What Kyle Bradish's return means for the Orioles' rotation

It hasn't been often this season that the Baltimore Orioles have some positive injury updates. But today, Tony Mansolino provided many to the gathered media down in Tampa Bay. According to Mansolino, Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle and Cade Povich are all set to join the Triple-A Norfolk Tides at some point this week. And on Thursday, O's ace Kyle Bradish will join High-A Aberdeen to begin his rehab assignment.

Bradish's rehab is going to look very different than players like Rutschman and Mountcastle, who have at least some 2025 playing time under their belts. Bradish hasn't pitched in a game, big league or otherwise, since June 14, 2024 due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. More than likely, it will still be weeks before the righty returns to a big league mound. The Orioles are not going to rush him, especially given where Baltimore sits in the standings.

At his best, Bradish was one of the best arms in the American League. Back in 2023, the right-hander posted a 2.83 ERA in 30 starts, striking out nine batters per nine innings. He finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting that year, and seemed primed for a big 2024.

That season was cut short, as Bradish was limited to just eight games due to injury. But in those eight games, the right-hander boasted another impressive ERA, this time down at 2.75, and struck out over 12 batters per nine.

Kyle Bradish's impending return gives hope for Orioles' rotation going forward

Only time will tell if Bradish is able to return to form, but given that he never relied heavily on velocity, there's reason to believe he could pick up right where he left off. According to Statcast, Bradish's fastball velocity was in the 67th percentile in 2024. The righty relies more on effective spin, which will also be a test on his elbow.

When Bradish returns, the O's starting rotation could look very different. The trade deadline is quickly approaching, and three of the five starters in the Opening Day rotation, Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano, are on expiring contracts. Mike Elias has noted that players on those contracts could be the ones on the move.

Plus, with Grayson Rodriguez's timeline looking murkier by the injury update, that doesn't leave too many arms for Baltimore to turn to. However, given the standings, the goal for the rotation in the second half of the season could be to see what the outlook is like for 2026, whether that's getting injured arms back or giving prospects an extended look.

If the Orioles want to get back to form in 2026, Bradish is going to have to be a big part of it. A successful run at the end of 2025 would go a long way in that.

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