Baltimore Orioles Projected 2022 Pitching Rotation

After contentious discussions, the MLB lockout is over and teams have begun their spring training schedules. Opening Day has been pushed to April 14, which gives teams some extra time to finalize their rosters and rotations. In this series, TGH will be summarizing each team’s 2021 season and predicting their Opening Day pitching rotation. Here is the projected Baltimore Orioles Pitching Rotation for 2022.

Summary

The Baltimore Orioles had a rough season in 2021. They suffered a 100-loss season for the third time in four years, and their third 110-loss season in the history of the organization. Baltimore also managed to lose 14-plus games in a row twice during the 2021 season.

Their pitching staff posted an ERA of 5.81, which was also the worst in the history of the Orioles franchise. Looking for a fresh start, here is a look at the pitchers they can roll out in their starting rotation to stop the bleeding.

1. John Means

Means is the closest thing to an ace on this roster, as he posted an ERA of 3.62 over 146.2 innings pitched. He also struck out a respectable 134 batters. He should be the Opening Day starter, barring a random injury during the end of spring training.

2. Jordan Lyles

Lyles spent 2020 and 2021 with the Texas Rangers, but finds himself with the Orioles ahead of the 2022 season. He pitched exactly 180 innings with the Rangers last season, earning an ERA of 5.15. In 32 appearances (30 of them starts), he went 10-13. Lyles did give up the most earned runs of his career last season, but his veteran status means he could be due for a bounce back season.

3. Bruce Zimmermann

Zimmermann is a third-year talent, and should earn a full-time spot in the starting rotation in 2022. He only pitched 64.1 innings last year, posting an ERA of 5.04. He started 13 games and appeared in relief once, going 4-5 in those outings.

4. Zac Lowther

More young talent makes its way onto this starting rotation in second-year pitcher Zac Lowther. His ERA was 6.67, but that could have been skewed due to him only pitching 29.2 innings. He played in 10 games, started six of them and finished two.

5. Tyler Wells

Rounding out this rotation is another second-year pitcher, Tyler Wells. He pitched a few more innings than Lowther, at 57 and earned a 4.11 ERA. He sits at the bottom of the rotation because he did not start a game last year. He did earn two wins and three losses in his relief appearances, though.

Featured image courtesy of G Fiume/Getty Images

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