Baltimore Orioles: John Means Looked Sharp In Return From Injured List

The Baltimore Orioles rookie left-hander impressed in his return from the injured list Wednesday night.

In a lost season like 2019, Baltimore Orioles fans need something positive to talk about to keep their sanity. It’s no secret perhaps the single best thing to happen to the team this year is John Means.

The rookie left-hander out of West Virginia had a LinkedIn profile set up last season thinking he would never make it to the big leagues. Instead, he bursted onto the scene and earned an all-star nod after pitching to a 2.50 ERA prior to the mid-summer classic.

Since then, Means has had some struggles. He had three straight shaky starts and was then placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain. After missing just over the minimum 10 days, Means was back in action Wednesday against the New York Yankees as the O’s looked to salvage the final game of the series.

For three innings Means was dominant. He held a Yankees lineup who set an MLB record for the number of home runs they hit at Camden Yards this season scoreless and allowed just one hit.

In the top of the fourth, Means got into trouble allowing a pair of hits setting the Yankees up with runners on the corners and one man out. A miss played-fly ball that resulted in an RBI single and a three-run home run would end his day as Means reached his pre-set pitch count of 80 after allowing four runs on five hits.

Despite taking the loss, it was hard not to like Means’ outing. He held a Yankees lineup that the Orioles could not stop at bay for most of his start, was a potential misplayed fly ball away from keeping the team off the board completely and was able to record five strikeouts meaning his off-speed pitches were working.

After the game manager, Brandon Hyde was pleased with Means saying, “I was really encouraged by John Means, I thought he threw the ball great.”

Hyde also noted that Means had all of his pitching going and he felt the fourth inning was nothing more than bad luck.

Though it was a losing effort, it’s hard not to feel encouraged. John Means is back, and the Orioles at least know every fifth day they have a solid chance to win if they can put runs on the board.