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Baltimore Orioles: Top ten pitchers who gave up the most home runs

By Kristen Bentley

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 03: Starting pitcher Chris Tillman #30 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on as teammates Manny Machado #13 and Chris Davis #19 walk to the mound in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 03: Starting pitcher Chris Tillman #30 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on as teammates Manny Machado #13 and Chris Davis #19 walk to the mound in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Kris Benson of the Baltimore Orioles pitching during MLB regular season game against the New York Mets, played at Shea Stadium in Queens, N.Y. on June 17, 2006. Orioles defeated Mets 4 – 2 during interleague play. (Photo by Bryan Yablonsky/Getty Images)
Kris Benson of the Baltimore Orioles pitching during MLB regular season game against the New York Mets, played at Shea Stadium in Queens, N.Y. on June 17, 2006. Orioles defeated Mets 4 – 2 during interleague play. (Photo by Bryan Yablonsky/Getty Images) /

Giving up 33 home runs in a season is a feat no professional pitcher should accomplish. In Orioles history, there are five pitchers from Birdland who have given up 33 home runs in a season. This ties them for third place for home runs allowed in a single season.

The five pitchers on this list include:

This is a blemish on the record of any pitcher. Prior to 2017, Jimenez hadn’t given up more than 25 home runs in a season. But, along with this new personal record, he led the league in giving up 108 runs on the season.

Dixon’s short time in the MLB

Ken Dixon played baseball for four seasons between 1984 and 1987 with the Orioles. Despite giving up this many home runs in one of his season, he still managed to finish his short career with a positive WAR of 2.2 In his final year of professional baseball, he gave up 30 home runs. In his five starts in May of 1986, he gave up 11 home runs, but 7 of them came in two games. Ouch.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Bruce Chen starts against the Chicago White Sox July 30, 2006 in Baltimore. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Bruce Chen starts against the Chicago White Sox July 30, 2006 in Baltimore. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /

Chen moved around the MLB

Bruce Chen played for the Orioles for three of his 17 season in the MLB. More of a fifth starter type of guy, the lefty played for 11 teams up and down the east coast and a few elsewhere around the country. In 2005, despite finishing the season with a record of 13-10, Chen gave up 33 home runs. Surprisingly, he did it again in 2012 when he pitched for the Royals.

Benson and his notorious wife

Kris Benson pitched one season for the Orioles and managed to get himself on this wall of shame. He was the first pick of the 1996 draft, but he didn’t quite pan out as expected. He was traded to the O’s by the Mets at the end of the 2005 season. After the dreadful 2006 season where he gave up 33 home runs, he missed the next season with a rotator cuff injury. The Orioles bought out his contract and let him go. Benson is probably best remembered for his wife Anna who wasn’t known for being shy and innocent.

And, then there’s Chris

Chris Tillman is well known by current Orioles fans. Interestingly, his 33-home-run season also happened to be his All-Star season. He finished that season with a 3.71 ERA. In 2017, he gave up 24 home runs and had an ERA of 7.84.

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