Orioles righty Andrew Kittredge has been slowed by shoulder inflammation and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, manager Craig Albernaz announced to the team’s beat this morning (via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). A season-opening IL stint for the veteran setup man seems likely.
Kittredge, 36 later this month, spent the bulk of the 2025 season with Baltimore after signing a one-year, $10MM contract in free agency. The O’s flipped him to the Cubs in July, netting teenage shortstop Wilfri De La Cruz in that deadline swap. Chicago then traded Kittredge back to Baltimore following the season, before the decision on his 2026 club option was due. The O’s sent cash back to the Cubs in that second swap and promptly exercised Kittredge’s $9MM option.
The hope at the time of that reacquisition was that Kittredge could reprise his role as a key late-inning arm at Camden Yards. His 2025 season was delayed by a debridement procedure in his knee during spring training, but Kittredge was sharp when on the mound. In 53 innings (31 1/3 in Baltmore, 21 2/3 in Chicago) he pitched to a combined 3.40 earned run average with a big 30.8% strikeout rate and tidy 5.3% walk rate. He kept 49.2% of the batted balls against him on the ground and recorded an excellent 14.7% swinging-strike rate. Kittredge tallied 15 holds and five saves; he was only charged with one blown save on the season.
The O’s are already without closer Félix Bautista for most or all of the 2026 season after he underwent shoulder surgery in late August. (He threw for the first time since surgery yesterday, Kubatko notes, but still has a long rehab process ahead of him.) The Orioles signed Ryan Helsley two a two-year deal (the second season being a player option) to fill Bautista’s role. Kittredge would’ve been one of the primary setup options to begin the season, but those opportunities will now fall to a combination of Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin and perhaps some other in-house arms who step up.
One such possibility is right-hander Tyler Wells, who has been officially informed that he’ll pitch in relief this coming season (via MLB.com’s Jake Rill). Albernaz referred to Wells as a “Swiss army knife” who can pitch in virtually any role, be it in the rotation, long relief or more pressure-packed, late-inning settings. “He can pitch leverage,” Albernaz said of Wells. “He has the stuff for it, he has the makeup.”
Wells, 31, came to the Orioles from the Twins in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. He was solid in a low-leverage relief role as a rookie in 2021, then gave Baltimore 222 1/3 innings of respectable 3.93 ERA ball while working primarily as a starter in 2022-23. Injuries have derailed him since. He’s pitched only seven times in the majors across the past two seasons, thanks to a UCL tear that necessitated surgery.
Fifty of Wells’ past 55 major league appearances have been starts, but he’ll move back to a relief role and hope to emerge as a contributor in a bullpen that needs a few things to break its way this coming season. The O’s are banking on a rebound from Helsley, who had a dreadful finish to the 2025 season after being traded to the Mets. They’re also hoping the aforementioned Cano can rebound — if not all the way to his 2023 All-Star form then at least to something closer to his 2024 output (3.15 ERA) than his 2025 results (5.12 ERA).
A healthy and productive Wells could be a boon in a short relief role. Wells sat 92-93 mph with his heater as a starter but averaged better than 95 mph on the pitch back in 2021. His career 11.6% swinging-strike rate is a slight bit better than average, but he was at 13.3% during that lone bullpen season. Wells has shown good command throughout his major league career (6.2 BB%), but his 29% strikeout rate as a rookie reliever sits well above his career 22.8% mark.
Injured second baseman Jackson Holliday also provided reporters with an update, revealing that he’ll begin swinging a bat tomorrow (link via the Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka). He also began throwing last week.
Holliday suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist early in camp and underwent surgery to address the issue (removing the fractured “hook” from the bone in question). It’s a common injury and procedure for position players and tends to come with a recovery period between four and eight weeks. The expectation is that Holliday will be sidelined to begin the season, but his return shouldn’t come too far into the regular season. With Holliday and Jordan Westburg down to begin the season, the O’s will turn to a combination of Coby Mayo, Blaze Alexander, Jeremiah Jackson, Bryan Ramos and non-roster veteran Thairo Estrada at second base and third base early in the year.
Wells is a bulldog on the mound and capable of multiple innings so hope hes healthy
I hope Mayo does well. If he can handle 3rd and hit that would improve a possible trade return, or if someone else is moved he could slide into their spot.
He’s looked overmatched in small sample size this spring at 3rd. I don’t believe in his bat after watching him struggle all last year too. I was hoping the team would look for a trade partner for him this offseason especially after signing Alonso.
that same small sample size has Honeycutt looking like the second coming of Jake Fox. so… much too soon to tell with Mayo to start salivating over higher leverage lefty pen pieces in exchange for his former pedigree.
love to see “adequate 3rd base” fielding and some decent RISP situational power at the plate in a perfect world. (I gave up on believing we live in one of those a long time ago). still… I’m clutching my rabbit’s foot.
Small sample size said it all. Last manager had no idea how to use him.
Coby Mayo in the last month of 2025 (24 PA/73 AB)
.301/.393/.548 (.941 OPS)
“Former pedigree, lost it, hasn’t lived up to, bust”
1500 MLB AB’s used to be a data marker for when to ‘start’ making evaluations on players…zoiks.
In 20 more years, fans will call for a players trade/bust status by the 5th inning of his second game.~
1500 ABS is 3 years worth of at bats & good teams certainly don’t give guys that any longer.
Calling Mayo assss after 300 isn’t it either though.
Baltimore — I had it in my head that 1500 AB’s was about 2 years. I guess I mixed up AB’s vs. PA’s, which would more closely line up with 2 years, good catch, thank you. 3 years is too much, but 2 years is just right.
Coby Mayo is exactly what he always was…elite metrics hitter. I hope us Baltimore fans don’t get so used to having such excesses of young, high offense players, that we forget how it was/is for us/other teams to replicate it. How I see it, anywho.
Yeah, can’t imagine he can get there here if he doesn’t become viable at a position though. The defense is an issue after signing Alonso.
I’m hoping he proves to be a capable 3B and then we can either decide that Westy can’t be relied on to be healthy or we can flip Mayo at a peak and get back something that we can use everyday. Whether that’s a pitcher or an outfielder with Ward hitting FA.
He should have tons of at bats this year if the defense isn’t unplayable at 3B.
There’s no such thing as excess players in a 162 game season (and post season), imo. Players always get hurt, roles always open up. Cowser didn’t have a job/position in his second year, but by May he did have a everyday role.
Mayo can be a Corner Outfielder too, hes got the arm and fine enough speed. (Better defense than Santander ever had, I wager). And Ward won’t be here next year. O’Neil gonna play 162 for the first time in his career?
Personally, I hope they don’t trade any of the younger guys with years still remaining until free agency. If they were to trade, trade the minor leaguers or, if needed, trade Adley. But for who/what??? It’s kinda unclear who/what the upgrade is ATM.
I disagree with you so much on Adley. He’s our catcher and he’s a real catcher. Basallo being a decent defensive catcher is far from a certainty. He’s far more valuable to this club. We’re gonna have Maverick Handley catch 40 games as the backup? Don’t even consider that.
Mayo has never played the corner outfield and has not looked good at any position defensively to date. We have 4 outfielders right now. O’Neill is a likely injury but penciling Mayo as a corner outfielder is like penciling Bradfield in as an option. Far from a certainty. If we can get a certainty then I’d certainly consider w/ a healthy Westy.
Baltimore — Yes, no doubt, Adley is a beast at catching. It is a total joy to watch near perfection behind the plate, night-in, night-out. I love it. I love me some Adley, think he’s the glue of the squad, the older brother to the wave of youth in the club house.
But…he is 2 years from being a FA, hasn’t hit in the last 2 years, and won’t sign an extension. Painful as it might be, you must explore those options.
I don’t want him traded, cause yeah, he’s valuable to any club. I’d rather they keep him, QO him, and get the pick (rather than the player) in Free Agency.
As for our discussion, you seem to put a more emphasis on defense than most fans, and I’m definitely on the ‘nobody wins a nil/nil game’. I dunno, guess I’m more of a let the kids play, and score by the bunches type, not a pitching and defense wins type.
O’s bullpen continue to make hits.
Hopefully both Holliday and kittridge will be back soon
I have thought for some time that Wells could be another Mark Williamson and I think he will do well as described.
It was bothering me previously that he was described as “potential up and coming” starter. Guy is 31 almost 32, never topped 120 IP in a season.
Update:
With today’s loss to Houston… Honeycutt is now 40% to Jake Fox’s 10 that year.
Batting 1.000. I knew he had a horrible 1st year but didn’t realize until I looked it up that he only hit 5 HRs on the lower minors all of last year. Torpedo bats part deux has he been hanging out with Profar?
Encouraging to see any life out of him. I had wrote him off as a complete bust already given how awful he’s been in the lower minors. If he can hold his own in the minors and become a viable trade piece that’d be a huge win at this point.
The Cubs got every dollar out of that arm
I have heard no updates on Colton Cowser for awhile. Is he injured ? Is he assured a starting role? Is he JAG ? Has Beavers surpassed him ?
He’s the starting CF for now:
The player I’m wondering about in Mountcastle. Seems like he is a waste as a bench guy.