The O’s bullpen is toast. Any or all, a number of factors:
•Starters seldom make 7 innings. 5+ seems to be the norm. Three or four relievers most every game.
•Middle relief has been in a revolving door with Norfolk. Same gang around ‘n round with the same results.
•Felix Bautista’s UCL injury took away a dominant closer. Eight inning games became nine or more.
•Yennier Cano made the A-S game on a great first half as the set up man. He isn’t a closer.
•Trade deadline acquisitions, Jack Flaherty and Shintaro Fujinami, are disappointments. The former was moved to the bullpen. The later should be moved to Nagasaki.
•Jorge Lopez went from 2022 A-S closer with the O’s to downright combustible with the Twins, Marlins, and now back with the O’s.
•O’s fans wonder what Mike Elias could/should have done at the deadline with a loaded minor league system. Instead, Baltimore took on a disinterested starter and two reclamation challenges.
Still, it’s been a great season which I am enjoying immensely. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Kyle Bradish, and others shine bright.