The MLB All-Star Break is upon us so no better time to look back at the first half of the season and continue our 2024 tradition of ‘Three Up and Three Down’ on GCR where we rank the best and worst Orioles performers of the week, but this time for the first half of the season, and for the pitching staff specifically. The guys each name three pitchers, three trending up, three trending down, based on how they they’ve performed to this point in the season.
Without further adieu:
Glenn’s Three Up:
3. SP Grayson Rodriguez
My first draft of the list had Grayson at 2 but we do have to acknowledge the “every fourth/fifth start has been an issue” thing and while the numbers are good, we’re measuring him as someone we want to see growing into an ace.
2. RP Jacob Webb
So when I first made this list, I had Craig Kimbrel in the three spot. But I dove a little more into the numbers and saw that Webb has actually given up earned runs in a lower percentage of his appearances (8 of his 46 appearances, 17.4%) than Kimbrel (7 of 39 appearances, 17.9%). Webb’s numbers are skewed by one awful outing in Houston. He’s actually really been pretty incredible otherwise.
1. SP Corbin Burnes
Exactly as advertised. A genuine ace.
Griffin’s Three Up:
3. RP Jacob Webb
He’s been a bullpen workhorse. Most appearances of any pitcher in baseball since the day he arrived in Baltimore, and frankly, you feel the best about him than any other pitcher in the Orioles bullpen right now. Tremendous first half.
2. SP Grayson Rodriguez
I know pitcher wins are relatively meaningless, but it’s a really good indication of how improved he is from a year ago, he puts this team in position to win whenever he’s on the mound. He’s still growing and has those occasional hiccups, but amid all the injuries to the rotation, he’s been impressive.
1. SP Corbin Burnes
Enough said.
Glenn’s Three Down:
3. CL Craig Kimbrel
This is tough. His strikeout rate has been as advertised. But only Clay Holmes and Jalen Beeks (six each) have more blown saves than his five. If not for the disaster in the first half finale, he’s probably not on this list. But closers have to go under a brighter spotlight and he’s been good but not quite as good as they’ve needed him to be.
2. RP Yennier Cano
By far the biggest disappointment of any Orioles pitcher this season-but based solely on my expectations. I truly believed he had the temperament to close or at worst would return to a dominant 8th inning option. He hasn’t been awful but he just hasn’t been that.
1. SP/RP Cole Irvin
It pains me. Significantly. And that’s WITH his 8 start stretch of two or fewer earned runs.
Griffin’s Three Down:
3. CL Craig Kimbrel
There are a few different directions you could go here, but recency bias doesn’t help him, nor does the fact that we’re indirectly comparing him to 2023 Felix Bautista. The stretch in May was very tough, and Sunday against the Yankees was a good reminder of that. He #3 on my list and he still deserves to be an All-Star, they’re both true.
2. RP Dillon Tate
The way he was talked about before the season, my expectations were much higher. Not even on the active roster at the moment, and can’t really find a reason for him to return any time soon.
1. SP/RP Cole Irvin
What a polarizing season for Irvin, you know why he’s at the bottom. The only thing we can do is hope he gets back to that early season form.
You can listen as the guys give their Three Up and Three Down and some more reasoning behind it by clicking play below:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox
