The Orioles trimmed their spring roster to 43 players with four more cuts today. The team announced that right-handers Hans Crouse, Nestor German, and Trey Gibson were all reassigned to the minor league camp, and in a much more surprising move, right-hander Dean Kremer was optioned to the minor league camp.
Kremer’s move was due to roster needs, rather than a reflection of his performance. Between Opening Day and April 10, the Orioles have three off-days, meaning that even a five-man rotation isn’t really needed for a team that had to choose between six starters. Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt, Kyle Bradish, and Shane Baz had four of those rotation spots covered, leaving Kremer and Zach Eflin as the likeliest candidates for the fifth starter’s job.
Eflin underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure last August, leaving his availability for Opening Day in question. The O’s felt good enough in Eflin’s overall health to sign the righty to a one-year, $10MM contract in December, and Eflin has progressed well enough in camp that a stint on the injured list no longer seems necessary.
It leaves Kremer as the odd man out, despite his solid work in Baltimore’s rotation over the last four seasons. The right-hander has a 3.95 ERA over 599 1/3 innings from 2022-25, with a 7.4% walk rate and 20.3% strikeout rate. Kremer is lacking in punchouts and velocity, but he has been a durable starter with mostly strong control, and he has been increasingly good at inducing soft contact over the last two years.
In all likelihood, Kremer will be back in the Show once the Orioles get onto a more regular schedule, or even earlier if an injury arises. It remains to be seen how Baltimore will deploy its starters over the course of the season or if a six-man rotation could eventually be used, but injuries or ineffectiveness usually end up solving any temporary pitching surpluses. For now, at least, the O’s are in the rare “good problem to have” position of too many healthy starters for too few rotation spots.
Tough break for Dean
Did he have a bad Spring Training? If so, then this move makes sense.
He only pitched 9 innings.
Probably temporary until they need a 5th starter
I imagine kremer being optioned is to accommodate eflin since he seems healthy or to keep albert suarez since he’s got an opt out in his minor league deal as I understand. Or both of those things for that matter. Still kind of surprising.
O’s need more relievers to start the season and they need Kremer as a starter. He’ll be called up in April when the schedule is busier and they’ll go to a 6-man rotation. They’ll try to sneak Suarez or Kowar through waivers then. They just don’t need him yet and it’s a long season.
Wasn’t Dean Kremer the O’s second-best starter last year? I would’ve thought he’d be guaranteed a spot in the rotation.
Did Bob Sacamano get selected?