This year’s Baltimore Orioles spring training looks pretty clear on the surface: the battle for the reserve bench spot will be intense. A host of young, promising players are competing for every position on Opening Day. Fans are talking about Cowser, Bradfield Jr., Mayo, and Mountcastle.
But that might just be the surface.
An Orioles insider recently pointed to another “front”—quieter, less talked about, but potentially far more decisive: the bullpen.
When Felix Bautista suffered a recurrence of his injury, Baltimore was forced to act. They signed Ryan Helsley, a move seen as a solution for high-leverage situations. Combined with Andrew Kittredge, at least the latter part of the game seems to be under control. On paper, those two names sound reassuring.
But baseball doesn’t operate with just two arms.
The rest of the bullpen is the real question. Kade Strowd was once considered a near-sure starter, but was unexpectedly traded for a bench bat. Then came a sea of options – many familiar faces, many promising names – but none truly convinced anyone they were the sure solution.
And the problem doesn’t stop at the bullpen.
The Orioles’ rotation is also incomplete. Aside from the acquisition of Shane Baz, Baltimore has made very few significant additions to its starter roster. When a rotation is questionable, the worst-case scenario is that the bullpen behind them isn’t stable enough to sustain the game.
Especially at the beginning of the season – when starters haven’t reached their peak endurance, innings are limited, and games tend to rely more heavily on the bullpen.
Choosing the wrong arm or arm at this stage can have devastating consequences: close losses, dropped leads, and unnecessary losing streaks. And since AL East isn’t a place where you can “trial and error” for too long, every roster decision has a ripple effect.
The Orioles still have room to adjust. The free agent market still has some notable arms. And as always, players cut during spring training can be bargains if properly assessed. Baltimore isn’t locked out.
But right now, it feels like they’re entering training camp with a pitching structure that isn’t quite complete.
The bullpen isn’t the glamorous spot. It rarely appears on the poster. But it’s where seasons are saved… or stifled.
The two high-leverage spots have been temporarily resolved. The rest? It’s a battle where a wrong pick can cost you more than just one game – you could lose your rhythm for months.
And with the rotation still awaiting a major addition, the question is no longer “who will win the bullpen battle?”
The question is: are Orioles underestimating its importance… until the rankings start reflecting the truth?
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