Evaluating which relievers Brandon Hyde can trust - and which he cannot

While bullpen usage has gradually changed over the last several years (with starting pitchers throwing fewer pitches and bullpens being asked to get more outs), it is patently clear that one thing has not changed: there are some relievers that an MLB manager trusts more than others.

Again, this is not a new or novel concept. The great Yankees teams in the late 90s were anchored by Mariano Rivera, Jeff Nelson, and Mike Stanton, all of whom were in Joe Torre's "circle of trust." The talented Mariners teams of the '90s featured near-daily appearances from Paul Spoljaric, Mike Timlin, and Norm Charlton. And from 2012-2016, Orioles manager Buck Showalter certainly had his favorites, pitching Darren O'Day, Brian Matusz, Brian Brach, and Zack Britton as much as he could.

Fast forward to 2025, and it is easy to spot the two guys Brandon Hyde trusts the most: Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano. But behind these two fireballers, nothing is certain. This article examines two pitchers who have slowly but surely gained Hyde's trust, and two others who have fallen into, or are in danger of falling into, the doghouse.

Bryan Baker: Gaining Trust

Believe it or not, Bryan Baker is currently in the midst of his fourth season with the Orioles. It has been a strange and winding road for Baker, who was a solid bullpen arm in 2022 and 2023 before playoff struggles and a lost 2024 had him on the outs coming into Spring Training. However, Baker pitched well enough in this spring to earn a spot in Baltimore's 2025 Opening Day bullpen.

Although Baker started the year in low-leverage, mop-up situations, his usage has been trending towards more high-leverage use lately. This included pitching a scoreless eighth inning in the Orioles' series-clinching win over the Yankees on April 30, a spot typically reserved for Cano or Gregory Soto. Overall, Baker has allowed only four runs this season over 14 innings and appears likely to pitch in more late and close game situations as long as he maintains Hyde's trust.

Cionel Perez: Losing Trust

Cionel Perez is listed under "losing trust," though it is unclear if he ever had Hyde's trust to begin with this season. To say Perez has experienced a tough 2025 season would be a massive understatement. Perez, like Baker, is in his fourth season with the Orioles, but unlike Baker, is experiencing his worst season by far as an Oriole.

Perez's best year came in 2022, when he went 7-1 with a shiny 1.40 ERA en route to 2.8 WAR. The Orioles used Perez as a trusted lefty setup man for much of 2023 and 2024, even though fellow lefty Danny Coulombe outpitched him both seasons. Perhaps it was a yearning for the good old days that caused the Orioles to keep Perez over Coulombe this past offseason.

With a disastrous 8.79 ERA this season, Perez's recent usage has been limited to mop-up duty, where the game is out of reach or the Orioles are out of relievers. It is unclear how much longer Perez will remain in an Orioles uniform.

Seranthony Dominguez: Gaining Trust

The Orioles acquired Seranthony Dominguez at the 2024 trade deadline along with outfielder Christian Pache for long-time Oriole Austin Hays. Dominguez pitched well overall after the trade, even spending significant time as the Orioles' closer last year. But Dominguez endured a rough 2024 Spring Training, and many wondered if he would be relegated to low-leverage situations.

Dominguez has quieted his critics quickly, allowing runs in only two of his 12 appearances this season. He holds a 4.22 ERA and has struck out 11 in 10 2/3 innings. It appears any concern with his Spring Training has not affected Hyde's trust in him this season.

Gregory Soto: Losing Trust

Like Dominguez, the Orioles acquired Gregory Soto at the 2024 trade deadline to bolster a relief corps struggling without ace closer Felix Bautista. Despite a slow start, Soto closed 2024 on a good note and entered 2025 as the Orioles' primary lefty setup man.

While Hyde continues to use Soto in the eighth inning of close games, he has struggled to a 4.76 ERA. His rough outings have included giving away a three-run eighth inning lead against Toronto on April 13, immediately allowing the Nationals to regain the lead in the eighth inning following an Orioles rally on April 24, and nearly allowing the Yankees to rally from a 4-0 deficit on April 28. While Soto does not appear to be in danger of losing his spot on the team, it is fair to wonder if fellow lefty Keegan Akin may see more high-leverage situations moving forward.

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