The Orioles used 60 players this season, 10 short of the franchise record set in 2025. They also tied the major league record that year until the Braves topped them with 71.

Couldn’t even let them share the glory.

The 30 position players this season were the most in the American League and second most in the majors behind the Giants’ 34.

The team has used at least 30 position players in back-to-back seasons after needing that many only three other times in its history, along with the 1958 (30), 1957 (30) and 1955 (34) seasons.

Injuries, acquisitions and poor performances conspired again this year to set the roster churn in motion.

Thirty pitchers appeared in games, plus two position players in emergency relief. And this little nugget leads to today’s question.

What’s happening with the rotation?

Ten Orioles made starts this season, led by Shane Baz with 31 and extending to Zach Eflin’s lone appearance on March 31 before blowing out his elbow and needing reconstructive surgery. Keegan Akin was an opener twice among his 24 appearances before his own elbow procedure.

By comparison, the Orioles had 16 pitchers make starts the previous season. Akin made three, and Scott Blewett, Dietrich Enns, Rico Garcia, Chayce McDermott and Albert Suárez one each.

I don’t think anyone is yearning for a return to 2025.

The Orioles didn’t have four pitchers make 28 or more starts since 2010 with Jeremy Guthrie (32), Brian Matusz (32), Kevin Millwood (31) and Brad Bergesen (28). It’s happened 13 times. They got 31 out of Shane Baz this season, 30 from Trevor Rogers, 29 from Kyle Bradish and 28 from Brandon Young.

Three of the four can be penciled into the 2027 rotation.

Baz was much better than his 15 losses suggest, since the offense usually took a nine-inning nap in his games. He put to rest any questions about his durability by matching his career high in starts and setting a career high with 179 2/3 innings. His ERA was lowered from 4.87 in 2025 to 4.11, and he tossed his first complete game.  

He also signed a five-year, $68 million extension in March. He isn’t going anywhere.

Bradish returned from Tommy John surgery and logged his first full season since 2023. We’re counting it despite a sports hernia that prevented him from pitching after Sept. 12. He seemed to fade down the stretch, with the workload maybe catching up to him, but there were stretches when he looked like an ace again.

There’s the four quality starts in May, including one earned run over 13 combined innings in his last two outings of the month. The one run and 21 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings in back-to-back-starts in June. Three straight quality starts in July. Back-to-back quality starts on the road in August.

He also signed a five-year, $90 million extension in July. He isn’t going anywhere.

Young had a breakout season, posting a 3.56 ERA that was the lowest in the rotation. He earned a giant save for his rescue mission after injuries to Eflin, Dean Kremer and Chris Bassitt.

I put Young second on my Most Valuable Oriole ballot, and so did plenty of other voters.

That leaves Rogers, potentially one of the most sought-after starters in a relatively weak free agent class. He isn’t in line for Tarik Skubal money, but he’s gonna get paid big bucks if he turns down the anticipated qualifying offer from the Orioles.

The Orioles already are seeking another starter, with or without Rogers. And they’ve got to aim high, which could put them back in the trade market because they aren’t breaking the bank for Skubal.

Bassitt was much more effective after his back surgery, but he’s expected to leave in free agency. Eflin’s contract includes a $25 million mutual option and $2 million buyout. He’d love to stay, which he expressed again to me recently, but he’s probably headed back to free agency as he recovers from his surgery.

The spring training competition will include Cade Povich, Trey Gibson and Luis De León, who debuted in relief but is going back to starting. Kremer was traded to the Twins.

MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospect list for the Orioles is much heavier in pitching than past years, and the same applies to the many other entities that publish their own rankings. Anthony Eyanson, Joseph Dzierwa and Caden Hunter are two through four. Dzierwa was named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Pipeline has Eyanson 45th in its top 100, Dzierwa 69th and Hunter 92nd.

None of them are breaking camp with the team next spring.

The rotation posted a 4.24 ERA this year to rank 17th in the majors, compared to a 4.65 ERA the previous season that ranked 24th. The 863 1/3 innings were third in the American League and sixth in the majors, after the unit accumulated 829 2/3 in 2025 to rank 19th in the majors and 11th in the AL.

The improvement doesn’t allow the Orioles to stand pat. Multiple changes could be on the horizon.