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After of month of ball, the Baltimore Orioles have shown us more than once that things are changing. With that comes a few players with big surprises.
April is over already, but the Baltimore Orioles are probably somewhat glad. Ending the month with a series win over the Red Sox needs to feel good, but it wasn’t all rainbows over the past month. They finished April with two series wins, the other coming from the Angels a few weeks back.
Within all of the mediocrity came a few players who stood out and has encouraged Birdland moving into the month of May and beyond, especially after starting the month with a massive win against their AL East foes. With that, here are three Orioles who really impressed in April.
Spenser Watkins
If the featured image didn’t give it away, let’s start there. Spenser Watkins has been on fire, and he has undoubtedly been the biggest surprise this season. The Orioles’ last man-up (when it comes to the starting rotation) has been more like their most trusted after four successful starts.
3 Baltimore Orioles who surmounted expectations in April
The phrase trust might be a bit much after where he came from last season. In 2021, Watkins went 2-7 with a horrendous 8.07 ERA. Not something to write home about for sure. Spenser may have gotten the initial bid for the fifth spot in the rotation because of familiarity with Hyde, but he has now made it his home.
Orioles nation is still waiting for him to get his first win of the 2022 campaign (as I’m sure Watkins is, too), but hosting a 2.55 ERA with eight strikeouts over four starts has been a breath of fresh air. With injuries happening all around the starting rotation, Spenser Watkins has started to flourish at just the right time.