Analyzing the Orioles bullpen options at this point in spring training

With the season beginning this month, the Orioles bullpen is beginning to shake out in Sarasota. Andrew Kittredge underwent knee surgery and is going to be out for the beginning of the season, so the Baltimore Orioles will need to look at who will replace him in the interim. Though he was an unlikely candidate to make the roster a few weeks ago, Bryan Baker has been turning heads in camp and looks to be atop the list of guys who could fill in for Kittredge.

Kittredge's injury isn't the only one that will affect the Orioles' bullpen though. Grayson Rodriguez will begin the 2025 season on the injured list, which will likely move one of the Orioles' depth arms to the rotation for the time being. Cade Povich and Albert Suarez are the two leading options for the Orioles at the moment. Suarez was a part of the Orioles' rotation last season and was a surprisingly strong asset.

The need to elevate a starter will open another spot for the pitchers that are looking to begin their season in Norfolk. While there are no guarantees, the path for Roansy Contreras became much easier. Likely battling both Povich and Suarez for the long-man roles in the bullpen, the injury to Rodriguez moves one of the two out of his path to the Opening Day roster.

How will the Orioles' bullpen shake out ahead of Opening Day?

Felix Bautista will be returning to the mound this season and while there is no timeline set for his debut at the major league level, the signs are good as there have been no setbacks for the right-hander. The Orioles have been cautious with his return, neither stating that he will be on the Opening Day roster nor a timeline to when his return will happen. Without any unspoken setbacks the Orioles will get their closer back in 2024.

While Bautista works his way back to the major league bullpen, a pair of pitchers entering their first full season with the O's will need to pick up his workload. Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto both came to the Orioles in 2024 via trades with Philadelphia. While the pair did not live up to the expectations that they came with, the two are primed to return to form at the beginning of the season as the Orioles limit Bautista after his return.

Soto was an All Star in 2021 and 2022 while he was with the Detroit Tigers and Dominguez broke out in his rookie campaign. However, injuries have hindered Dominguez's consistent performance. The Orioles look to recapture the magic that the pair had with their prior clubs. Bautista will likely return to the closing role in full down the final stretch but the Orioles will lean on Soto and Dominguez to preserve Bautista's health.