As we all know, Dean Kremer had a rough going this past Tuesday evening opening the Orioles’ series with the Chicago Cubs.
He pitched four innings, with seven hits, five earned runs, three walks allowed and three strikeouts. Not to mention, many of the Cubs’ batters were in two-strike counts, and Baltimore took a steep loss, 9-2.
Back on May 24, the Orioles placed Kremer on the 15-day injured list with a right triceps strain. With an already depleted starting rotation, this was just another punch in the gut for the Birds.
By June 16, Kremer was sent on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and was finally activated back on July 3.
Kremer’s first start against the Seattle Mariners was a much different story, as he tossed five scoreless innings, with just two hits and two walks allowed and 8 strikeouts.
The X community was praising his glory. The almighty Deano is back to save us. I even saw his splitter pitch being called “demonic.” Things turned quickly a week later, huh?
So what’s the deal? How can we see two completely different Deans in a six-day period? Was this just a bad start (at a bad time) that’s inevitable for all pitchers? Yes, even Grayson Rodriguez and Corbin Burnes included.
Kremer has pitched 11 games so far this season, with a 4-5 record and a 4.42 ERA. Mind you, the team has stated his triceps injury was retroactive to May 21, and his start the prior day wasn’t the hottest. Could this have been a lingering issue we didn’t know about until he physically had to stop pitching?
Compared to his 2023 stats, Kremer went 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA, giving up 27 homers. We’re currently sitting at 12, so to match those expectations, Kremer can not lose another start this season.
I have not given up on Dean. That’s probably not very shocking, but I don’t tend to give up on our guys until it’s truly time, and we do not have enough evidence for that. We also need to remember that not every pitcher can be an ace. We’re lucky the O’s have two of them.
I don’t think this last game is going to have a lasting impact on his confidence in himself, so I’m not panicking. Was it a tough watch? Yes. But do I agree with everyone calling for his head? Absolutely not.
His next start on Sunday is absolutely crucial and will make or break a lot of the fan’s opinions. Not only are the O’s playing the Yankees, but it’s also the series finale. Kremer’s outing could decide the outcome of the series.
Kremer was a key piece in the Manny Machado trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a reason. He’s always had the stuff. It’s all about commanding it.
With all of that being said, would you be comfortable with Kremer representing the Orioles in game three of a World Series? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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