BIRDS FALL FLAT: ORIOLES’ PITCHING ROTATION CAN’T CUT IT
Just months removed from a promising 100-win season, the Baltimore Orioles entered 2025 with high expectations. Loaded with young talent and an explosive lineup, many pegged them as a top contender in the American League. But instead of building on last year’s breakout, the O’s are watching their hopes unravel—one shaky start at a time. The culprit? A starting rotation that simply can’t keep up.
Despite the team’s offensive firepower—headlined by the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Jackson Holliday—the Orioles’ starting five has become the Achilles’ heel of an otherwise dangerous roster. Through the first month of the season, Baltimore’s rotation ranks near the bottom of the AL in ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched. Starters are routinely failing to go deep into games, forcing the bullpen into overdrive and exposing the lack of depth in the pitching staff.
The offseason addition of Corbin Burnes, expected to anchor the staff as a true ace, hasn’t been enough. While Burnes has delivered flashes of brilliance, he alone can’t carry a rotation. Behind him, the picture gets bleak. Grayson Rodriguez, once heralded as a future frontline starter, has been inconsistent. Dean Kremer and Kyle Bradish have struggled with command and giving up the long ball. And with no real reinforcement from the farm system just yet, the Orioles find themselves exposed.
The failure to bring in more proven arms during the offseason is coming back to haunt GM Mike Elias. Baltimore opted to rely on internal growth rather than splurging on high-end free-agent pitchers, and that gamble isn’t paying off. Young starters are still learning the ropes at the major league level, and the growing pains are evident. Without a reliable No. 2 or No. 3 starter to support Burnes, opposing lineups are feasting early and often.
To make matters worse, the AL East remains brutally competitive. The Yankees are resurgent, the Rays are always dangerous, and even the Red Sox have shown life. Baltimore’s margin for error was always thin, and now their rotation’s shortcomings are pushing them closer to the middle of the pack.
The Orioles’ brass has a decision to make—and soon. Do they try to patch the rotation through trades before the deadline? Or do they hope their young arms turn a corner in time to salvage the season? Either way, time is not on their side. If they don’t act fast, 2025 could go down as a missed opportunity for one of baseball’s most exciting young teams.
With their playoff hopes teetering and fans growing restless, the Orioles must face a hard truth: championship teams are built on strong foundations, and right now, Baltimore’s is crumbling from the mound out.
