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.
He was in the WBC
Kremer pitched very well in WBC against Nicaragua. He was having a good spring.
Kremer is 30 years old and has taken the ball for an average of 27 starts over the last four years. He produced 2.6 fWAR last season. He’s making almost $6 million (maybe a lot for a fifth starter, but a bargain when you consider Elias paid $28 million for Sugano and Charlie Morton last season). And you’re sending him to the minors?
He gave up 5 runs in 13 innings. He’s just a victim of the schedule and the fact that Zach Eflin is back and pitching well.
Probably temporary until they need a 5th starter
Except Kremer is the 6th starter. Right now Eflin or Bassitt is the 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.
albert suarez is not breaking camp with the orioles.
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.
You didn’t read the article
Did Bob Sacamano get selected?
Nope, he’s still selling mole hair hats. They’re a lot cheaper than mink and the difference is negligible.
Unless you try charging them to the Peterman account
I called this a week ago and was told i was crazy. Kremer will be back soon enough as Eflin is bound to hit the IL sooner than later
This is amazing. Usually if you are a quality #4 for the Orioles you get the nod to start opening day. Now you get optioned. Id imagine this gives them flexibility while allowing the other 5 2 turns through the rotation. Dean is next man up. A good problem to have
Dude posts! But then again, he is a notoriously slow starter. Call him up when it warms up!
He had an option. With the off days they only need 4 pitchers the first 2 times through, and 5 on the 3rd. This way, extra bullpen arm early when the starters are still not 100% built up. Dean also struggles in April, let him do it in AAA.
What is unclear whether they go to 6 man or make Dean a long bullpen guy. That’s not a bad problem given last year there were so many failed starts they used 6 even 7 pitchers some games and the bullpen was fried 1/3 thru the season.
Terrible move relying on Eddin over Kremer. Kremer is a workhorse who makes every start. Efflin has had 2 years in his career that have been injury free.
Kremer is better than Efflin and Bassitt.
well baseball savant says bassitt and efflin are better than him.thats the way it is buddy.
There’s 0 chance that savant told you Eflin was better than Kremer last season. You believe that & I’m inclined to lean that way but you certainly aren’t backing that up w/ stats last year.
Kremer’s xERA was 3.82. Eflin was 4.48
Most of you probably didn’t see interview with Castaellonos during yesterday’s game with hometown Bob Scanlon but Nick is a jerk. Go away. One or two words answers and “well you ask multiple questions there, which one should I answer first?” Go away. Garbage.
Hate these kind of self entitled people.