Following a brutal 15-3 blowout loss to the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles’ pitching woes have become impossible to ignore. What was once seen as a rising, young roster with promise is now being exposed by one of the league’s weakest rotations. The loss to the Yankees was just the latest in a string of games where Orioles starters have failed to give their team a chance to win.
Burnes was the Orioles’ major swing at contention. Acquired ahead of the 2024 season as a statement move, the 2021 National League Cy Young winner was expected to lead the rotation for years to come. Instead, Burnes left after just one season, signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in free agency.
While his 2025 numbers so far aren’t dominant (a 4.05 ERA and 0.0 bWAR), they would still be a massive upgrade for the Orioles’ rotation. Burnes has still shown flashes of his elite stuff and is likely to bounce back. More importantly, his presence and veteran leadership would bring desperately needed stability to a Baltimore staff that lacks both.
Flaherty’s first stint with the Orioles in 2023 didn’t go as planned. After being acquired at the trade deadline, he posted a 6.75 ERA and failed to make an impact. Since then, he’s completely revitalized his career.
In 2024, Flaherty signed with the Detroit Tigers and found his form, pitching to a 3.17 ERA. Midway through the season, he was traded to the Dodgers and played a key role in their World Series championship run. Despite that success, Flaherty re-signed with Detroit this offseason on a very affordable two year, $35 million contract, a price tag well within reach for Baltimore.
Through his first six starts in 2025, Flaherty owns a 3.34 ERA and a 0.8 bWAR. In contrast to the Orioles’ current rotation, Flaherty is not only effective but also durable and consistent. Not bringing him back in, especially at that price, now looks like a clear misstep.
One of the more baffling decisions the Orioles made this past offseason was letting Coulombe leave in free agency. The veteran lefty had his best two seasons in Baltimore, posting a 2.81 ERA in 2023 and an even more impressive 2.12 ERA in 2024. Despite his effectiveness, the Orioles chose not to re-sign him.
Coulombe landed with the Minnesota Twins on a one-year, $3 million deal, a bargain. So far in 2025, he’s been nearly untouchable. In 10.2 innings, Coulombe has yet to allow a run and has surrendered just five total baserunners. With the Orioles’ bullpen currently overworked and underperforming, a steady veteran lefty like Coulombe would be a huge asset.
The Orioles have watched their team ERA balloon in recent weeks, and their current crop of starters has been anything but reliable. While injuries and inconsistencies are part of any MLB season, the club’s lack of depth and unwillingness to retain key arms have left them vulnerable.
It’s hard not to look around the league and see former Orioles making major impacts. Flaherty, Coulombe, and even a not-in-form Burnes would all represent upgrades over the current rotation options. For a team that looked poised to build on a promising 2023 and 2024, the regression in pitching is disappointing and largely self-inflicted.
Unless the front office makes urgent adjustments, the decision to let these arms walk may continue to haunt the Orioles as the season unfolds.
The Orioles have not been performing up to their expectations so far in the 2025 campaign. This is due in large part to the disastrously poor pitching staff. Blaming this weakness on injuries is one thing, but part of it comes down to the front office simply letting pitchers go that should have never left in the first place. Had these pitchers still been Orioles, the pitching staff would be much better off, and the team would be in much better shape. That is not the case, however, and Baltimore must look to adjust if they want to be successful this season.
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