The hints that 2026 wasn’t going to be much better than 2025 arrived super early to the Orioles.

They splattered the bullpen.

Keegan Akin and Andrew Kittredge were counted among a small group of sure things when camp opened. Both of them went on the injured list before the first game, Akin with a left groin strain and Kittredge with right shoulder inflammation. Akin was hurt while warming in the bullpen before the last exhibition game at Ed Smith Stadium. You can’t fabricate this stuff.

The other reliever assured of making the team was new closer Ryan Helsley. He made two trips to the IL with right elbow inflammation and pitched in only 17 games, none after June 27. That’s a weak return for the $14 million paid, and it guarantees his return in 2027 with a $14 million option.

Akin and Kittredge are free agents. Kittredge came back once, after the Orioles traded him to the Cubs at the 2025 deadline, but his time in Baltimore might be done. Akin is one of the longest tenured Orioles as a second-round draft pick in 2016 out of Western Michigan, and that chapter appears to be closing.

Who’s closing in 2027?

Helsley and Félix Bautista could take turns, with setup duty also part of the workload. More rest wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. Bautista returned from shoulder surgery, following his Tommy John surgery, and made two September appearances. We should be able to assume that his availability in spring training, whenever it starts, isn’t in question.

Yennier Cano figured to be on this year’s Opening Day roster but had to earn it after a disappointing 2025, when he posted a 5.12 ERA and 1.483 WHIP and was briefly sent down. He led the team in appearances three consecutive seasons after Dillon Tate ranked first in 2022. Cano was second this year with 68 while registering a 2.90 ERA and 1.067 WHIP, with only two home runs allowed in 49 2/3 innings.

The Orioles didn’t trade Cano at the deadline. They gave him a two-year, $7.5 million contract, with a $10 million club option, that bought out his last two years of arbitration eligibility.

So that gives us Helsley, Bautista and Cano for 2027. Tyler Wells was traded to the Rays, but Rico Garcia went from journeyman to team leader in appearances with 75 while posting a 3.09 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 10 saves that left him one behind Kittredge. He received votes for Most Valuable Oriole.

Garcia can report next spring with solid odds of making the club again.

He wasn’t the only unexpected success story. Left-hander Josh Walker was a low-profile reliever who earned high-leverage opportunities and had a 2.08 ERA in 31 games. He crafted a 21-game scoreless streak, with a .167 opponent average. No Orioles reliever built a longer stretch since Zack Britton’s 25 games in 2016.

Jobs don’t get handed to the Josh Walkers of the baseball world, but he’d have to implode to be cut in camp.

Grant Wolfram was another lefty and he posted a 1.10 ERA and .224 opponent average with three walks and 19 strikeouts over 16 games after Aug. 15. His 60 appearances were third on the club. And for what it’s worth, his six victories were the most by an Orioles lefty since Cionel Pérez’s seven in 2022.

That brings us to six relievers in an eight-man bullpen.

Alex Hoppe was acquired from the Mariners in the Taylor Ward trade and brought upper-90s heat to the mound with his four-seam fastball and sinker. Both pitches averaged 98.4 mph. He allowed three earned runs in 14 2/3 innings, with the five unearned runs providing another example that the defense needs to tighten up.

The negative for Hoppe was the nine walks. That also needs cleaning.

Anyway, he’s likely to be on the Opening Day roster unless he pitches his way to Triple-A.

Anthony Nunez was a surprise inclusion this year after the Orioles optioned him in camp. Akin’s injury allowed him to head north. Cam Sanders is in the mix after arriving in a July 13 trade with the Pirates, making 19 appearances and registering a 2.70 ERA and 1.150 WHIP with his first career win and save. Sanders struck out 27 but also walked 10 in 20 innings, after striking out 13 and walking 10 in 9 1/3 innings with Pittsburgh.

Albert Suárez was designated for assignment five times and kept coming back. He’s on shaky 40-man roster ground again, eligible for arbitration and likely to be a free agent. He turned 37 on Thursday.

Left-hander Dietrich Enns made the team in March after signing a contract in November guaranteeing $2.625 million, but he didn’t pitch for the Orioles after May 25 and registered a 5.80 ERA and 1.509 WHIP in 31 games with Triple-A Norfolk. Yaramil Hiraldo pitched three times in March, went on the IL with right shoulder inflammation and finished with an 8.68 ERA in eight games with nine runs and 10 walks over 9 1/3 innings.

The Orioles’ bullpen placed 11th in the majors with a 3.82 ERA, compared to the 4.57 ERA in 2025 that ranked 25th. A 1.27 WHIP ranked 13th.

Relievers stranded the first 21 inherited runners to begin the season, the most in club history and the most in the majors since the 2016 Athletics stranded 26. The Orioles finished with 27.7 percent inherited scoring, ranking fifth in the American League and sixth in the majors.

A left-on-left weapon was expected to arrive at the trade deadline but didn’t happen. Left-handed hitters slashed .286/.348/.381 against Wolfram and .246/.295/.333 against Walker, who showed reverse splits by holding right-handers to a .182 average and .565 OPS.

Left-handers hit .280/.341/.400 against Cano, which actually is an improvement from his .298/.366/.466 career line.

Change is coming, as it always does with the bullpen. One, maybe two, maybe more new relievers. Could be another closer option, perhaps a multi-inning arm.

Better health wouldn’t hurt, either.