3 most electric Orioles rookie pitching seasons of all time

While the Baltimore Orioles progress forward into the upcoming 2025 season, they have an unconventional rookie joining the team this year. 35 year old rookie Tomoyuki Sugano is coming over from the Yomiuri Giants, of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, to begin his career in Major League Baseball with the Orioles.

While preparing for the upcoming season let's take a look back at the past. Specifically, some of the best season-long performances for a rookie pitcher in Baltimore. Coming into Major League Baseball is never easy, no matter what age you break into, but these pitchers exploded in Baltimore during their rookie seasons, and it'll be interesting to see if Sugano is able to do the same.

One of the best rookie performances for Baltimore was worthy of the American League Rookie of the Year in 1989. Racking up 27 saves for the Orioles with a 1.69 ERA was closer Gregg Olson. Olson appeared in 64 games during the 1989 season, recording a win, save, or hold in 33 of his appearances.

After beginning the season as a middle reliever, O's manger Frank Robinson decided to move him into the closing role. Olson was given 27 save opportunities during the '89 season, and he converted all of them to saves. Olson was not only the best rookie in the American League that season but had also received the Most Valuable Oriole award from his club.

Olson would spend four more seasons in Baltimore including an All Star appearance in 1990 and a career low ERA of 1.60 in 1993 before departing the following that season. Unable to rekindle his special 1989 season in the eight years following his tenure with the Orioles, he would bounce from team to team for the remainder of his career.

These 3 Orioles rookie pitching performances stand out above the rest

The next season on the list takes us back to 1964, when Wally Bunker joined the Baltimore Orioles fully. Bunker appeared in one game in the season prior and while it was unremarkable, his true rookie campaign was one of the more memorable ones in franchise history.

Bunker started 29 games during that season, winning a team-leading 19 of them. Baltimore would go on to win 97 games in the 1964 season, finishing third in the American League. Before the time of the playoff format the Orioles would miss the World Series by three games as the Yankees and White Sox would finish above them. The Yankees went on to win the AL pennant that year.

Despite the unfortunate ending to the season, and despite the team winning the most in franchise history at the time, Bunker would have an excellent rookie campaign. Bunker would receive MVP votes, finishing twelfth overall and finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting only behind Hall of Famer Tony Oliva.

Bunker would lead Orioles starters in ERA with a mark of 2.69, despite striking out under 100 batters. Bunker would stay with the Orioles for four more seasons and was incapable of reaching the heights that he had set in his rookie season. Bunker would go on to pitch for three more seasons with the Kansas City Royals but never truly lived up to the standard he set for himself.

Last up on our list, while short on volume was heavy with excitement. Future Hall of Famer Mike Mussina was drafted 20th overall by the Orioles and he went on to make his major league debut in the following season.

Mussina debuted on August 4th 1991 and began his career by going 7.2 innings, only giving up one run. He would ultimately lose his first start but would be a mainstay in Baltimore for years to come. Only having two months in majors, he was unable to gain the momentum for a Rookie of the Year bid.

Mussina finished the season with two complete games and averaged 7.1 innings pitched over his twelve games that season. Mussina was electrifying because of what held for the future of the team. He would go on to spend nine more seasons with the Orioles before defecting to the division rival Yankees, where he would spend the remainder of his career.

Mussina was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019, opting to not wear a logo on his plaque in Cooperstown. Mussina was not only one of the more exciting rookies to be on the Orioles but had one of the most electric careers.

Tomoyuki Sugano has the opportunity to break onto this list this season, and following his success in Japan, he has a pretty good chance. Sugano wouldn't be the only older international rookie to have success in his first season in MLB. Cubs starter Shota Imanaga was 30 years old last season and was electric during his campaign. All said we can't wait to see what is in store for Sugano this season.