Orioles sign former division rival, All-Star reliever to one year deal

Late Thursday night, the Baltimore Orioles announced the signing of veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge. A right-handed pitcher who uses deception to induce soft contact, Kittredge will fill the role vacated by righty Jacob Webb, who left Baltimore and signed with the Rangers earlier this winter. Kittredge has the opportunity to be a valuable pitcher for the Orioles in 2025.

Having spent the first seven years of his major league career with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kittredge is plenty familiar with pitching in the vaunted American League East. He had a career year in 2021, posting a 1.88 ERA over a career-high 71.2 innings and made his first career All Star team.

Unfortunately, Kittredge was not able to build on that season due to an elbow injury, which he suffered a few months into the 2022 season. He spent most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons on the IL before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2024 season. 

The Orioles have signed righty Andrew Kittredge to bolster the bullpen in Baltimore

During his brief stint in St. Louis, Kittredge showed that his arm was as healthy as ever. He made a career high 74 appearances, blowing away his previous best of 57, while posting a 2.80 ERA. His slider is his favorite pitch and it was extremely effective last season, inducing a 41.3% whiff rate and holding opposing hitters to a .177 batting average. Kittredge also relies heavily on his sinker while mixing in a four seem fastball, which sits between 94-95 mph.

Kittredge has previously been used as a high-leverage reliever that can work at the back end of the bullpen along with Gregory Soto, Seranthony Dominguez and Felix Bautista. He’s recorded 16 career saves but also made 15 starts in Tampa Bay as an opener, so he’s used to being put into games in any situation. The Orioles signed Kittredge to a one year $10 million contract that includes a team option for 2026, as well as a $1 million buyout. He’s a reliable arm that can also be a veteran presence, something the Orioles have coveted in their pitching acquisitions.