Richard Bleier gets few strikeouts but plenty of outs in the 'pen

At a time when many pitchers are impressive for their premium velocity and/or strikeout rates, Orioles reliever Richard Bleier is thriving without either.

Throwing an 88 mph fastball and sinker, he's again getting a lot of groundouts and he's again putting together a great year out of the Orioles bullpen. Last season he went 2-1 with a 1.99 ERA and averaged 3.7 strikeouts per nine innings. This season he is 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA and a 4.0 strikeout rate rate. He got the win last night and has thrown 19 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over 14 games.

Who needs strikeouts?

"I think that as long as I'm getting outs, I'm sure Buck (Showalter) would take three outs and no runs on three groundouts as opposed to three strikeouts and a run," Bleier said this afternoon in the clubhouse. "As long as the zeroes are there, it's hard to complain about it. I've come up pitching to contact. I know everyone is looking for strikeouts, but if it's working I'm not going to change it."

Bleier's 0.40 ERA leads the American League among qualifying relievers (0.5 inning pitched per team game) and trails only Brian Duensing of the Cubs, at 0.00. Bleier is one of four pitchers to not allow an inherited runner to score, at 0-for-9 (min. nine inherited).

Late movement has been a key for Bleier. His groundball percentage of 68.0 last year ranked second among American League relievers. It is 62.0 this year, third among AL relievers.

"I think for me I am just trying to miss barrels, as opposed to missing bats altogether," he said. "I think that, as long as I am inducing weak contact, that's a successful pitch for me. When I'm analyzing a situation and trying to figure out which pitch to throw, based on what's happening, it usually is what pitch is going to miss the barrel. How can I avoid what he is trying to do, rather than get swings and misses."

And does he rely more on one pitch to do that?

"I think it goes hitter-by-hitter," Bleier said. "Read swings and approaches and things like that. Usually it's either my fastball or cutter, it's been mostly those two pitches this year. Mix in a slider and a changeup, but it really is kind of back and forth with those two pitches to keep them off balance and work both sides of the plate."

For an Orioles bullpen now missing Zach Britton and Darren O'Day, Bleier continues to come up big with a 1.57 ERA in 86 innings as an Oriole since 2017.

"I think everyone has to step up and fill in, he said of covering for Britton and O'Day. "Especially when wins are so hard to come by. Holding a leading is more important than ever. It definitely requires everyone to step up. Go two innings instead of one inning. Maybe someone pitch in a situation they are not used to and prove that they can do it."