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The Orioles’ attempts to climb out of the deep hole they dug earlier this season are aided by a relief unit that’s acted as a rope ladder.
Don't let last night's fraying in Tampa change your opinions and perceptions.
The bullpen went into the matchup with a 1.76 ERA in the last 23 games since May 24, the second-lowest mark after the Cubs’ 0.68. Four of the 17 earned runs came from Dean Kremer after he was used behind opener Scott Blewett. They struck out 33.3 percent of batters in that span, the best reliever rate in baseball.
The improvement had lowered the bullpen’s season ERA to 4.42. It was 5.62 through May 23, fourth-highest in the majors.
Trevor Rogers made his second Orioles start of 2025 last night and was gone after 2 1/3 innings, forcing Blewett into the game and messing with the numbers, ideal order and momentum. Blewett was charged with one run in 1 2/3 and Yennier Cano, summoned by the fifth, coughed up four to tie the game. Andrew Kittredge surrendered four in the seventh to give the Rays a 12-8 lead.
A sweaty, sweltering minor league bandbox is no place to hold a pitching party.
The Orioles understandably had some concerns about their ‘pen in spring training with Félix Bautista uncertain for Opening Day – favored but not a lock – Kittredge undergoing surgery in March to repair cartilage in his left knee, and Seranthony Domínguez posting a 19.50 ERA, 3.33 WHIP and 455 opponents’ average in six Grapefruit League innings.
Let’s start there.
Former manager Brandon Hyde mostly got the babied version of Bautista, with the Orioles spreading out his appearances. He didn’t go back-to-back until May 20-21. Hyde was fired on the 17th.
Bautista pitched March 31 and didn’t appear again until April 7. His next outing was on the 12th, and then the 17th. The 19th and then the 24th. May 2 and then the 9th.
He pitched on consecutive days for the fourth time over the weekend, and his fastball finally hit 100 mph. The Orioles knew he’d get there, but it didn’t happen until June.
Bautista also is much more effective, with seven scoreless appearances in a row and only one hit allowed. He’s surrendered one run and three hits in his last 10 outings and struck out 15 batters, and Saturday’s save was his 14th of the season.
Kittredge appeared in 10 games before last night and registered a 1.93 ERA 9 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs and struck out 10. But his ERA swelled to 5.23 after the Rays' battered him.
The Orioles signed Kittredge to a contract guaranteeing $10 million and including a $9 million option in 2026. He didn’t make his debut until May 21 in Milwaukee. Hyde never had him.
The panic level on Domínguez was low in camp, but results eventually become important. Working on things, including a new splitter, can’t carry into the season. The veteran privilege is over. And Domínguez’s exhibition numbers were about as ugly as it gets.
Domínguez, making $8 million this season, has a streak of 10 scoreless appearances in a row and he's allowed only four hits, walked three batters and struck out 16, though he needed Ramón Laureano to throw out a runner at the plate last night and Gary Sánchez to throw out a runner trying to steal.
To prove that spring numbers don’t matter for everyone, his first nine appearances also were scoreless.
Other teams might have Domínguez closing or working as the primary setup man. Bautista is the ninth inning guy for the Orioles, and Cano and Bryan Baker tend to slot ahead of Domínguez depending on availability.
In seven appearances this month, Domínguez has come into the game in the seventh inning four times, the fifth twice and the sixth once. The result is 7 1/3 scoreless frames with four hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts. He's credited with four holds and his ERA has dropped from 5.06 to 3.77.
Albert Suárez broke camp as a reliever after the Orioles signed Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton and put left-hander Cade Povich in the rotation. That’s fine. They could use a long man, and Suárez proved last year that he’s capable of handling multiple roles. What they didn’t know was that they’d get one appearance out of Suárez and lose him to a right subscapularis strain.
They also didn’t think left-hander Cionel Pérez would be pitching at Triple-A Norfolk. He was designated for assignment on May 24 and outrighted after posting an 8.31 ERA and 2.123 WHIP in 19 games.
Left-hander Gregory Soto allowed four runs and eight hits and walked four batters in seven spring innings. He earned his 16th hold Tuesday, working on back-to-back nights, by striking out the only batter he faced in the seventh inning and extending his scoreless streak to seven consecutive appearances. Soto struck out 11 batters and walked only one in 6 1/3 innings during that stretch.
After allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning on May 23 in Boston, Soto was tagged for only one earned run in his next 11 appearances with one walk and 14 strikeouts. He’s surrendered only two home runs in 26 innings.
Is there a bigger surprise than Bryan Baker? Yes, his velocity and the confidence in his changeup increased in spring training, but he retired the side in order in the eighth last night and has a 2.43 ERA in a team-leading 35 games. He's walked only six batters and struck out 42. And no one plays with more emotion.
Some guys wear it on their sleeves. Baker is dressed in it from head to spikes.
Baker also registered a scoreless inning Tuesday and has nine spotless appearances in his last 10 and 13 of 15 without an earned run. He's entered his last 12 games in the eighth or ninth innings.
Baker’s value also is seen in his splits – right-handers were batting .211/.237/.474 against him before last night and left-handers .196/.250/.357.
Cano had six scoreless appearances this month totaling five innings before last night's implosion, with one walk and seven strikeouts. He didn’t allow a run in nine of his 10 previous outings. Keegan Akin, used three times as an opener, posted a 2.81 ERA in 33 games and allowed one run this month in seven appearances. He was scored upon twice in his last 13 appearances.
This bullpen gets strikeouts and it doesn’t matter who’s pitching.
Baker – 42 in 33 1/3 innings
Akin – 36 in 32 innings
Domínguez – 36 in 28 2/3 innings
Bautista – 32 in 24 2/3 innings
Soto – 32 in 26 innings
Cano – 27 in 24 2/3 innings
Kittredge – 12 in 10 1/3 innings
Colin Selby (optioned) – 10 in 5 2/3 innings
“They’ve been holding it down for the last month now," Dean Kremer told the assembled media. “Our back-of-the-bullpen guys are unbelievable, with really good stuff."
“They’ve probably been one of the best units in the game here for a few weeks, would be my guess,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said after Tuesday's win. “It’s been electric.
“I think when the bullpen got built, this was kind of what we thought it might be, and it’s kind of happening right now right in front of our eyes.”
Better to cover them last night.
Allowing nine runs was a painful exception.
