Dean Kremer: Everything you need to know

Kremer (0-1) took the loss against the Guardians on Saturday, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out seven across six innings. It was a mostly strong outing from Kremer, who generated 14 whiffs and tossed 58 strikes on 95 pitches. His lone, yet consequential, blemish came in the fifth inning, when he yielded a three-run homer to Brayan Rocchio, and the Orioles' batters were unable to generate enough offense for Kremer to avoid the loss. Kremer has looked good in his two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk this past Monday. His next start is tentatively slated for next weekend at home against the rival Red Sox.

Kremer took a no-decision Monday against the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits and no walks in five innings. He struck out nine. Making his season debut, Kremer worked rather efficiently while tossing 55 of his 80 pitches for strikes Monday. The right-hander was sharp overall, registering 15 swings and misses while fanning at least nine for the fourth time in his career. Kremer is competing with Cade Povich, who was optioned to the minor leagues earlier Monday, for Zach Eflin's (elbow) rotation spot, and Kremer might have earned another start with Baltimore ahead of his next scheduled turn this weekend versus Cleveland.

The Orioles recalled Kremer from Triple-A Norfolk and have named him their starting pitcher for Mondays' game against the Diamondbacks at Camden Yards. In a corresponding move, the Orioles optioned Cade Povich to Triple-A, after the lefty tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball in a win over the Giants on Sunday. With Povich at least temporarily out of the picture, Kremer looks like he'll have a clear path to an extended stay in the rotation spot that previously belonged to Zach Eflin (elbow), who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery last week. Kremer owns a 4.26 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 12.6 K-BB% over 671.2 career innings in the majors and is coming off a strong outing his last time out with Norfolk on Wednesday, when he struck out six over 4.2 scoreless frames.