been uneven at best — he carries a 13.89 ERA — but Means has treated the outings as his personal spring training. The Orioles have planned all along for their left-hander to build back up as a starter and return to the spot in the rotation he’s held, when healthy, since 2019.

While that doesn’t bode well for Suárez’s place in the rotation, he’s far from alone. Bradish, 27, is scheduled to make his third rehab appearance — fourth including a live bullpen session he threw when his first start was rained out — on Friday in Norfolk. Last season’s fourth place finisher in American League Cy Young Award voting has already built up to 64 pitches.

“You’d prefer him to have at least a five inning, in the 80-pitch range before we schedule a start for him up here,” Hyde said Tuesday. “But he’s definitely on track for that.”

Should Bradish hit those benchmarks Friday, he would be on track to be available for the Orioles for their May 1 game against the New York Yankees. Baltimore would then have to select another starter to remove from the rotation. With right-handers Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez entrenched in their top-of-the-rotation spots, that leaves left-hander Cole Irvin (1-1, 4.64 ERA) and Dean Kremer (1-2, 4.61 ERA).

Both starters are coming off career performances. Irvin pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday while Kremer on Wednesday tied his personal best with 10 strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames against the Los Angeles Angels. Kremer has been the better pitcher at limiting hits and walks and he’s posted a higher strikeout rate, but he also has a minor league option remaining. Irvin, like Suárez, does not.

The Orioles’ bullpen does lack a long reliever and the group as a whole has struggled to protect leads during the middle innings ahead of setup man Yennier Cano and closer Craig Kimbrel. There could be room for Suárez and one of Irvin or Kremer to move to the bullpen, but the Orioles also have to clear a roster spot for left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez (oblique strain), who made his first rehab appearance Wednesday night.

None of that even factors in Wells, who is expected to begin throwing in the next few days after an MRI on his elbow didn’t reveal any structural damage. The Orioles’ No. 3 starter to open the season does have two minor league options remaining. Baltimore will likely want to keep at least one or two MLB-caliber starters stretched out in Triple-A in case any other injuries arise.

The situation presents a series of difficult decisions for executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. It’s a problem many other GMs would love to have, but one nonetheless.