Former Orioles all-star needs to take on a challenge he's always shied away from

Yennier Cano had an incredible breakout season in 2023 as the Baltimore Orioles setup man in front of Felix Bautista. Cano literally started the season with 21 scoreless innings, and Bautista carried a 0.85 ERA into the month of August. With very few exceptions all season, all the Orioles had to do was get through seven innings with at least a one-run lead, and it was a done deal. When the two of them both made the all-star team, it seemed like the Orioles were set at the back of their bullpen for the next half-decade.

Unfortunately, Buatista injured his elbow in late August of 2023 and, since then, has only pitched 34 innings. Cano has had to go one without him, and in the 2024 and 2025 seasons looked as though he was steadily declining to the point where it was not a given that the Orioles would bring him back for the 2026 season.

They did bring him back, though, and Cano has rewarded their faith in him with an excellent start to his 2025 campaign. So far, he's pitched to a 1.42 ERA across 19 innings. The most noticeable statistical difference is that he has once again found his command. One of the hallmarks of his 2023 season was his stellar walk% and that was something that he really struggled with over the last couple of season. This year, it's bounced back, and he's surrendered just three walks all season.

Yennier Cano should try closing again

When Cano is not handing out free passes to first base, he is very hard to score on. With how high his ground ball percentage is, opposing teams basically have to hope they sneak three grounders through the infield before three grounders get fielded.

With how well he's pitching and how much the other veteran relievers in the bullpen have struggled, and with Ryan Helsley on the IL, you would think that Cano would have taken over the closer role, but that is not the case. In fact, it's never been the case.

When Buastista first got hurt in 2023, the Orioles tried to promote Cano to the closer role, and he immediately struggled. He expressed that he just was not comfortable in that role, and so the Orioles had to do closer by committee for the rest of that season. The Rangers never let the Orioles have a save opportunity, so we'll never know what their plan for the playoffs would have been.

Since then, there have been more opportunities for Cano to rise to the closer role, and he has not been interested. When the Orioles DFA'd Craig Kimbrel in 2024, Cano did not get the job, and last year, after the Orioles did a full bullpen fire sale, they tried to make Keegan Akin the closer rather than consider Cano.

This year, Cano isn't even in the setup man role. He's mostly pitched in the 6th inning. Looking at the Orioles bullpen depth and the production they're getting from their other veterans, it is clear that they need Cano to take over some more high-leverage innings.

Last night, they had Anthony Nunez close his third game of the season. Nunez is a promising young reliever who has had his moments this year and may one day be a closer, but he has an ERA in the mid-fives. Rico Garcia has been great, but the Orioles would prefer to deploy him in more of a fireman role, where they can use him in the most high-leverage spots, no matter what inning it is.

Being a closer is hard, and if a player isn't comfortable with that role, it's hard to put them there, but Cano has come a long way since his rookie season in 2023 and, at this point, should be able to push past the mental hurdle of stepping into Bautista's shoes. Until Ryan Helsley returns, Cano and Garcia should share the load of the temporary closer role to make it easier for each other and help the team lock down winnable games.

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