The rotation could stabilize in about a week

[wildcard]

As much as any area is stable this season.

Right now the rotation is Matt Harvey, Lopez, Kremer, Akin, and Eshelman.   The focus  this season is to let the young starters learn by being in the rotation.

Zimmermann is due to come off the IL on June 29th.   If everyone stays healthy that could move Matt Harvey out of the rotation.  Some say to the pen, others think he should be DFA'd.  But at that point he will be blocking a young starter.  So he may be taken out for the rotation.

Lowther pitched on June 18th in Norfolk.  That was his 2nd decent start.  If he pitches well in his next start on about the 23rd, he could be in line for a June 28th promotion to the O's rotation.   That could have Lopez move to the pen.   

Eshelman had a good start after be called up.  He just turned 27 years old on June 20th. He probably gets more chances to stay in the rotation.  

That would make the rotation Zimmerman, Kremer, Akin, Eshelman and Lowther.

Hyde says Means is working toward being back around the All-Star break.  Let just say July 16th after the All-Star break to be conservative.    He will replace whoever is not pitching well.  The starter to be removed goes to the pen or is optioned.

Disclaimer:  Notice I said could about all this because who really knows.  All this is subject to change due to injury.

[UMDTerrapins]

Minus Eshelman, this is the kind of rotation a rebuilding team needs. We need to take our lumps and give these guys experience. I’d include Tyler Wells. Next year, this group will find their opportunities diminished as the Rodriguez, Hall, Bradish, Baumann group arrives. I can stomach these guys having bad starts. Tossing Harvey out every five days is awful. 

[Sports Guy]

Eshelman is nothing. 
 

I agree that these moves could happen but who knows.  Many of them already should have happened and Elias hasn’t done it.

[maybenxtyr]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Eshelman is nothing. 
 

I agree that these moves could happen but who knows.  Many of them already should have happened and Elias hasn’t done it.

I'm not sure what Elias is doing. I think it's clear that it is going to be difficult to get the #1 pick. That being said, it's beyond time to start checking out the second level prospects.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

I think after the All Star break is when we might see the most change. Alex Wells has been pitching very well and seems to have overcome his initial rust from his late start due to the oblique issue. Once Baumann moves back to Norfolk, Wells could get a chance in the rotation, pushing Harvey out and possibly sending Lopez to the pen. 

[wildcard]

I like both of these comments about the two Wells.   I would like to see Tyler get a chance in the rotation anytime Elias decides to do it.   Alex is 3-1 in June with a 2.45 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 4 starts.  His last start was not that good but overall he is working his way into deserving a start in the majors.

[sportsfan8703]

That rotation was struggling in AAA   

None of the young guys have been able to get into a rhythm this year. Whether that’s from bizarre call ups, failure, or injury.  

These guys haven’t even been able to put it together in AAA. 
 

 

[interloper]

25 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

That rotation was struggling in AAA   

None of the young guys have been able to get into a rhythm this year. Whether that’s from bizarre call ups, failure, or injury.  

These guys haven’t even been able to put it together in AAA. 
 

 

Norfolk is bad vibes. 

[eddie83]

Rotation is 12-34 with an ERA of 5.73. By far the worst ERA in the AL. Next closest is Minnesota at 5.12. Fewest innings pitched but most HR’s allowed.  
 

The position player group has a below average defense and ranks 11th in RPG. It’s not good but it’s not this level of bad. Team is still out scoring the Yankees. 
 

They better not try this again next year. I’m all for giving young arms a shot but they need at least one arm to pair with Means that’s not a reclamation project. 

[eddie83]

If one of these arms throws “well” the rest of the year that would be an improvement. 

[vab]

I think Lopez's ultimate role will be as a reliever but I wouldn't take him out of the rotation for Lowther. Lopez has shown much more than Lowther this year. If Harvey was coming out of the rotation it probably would have happened by now. I think they're fine letting him start and bringing the youngsters in to mop-up after him. When you're tanking you have to go all the way with it and Elias is certainly doing that. 

[Aristotelian]

Any rotation with Eshelman doesn't sound stable to me. Means and Zimmerman should have long leashes when they come back. Everyone else could come and go depending on when pitchers are needed. The only thing I expect is inconsistency. 

[HowAboutThat]

I don’t understand the logic in the promotions or non-promotions. The guys who are next up for the rotation are not Elite prospects. Even if they’re bad, the fans would much rather watch them be bad then guys like Harvey or Eshelman.

Every time the question is discussed here,  The only explanations offered are service time, Somebody has to eat innings, and we don’t care about wins, but all of those are flawed arguments. It is easy to align a throwing schedule with the next available start, so that’s not a viable defense either.

It is actually good for the team to see what this second tier guys offer. If Wells has possibilities, for Pete’s sake’s let him audition now. Even if Lowther is no better than Akin Let’s find out now, and so on. There is no justification for keeping Harvey around any more than there was for keeping LeBlanc.

I wish the beats would ask that question and not accept the typical non-answer.

[HowAboutThat]

56 minutes ago, vab said:

I think Lopez's ultimate role will be as a reliever but I wouldn't take him out of the rotation for Lowther. Lopez has shown much more than Lowther this year. If Harvey was coming out of the rotation it probably would have happened by now. I think they're fine letting him start and bringing the youngsters in to mop-up after him. When you're tanking you have to go all the way with it and Elias is certainly doing that. 

If Lopez can consistently give you 65 good pitches, which he apparently can based on this season, He is a perfect piggyback starter, and I just cannot fathom why they haven’t paired him with another guy who can go 50 pitches, to make a workable tandem.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Philip

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

What are the chances we see Mickey Jannis called up to work out of the bullpen? And I fully admit it's because I want to see a knuckleball pitcher on the team.