The gas gauge on the Orioles’ bullpen was already closer to empty than full entering Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers.
When starting pitcher Kyle Bradish exited in the second inning after taking a line drive to his right foot, it appeared as if the fatigued Orioles bullpen, which combined for 13 2/3 innings of relief this past weekend, was in store for a long night.
But Tyler Wells, expected to start Tuesday’s game, came to the rescue — not just for the health of the bullpen, but also to lead the Orioles to victory.
Wells, who volunteered to come out of the bullpen, pitched five innings of scoreless, no-hit ball in unexpected relief to guide Baltimore to a 2-0 win over the Rangers.
“We got beat up a little bit in the pen there in Boston,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “That’s the thing: If Tyler isn’t able to pitch there, then bullpen gaming a night where we don’t have much of a pen already. Then that really sets you up terribly for upcoming [games]. This early in the year, that’s the last thing you want to do to those guys.”
The 6-foot-8 right-hander was hyper-efficient — tossing just 47 pitches, walking none and striking out two in his five frames. He retired 15 of 16 batters he faced, with the only one to reach base coming on an error.
“To do what he did, it’s just an absolutely amazing performance,” Hyde said. “When that happened with Kyle, I had no idea what we were going to do at that point. We were already really short in our bullpen going into today. Then for Tyler to volunteer, step up — total team guy, unbelievable character kid. Just awesome.”
After Wells made the offer to Hyde, the fifth-year skipper determined “that was our chance to win the game.” Wells then rushed to the clubhouse to put on his jersey and get his spikes before hurrying to the bullpen to warm up.
Wells, who beat out top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez for the last spot in the Orioles’ rotation, wants to be a starting pitcher, as he was for the Orioles in 2022. But once Bradish went down, Wells saw the rest of the game as an all-hands-on-deck situation.
“I went up to him and told him, ‘Hey, if you need me to throw, I’ll throw,’” Wells said, “It’s been a while between my last spring training start and my scheduled start. I was ready for it. And the bullpen has been so taxed [after] the first series. I told him I could go, and that was ultimately his decision. I’m very happy that he let me.”
Left-hander Danny Coulombe originally replaced Bradish with two outs in the second after the right-handed starter suffered a right foot contusion on a 104 mph liner from Rangers catcher Jonah Heim. Coulombe, whom the Orioles acquired from the Minnesota Twins last week, got a strikeout to end the second then pitched a scoreless third to earn the win. Closer Félix Bautista retired the side in order in the ninth for his second save of the season, striking out two batters and inducing a groundout on just seven pitches.
“Yeah, it’s not how we drew it up,” said catcher Anthony Bemboom, who started his first game of the season Monday. “We were definitely looking to get some length out of Kyle going into the game. But kudos to the guys that came in and did an outstanding job in tough circumstances. … You can’t say enough about those guys and how well they pitched.”
Bradish attempted to walk it off as Hyde and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel visited the mound, but he was quickly pulled after throwing one warmup pitch and limped off the field. The Orioles announced that Bradish’s preliminary X-ray was negative for a fracture.
Hyde didn’t have an update on Bradish after the game, adding that he’s not sure who will start the final two games in Texas.
The 26-year-old retired the side in order in the first inning, averaging 96 mph on his fastball and striking out two batters on his slider. He allowed an infield single — the lone hit the Orioles surrendered in the win — and a walk in the second before the comebacker, which resulted in an out after the ball ricocheted to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle. Bradish ended his 2023 debut with no runs and one hit allowed in 1 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.
The Orioles (2-2) recorded only four hits on offense, but two of them went over the fence. In the fourth inning, Gunnar Henderson launched a 408-foot blast to left-center field for his first home run of the season. Jorge Mateo then followed suit in the fifth with a 433-foot homer.
Last season, Bradish missed a month with inflammation in his right shoulder. He had a 7.38 ERA at the time of the injury in late June, but in his 13 starts after returning, he posted a 3.28 ERA and was perhaps the club’s best starter down the stretch.
It’s unclear whether Bradish will need to miss time, but the Orioles have several options if he does.
Austin Voth, who spent spring training building up to be a starter, is in Baltimore’s bullpen and could be a spot starter if needed. The Orioles also have several starters in Triple-A with either major league experience or top prospect pedigrees. Spenser Watkins and Bruce Zimmermann combined to start 33 games for the Orioles in 2022. Left-hander DL Hall, the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect, started one game and relieved 10 others in the majors last season, but he’s still building up to be a starter after a slow start to camp with a lower back injury. Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, the club’s top pitching prospect, is also in Triple-A after not making the Orioles’ starting rotation out of camp.
Rodriguez, Watkins and Zimmermann started for Norfolk this past weekend, while Hall and Drew Rom are expected to start Tuesday and Wednesday.
Orioles at Rangers
Tuesday, 8:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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