The Baltimore Orioles currently face a difficult season, sitting at 11-18 after a crushing defeat against the New York Yankees, where veteran pitcher Kyle Gibson allowed nine runs in just over three innings. This loss exemplifies the team's struggles, particularly with pitching; the Orioles own one of the highest ERAs in Major League Baseball at 5.62. The return of Gibson, initially seen as a stabilizing presence, appears insufficient as injuries to key pitchers like Grayson Rodriguez have left the team scrambling for answers.

The club's management, under GM Mike Elias, has earned praise for building a solid core of young hitters, including Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. However, the absence of homegrown pitching talent has become glaringly evident, as they’ve not developed any drafted pitchers into contributors at the major league level since 2019. Despite the acquisition of talented players via trade, the Orioles failed to make significant moves during the offseason to bolster their pitching staff, leading to a precarious position in their playoff aspirations.