Ranking the Baltimore Orioles most surprising contributors this year

The Baltimore Orioles have been a hot-n-cold team so far this year. Because of this, Brandon Hyde has had to lean on some unsuspecting players this season.

When you come to Camden Yards to watch the Baltimore Orioles play, you expect the likes of Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, and others to perform at a high level, far exceeding whatever you paid to get there. However, there are always a few outliers that make the event even more exciting.

It’s fair to say that last, Cedric Mullins stole the show are far as overachieving. He mixed in with the successes of Tyler Wells, Bruce Zimmermann, and more, provided some rare yet electric drama night in and night out. This season, you expect more of the same, whether you get it or not. Keeping that in mind, who are this season’s most unexpected/surprising contributors?

#3 – Keegan Akin

The former starter turned reliever has been everything you wished he would be for the Baltimore Orioles bullpen in 2022. Through 35.2 innings pitched, he has a 2.02 ERA, a WHIP of 0.84, and record highs and lows in almost every stat.

Ranking the Baltimore Orioles’ most surprising contributors this year

The Baltimore Orioles bullpen has already been improved from years past, and Keegan Akin has been a massive part of that. He has only had four outings this year, where he has given up two or more earned runs. Four outings out of 15 show massive improvement compared to last year.

Last season through 24 games, he gave up two or more runs on 16 different occasions. It’s tough to compare stat-wise a starter to a reliever, but his role in the pen has predominantly been that of a long reliever, going an average of two innings per time out.

#2 – Rougned Odor

Whether you love him, hate him, or couldn’t care less, everyone has an opinion of Rougned Odor. After signing with the Baltimore Orioles this offseason, it was tough to know how to feel about the brawling, sometimes power-hitting second baseman.

What you get from Rougie is what you get. Veteran leadership, pizzazz, and the occasional pop. This season, what we are getting from Odor is about average as far as his stats will tell you, but he has been so much more. He has been a leader in the clubhouse, a sparkplug in the offense, and someone not afraid to get the job done however he can.

Ranking the Baltimore Orioles’ most surprising contributors this year

Going back to his stats, you will see an increase from years past. He wasn’t brought to Charm City for his fielding; however, his fielding percentage of .970 is an increase of 30% from last year and his best number since 2019.

Those numbers have gone up at the plate, taking his previous year’s BA up .023 to .225. Rougie is also on pace to reach his career highs from the 2019 season, his best season in The Show. Everything about his game has increased since arriving with the Baltimore Orioles, and the Birds are the benefactor of that success.

#1 – Cionel Pérez

Can anyone honestly say that they saw this one coming? I doubt it after posting a career ERA of 4.72 and a 6.38 last season with the Reds. Cionel Pérez already has topped his career win record with four through a third of this season and will most likely end the year with career numbers in ERA, punch-outs, and WHIP for the Baltimore Orioles.

2022 has been the most active Major League Baseball has ever seen Pérez, and he them with already playing in 21 games, four shy of his all-time high. Yes, his stats are surprising, which is what earned him our top spot, but there is more than meets the eye with Cionel Pérez.

Ranking the Baltimore Orioles’ most surprising contributors this year

His passion has been on full display since arriving in Charm City, and it has brought the entire team along with him. A case in point is the video above. After a long rain delay, he came on to start an extra-innings affair against the Tampa Bay Rays. He ended the inning in style, not once but twice, and couldn’t contain himself.

We’ve already talked about the Baltimore Orioles bullpen success, and Pérez adds right to it. Just as successful as Akin has been in long relief, Pérez has been when it comes to the sixth and seventh innings. This year, it has gotten to the point where when you see him come on, you almost know he will get the job done.

In fact, only he’s only given up runs in two outings this year. Both times, was only one run a piece. The Baltimore Orioles might not be a playoff-bound team, but they have more pieces showing up to play than expected. These three are no longer experiments, as they have all proven their worth and their readiness to succeed.