On Kyle Bradish's Orioles debut, his climb through the system, and what it means for the rest of 2022
Kyle Bradish is debuting on a day many expected would bring Adley Rutschman's call-up. His ascent to Friday's start will make it a similarly momentous occasion inside the Orioles organization.
Kyle Bradish making his major league debut for the Orioles on the day many had, before Adley Rutschman’s spring training injury, penciled in as the logical occasion for him to be unveiled at Camden Yards is hardly a consolation prize.
Instead, it’s a full-value demonstration of another crucial aspect of the plan they hope will lead them back to contention bearing fruit. Yes, Rutschman’s debut will eventually mark the moment many fans feel the Orioles will be ready to start trying to win again.
But to do that, they’ll also need their organizational philosophy on where the pitching will come from to work out, and it’s clear trades like the one that Bradish arrived in will be part of that.
Bradish, acquired in December 2019 from the Los Angeles Angels as one of four right-handers who came to Baltimore for Dylan Bundy, isn’t the first pitcher from that trade to debut. That would be Isaac Mattson last year. But he’s the first starter, and considering the Orioles haven’t drafted many in the early rounds under executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias, they’re going to have to trade for them at some point. And until they’re ready to dip into their hitting prospect base to acquire big leaguers, it’s targeting players with specific traits they like – as they did with Bradish – that will be a big part of their plan.