DETROIT -- The Orioles’ rotation has perhaps been the club’s biggest strength during its strong July, having entered Tuesday with a 3.32 ERA for the month that ranked second in MLB. Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers have been pitching like the co-aces they were expected to be, Brandon Young has been a breakout star and Shane Baz has been solid.
Baltimore was hopeful that right-hander Dean Kremer would return from a right quad strain and fit right in alongside that quartet. However, that hasn’t exactly been the case.
Kremer had a tough night in Detroit on Tuesday, allowing a career-high eight earned runs in the Orioles’ 14-0 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park. It was Baltimore’s second scoreless loss of the season and its worst shutout defeat since a 14-0 loss at Cleveland on June 14, 2004.
It was only the eighth time in O’s history they gave up 14-plus runs in a shutout loss. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time the Orioles have allowed a team to score in each of the first eight innings of a game.
Afterward, Kremer took the blame for the result, knowing he needed to be better.
“Definitely didn’t throw enough competitive pitches in the zone, and that’s on me,” Kremer said. “Didn’t set the table for the offense or the guys who came in after. So, 100 percent on me.”
Kremer has a lengthy track record of being a consistently solid presence on Baltimore’s pitching staff. The 30-year-old right-hander is a seven-year MLB veteran who had a 4.14 ERA over 87 outings (85 starts) from 2023-25, and he led the club with 171 2/3 innings last year.
But Kremer is currently amid a tough stretch. He has a 7.56 ERA over five July starts, and he’s allowed six or more earned runs in each of his past two starts, as he yielded six over six innings in his previous start in Boston last Wednesday.
“Dean’s frustrated, and rightfully so,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “It’s not the best version of him right now. But with Dean’s track record and the way he works and the teammate he is, we feel pretty confident he can get back on track.”
If not, Kremer -- who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk prior to the start of the season due to the Orioles’ crowded starting-pitching picture at the time -- could be in jeopardy of losing his spot in the rotation. Veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt (back injury) made his first rehab start in Triple-A on Tuesday and tossed 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball.
So it’s possible Bassitt could supplant Kremer when he’s ready to return, potentially soon.
But players in the O’s clubhouse are confident in Kremer’s ability to respond well to his recent adversity and get back to being a quality arm on the club’s staff.
“I know what his ceiling is. He has potential,” first baseman Pete Alonso said. “Every night, he has the potential to throw seven innings. He throws strikes, mixes well. Obviously, a lot of pitches caught the heart of the plate today, and obviously, you don't want to have that as a pitcher. And that offense, they were all over it today. They couldn't miss today.”
Tuesday wasn’t the best time for the Orioles to endure this type of loss.
Baltimore (52-56) is in the thick of the American League postseason picture, sitting only 2 1/2 games back of the third Wild Card spot. Detroit (51-57) is another team trying to surge up the standings, and so far, the teams have split the first two games of this series.
Wednesday will be quite the challenge for the Orioles. Left-hander Tarik Skubal is set to take the mound in the finale for what could be his final start for Detroit, as rumors continue to swirl about the ace leading up to Monday’s Trade Deadline at 6 p.m. ET.
The O’s need to convince their front office to buy. Beating Skubal to take the series would surely help. But it will be a tough test, even if they have left-hander Rogers -- who has a 1.80 ERA over his past nine starts -- taking the mound for them.
“We've got to scrap and grind,” Alonso said. “Obviously, you’ve got one of the game's best arms on the mound tomorrow, and it should be an exciting matchup. We've got Rog on the mound. We've got our big lefty against their big lefty. It should be a great ballgame.
"We're playing meaningful baseball right now, and they're playing meaningful baseball, too, and it should be a great ballgame. Two great arms and two great teams going at it."