Baltimore Orioles: Ranking The Likely Trade Candidates

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BALTIMORE, MD – APRIL 21: Dylan Bundy #37 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the third inning during a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 21, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Dylan Bundy is still a high-strikeout pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, but the struggles are real.

Dylan Bundy is still a high-strikeout pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, but the struggles are real. If only the Atlanta Braves would have taken Dylan Bundy instead of Kevin Gausman. While many believed Bundy would thrive under the new regime in town, we have yet to see positive results from the 26-year-old starting pitcher. Anyone else find it hard to believe he’s only 26?

Bundy is currently 0-4 with a 6.67 ERA and has given up nine home runs in 28.1 innings. Early game Dylan Bundy is solid, while third inning and beyond Dylan Bundy is a disaster.

Bundy’s combined numbers in the first and second innings of games are – 12 IP, 1.50 ERA (two ER), 11 strikeouts, five walks, six hits allowed, two home runs.

Bundy in the third inning and beyond- 16.1 IP, 10.62 ERA (19 ER), 24 hits, eight walks, 23 strikeouts, seven home runs.

Overall, Bundy’s fastball velocity is down and has dropped every season since 2016, but his spin rate remains among the league’s best and there’s still his quality slider. His strikeouts and whiff rates are up, with his slider producing a 55% whiff rate through his first few starts. Unfortunately, he’s missing his spots on a frequent basis and opposing hitters are seeing pitches fairly well against Bundy, barrelling the ball more often than ever before and launching it into the air at a 35% clip, compared to his 29% flyball rate last season in which he led the league with 41 home runs allowed.

I still believe San Diego makes sense as a landing spot for Bundy. He can pitch in largely pitcher-friendly parks and can be paired with one of their young arms in the rotation to pitch in shorter stints or come out of the bullpen. The Padres are the most fun team in baseball, you won’t change my mind about this, and their bullpen, which was so dominant last season, has been hit with injuries and struggles this year. They also have plenty of excess prospect capital to deal, with many prospects outside of their top 30 instantly ranking among the Orioles’ best prospects.

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