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For the third time in 2024, a Baltimore Orioles pitcher is shut down for the season and undergoing Tommy John surgery. Kyle Bradish is the latest, and arguably the most devastating loss.
General manager Mike Elias told reporters about the surgery ahead of a June 19 game against the New York Yankees.
“Kyle, enormous talent, enormous part of the team,” Elias said. “This is a huge blow. This guy is really a tough hombre…He gave us everything he had, and we’re going to miss him.”
Bradish left a June 14 game against the Philadelphia Phillies after five innings.
Team skipper Brandon Hyde told reporters after that 5-3 loss that the Orioles’ number two starter asked to leave the game.
“He came to us and said his elbow was bothering him, so we’re going to get further tests on that,” Hyde said on June 14. “Nothing, really, else to say except we’re going to get further tests on his elbow. So he had to come out of the game after that inning.”
2023 closer Felix Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2023. John Means had Tommy John surgery on June 3. Tyler Wells underwent a UCL surgery on June 17 that has been differentiated from Tommy John, but is season-ending nonetheless.
Bradish was on the Injured List to start off 2024 after being diagnosed with a sprained UCL. He returned to the team on May 2, and was putting together a strong third season in Baltimore.
Bradish pitched 39.1 innings over eight starts. He threw 53 strikeouts, allowed 2 home runs, and leaves 2024 with a 2.75 ERA.
Danny Coulombe Targeting September Return for Orioles
The bad news didn’t stop at Bradish for the Orioles. Elias told reporters that top reliever Danny Coulombe had a procedure done to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow.
Baltimore’s general manager is “hopeful” for a September return. Coulombe appeared in 29 games before suffering the injury in a June 8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
“He’s going to get further tests done and we’re hoping for the best,” Hyde told reporters June 11. “He’s been crucial for our bullpen. He’s been one of the best relievers in the game, really.”
He threw 28 strikeouts in 26 innings, and has a 2.42 ERA.
Coulombe is the team’s most reliable arm out of the bullpen. His absence will continue to play a heavy toll on the Orioles’ rotation.
Baltimore in Position to Acquire Pitchers at Trade Deadline
When asked if the injuries add urgency to acquire more pitchers at the trade deadline, Elias was noncommittal.
“I’ve got a sense of urgency to win baseball games, and part of that is just taking care of the whole organization,” Elias said. “The deadline is the deadline, even before we have injuries. I think it would have been pretty naive to think that the injury number would be zero, especially with some of these guys coming into camp banged up. So this isn’t coming out of left field because of that.”
But he made sure to add that the front office will look at all options, and ultimately, do what they are paid to do.
“We’re looking at the whole picture when it comes to the trade deadline,” Elias continued. “Where our team’s at, what our health looks like, where we can upgrade, what the market looks like, which teams are selling, (and) what they are asking for. It’s so complicated. It’s just kind of hard for me to make sweeping statements and opine about it, especially in June. But we have, what I think, is a really good, hard-working front office, and we’re going to do our job.”
Baltimore has been long assumed to be active on the pitchers market ahead of the July 29 trade deadline. Another loss to the pitching rotation should only amplify those rumors, and their rumored activity.
The Orioles are 47-25, and 2.5 games back of the Yankees for the AL East lead.
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