Orioles make abrupt rotation about-face after another surprise injury

In desperate times, teams often make desperate moves — and the Baltimore Orioles are learning how unforgiving that reality can be when it comes to piecing together a fully functional pitching staff.

On April 19, the Orioles called up one of their promising pitching prospects, Brandon Young, from Triple-A Norfolk to make his major league debut. It was a call-up that was more out of necessity than merit. With a growing list of injuries in their rotation, Baltimore needed arms. And Young, coming off a string of strong outings in Triple-A, earned the nod.

Young’s debut came against the Cincinnati Reds — a streaky offense that can be hit or miss. The 26-year-old right-hander delivered a mixed bag of results lasting four innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while striking out three and walking three. He threw 81 pitches in total — not lights out, but certainly not a meltdown either. 

Orioles forced to hit the reset button after Brandon Young's quick demotion backfires

Instead of giving Young another look, Baltimore chose to option him back to Triple-A immediately following the start. In his place, the Orioles turned to Cody Poteet, a recent acquisition from the Chicago Cubs on March 29 who had been stashed in Norfolk.

That opportunity quickly went up in flames. Poteet was shelled for five earned runs over just 2.2 innings, allowing six hits, walking two, and striking out only one. His outing was part of a historically bad day on the mound for the Orioles, one that saw them fall 24-2 to the Reds. It was an Easter Sunday massacre, with Poteet sandwiched between Charlie Morton’s seven-run implosion and Cionel Pérez’s three-run struggle before Baltimore resorted to using position players in the last two innings, allowing the Reds to run up the score.

To add insult to injury, Poteet landed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation after the game — leaving the Orioles with egg on their face and still dealing with a depleted staff.

48 hours after being demoted, Brandon Young was recalled to rejoin the rotation that suddenly needs him even more than before. For now, he’ll remain in the starting mix until reinforcements return. But this weekend's events may have cemented his status as more than just a short-term solution.

The Orioles’ decision to opt for the “veteran option” backfired spectacularly, and in the process, they may have stumbled into a silver lining. Young, while not dominant, showed composure and enough flashes to justify a longer look.

As the Orioles navigate a stretch plagued by injuries and underperformance, it’s becoming clear that relying on prospects like Young may no longer just be a necessity — it might be their best path forward.