Baltimore Orioles: Analysis of Orioles starting pitching rotation
By Nate Wardle
For the Baltimore Orioles, the typical story is that they will go as far as the starting pitching takes them. So, how far is that recently?
The Baltimore Orioles are primed to get back Welington Castillo as they prepare to face the Detroit Tigers in Detroit starting Tuesday night.
But, instead of looking at what has arguably being Orioles’ best position (catcher), I want to focus on the guys who throw the most to the catchers. The Orioles’ starting pitching.
If you have been here long enough, you know my saying, the Orioles will go as far as their starting pitching takes them.
Let’s look at the last ten starts since that will encapsulate Chris Tillman‘s return to the rotation.
May 4 – Orioles 8 – Red Sox 3: Tyler Wilson (W) 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 SO, 1 HR, 84 pitches
May 5 – White Sox 2 – Orioles 4: Wade Miley 0.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 12 pitches (Gabriel Ynoa (W) 6 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 5 SO, 101 pitches)
May 6 – White Sox 5 – Orioles 6: Dylan Bundy 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 105 pitches
May 7 – White Sox 0 – Orioles 4: Chris Tillman (W) 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 93 pitches
May 8 – Nationals 4 – Orioles 6: Kevin Gausman (W) 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 116 pitches
May 9 – Nationals 4 – Orioles 5: Ubaldo Jimenez 7.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 2 HR, 112 pitches
May 10 – Orioles 6 – Nationals 7: Miley 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 SO, 119 pitches
May 12 – Orioles 2 – Royals 3: Bundy 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1 HR, 112 pitches
May 13 – Orioles 3 – Royals 4: Tillman 4.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 105 pitches
May 14 – Orioles 8 – Royals 9: Gausman 3.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 93 pitches
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Totals (averaged per start but not counting Miley’s short start) – 3-0, 5.2 IP, 5.67 hits allowed, 2.67 runs allowed, 1.78 walks allowed, 4.67 strikeouts, .67 home runs allowed, 104.33 pitches per game.
So, what can we take from these numbers? First, the starts are not the ones losing games for the Orioles, as they have no losses in the last 10 games, in which the team went 6-4.
The innings pitched is a bit low, as I’m sure the team would like to see their starters average 6 innings per game. However, you have to remember Tillman has been eased back, and Tyler Wilson only threw 80+ pitches in his start.
They have allowed essentially a hit per inning, which combined with the walks, isn’t a bad total. The home runs allowed are also low, as is the runs allowed.
You would like to see your starters strike out a few more people, but the Orioles have a defense they can trust, so why not use it.
Finally, the average pitches is a very good number, with only three starts below 100 (Wilson, Tillman’s first, Gausman on Sunday). Of starting pitchers being taken out, most have been due to pitch counts and not ineffectiveness (Gausman and Tillman’s most recent starts the outliers).
So, the starting pitching has not been the issue for the Orioles, both recently and most of the season.
It is the bullpen and the lineup that are holding back this team from being even better than they already are.
The two areas where many feel the Baltimore Orioles had nothing to worry about.