Pitching is the No. 1 reason why the Orioles are better in 2022 than past years of the rebuild. And it’s inexplicable in a sense.

We can break down the numbers, but how is the rotation able to withstand the loss of ace John Means for the rest of the season? Followed by the demotion of left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, who allowed 17 home runs in his last seven starts, and rookie Kyle Bradish’s slump and placement on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Bullpen games are plotted and won. Tyler Wells, last year’s Rule 5 reliever who earned the closer’s job, entered last night’s game in Seattle as easily the most dependable starter on the staff.

Spenser Watkins was No. 5 in the rotation, injured and optioned. He returned Saturday in Chicago, the guy who re-signed with the Orioles in November as a minor league free agent, and allowed just an unearned run in five innings. The Tigers released him in 2020.

Austin Voth was a waiver claim, which made him a perfect fit on this team, and viewed as a potential starter down the line. He was needed more as a long reliever, to stretch him out as much as anything.

SEATTLE - Entering tonight’s game, the Orioles had won six of the last seven games in which Tyler Wells was on the bump. On the other side, the Mariners had won four of the last five games in which George Kirby had started. Unstoppable force, immovable object, etc., etc. 

It was not a pitchers' duel in the 9-2 Orioles victory. George Kirby lasted just four innings, allowing nine hits, seven earned runs and four home runs. 

The Orioles were able to get to Kirby early and often, hitting back-to-back home runs twice in the first four innings. That hasn’t happened for the O’s since Aug. 10, 2017. Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle did it in the third inning, and Anthony Santander and Austin Hays didn’t waste any time making it happen once again in the fourth. 

"I thought we took some of our better at-bats of the year those first four innings," said Hyde. "I thought our approach was outstanding. Up and down the order, really good at-bats."

Rutschman got a nice ovation from family and friends for his first at-bat in Seattle. The Oregon State product attended Sherwood High School in Oregon, with the Mariners being the closest big league team. 

Tyler Wells in orange jersey

Visiting the Mariners on May 5, 2021, John Means threw nine hitless innings, striking out 12 in the process. 

“We were talking on the way here, last time we were here it was a pretty cool moment,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Great story, and a really, really special day.”

The O’s current starting staff does not include their ace, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April. 

Bruce Zimmermann isn’t in the rotation either. After posting a 2.72 ERA in his first seven starts of the season, the lefty is down in Triple-A Norfolk working on returning to that form. 

The O’s No. 10 prospect, Kyle Bradish, was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday. Another option off the board. 

Rougned Odor has returned to the Orioles lineup tonight in Seattle, recovered from the back soreness that restricted him to one pinch-hitting appearance in Chicago.

Odor is batting seventh, two spots behind Adley Rutschman and one behind Ryan Mountcastle.

Jonathan Araúz is starting at third base after homering yesterday for his first hit as an Oriole.

Anthony Santander is playing left field and Austin Hays is in right.

Trey Mancini remains seventh among American League designated hitters in All-Star Game balloting. However, Hays has dropped out of the top 20 among outfielders. He was 19^th last week.

Minors Monday brought another round of prospect promotions this afternoon.

The Orioles have moved outfielder Colton Cowser and infielders Coby Mayo and Connor Norby from high Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie.

Sixteen of the organization’s top 17 prospects per MLBPipeline.com are playing at the Double-A level or higher. Outfielder Heston Kjerstad is the exception at Single-A Delmarva.

Cowser, the Orioles’ first-round selection last year out of Sam Houston State University, is batting .258/.385/.411 with 19 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts with the IronBirds.

Mayo, taken in the fourth round in 2020 out of Stoneman-Douglass High in Parkland, Fla., is batting .250/.326/.479 with 14 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 42 RBIs. He doesn’t turn 21 until December.

CHICAGO - Jonathan Araúz had a special day for the Orioles in the final game of the series against the White Sox, his first hit with the club a home run.

Special for sure, but not as unique as you might think.

STATS research finds that 38 players since 1974 have homered for their first hit with the Orioles, the most recent before yesterday being outfielder Keon Broxton in 2019 in Colorado.

Broxton’s ball carried 474 feet and landed on the left field concourse. Must be the thin air.

Araúz settled for a mere 390, with a 100.2 mph exit velocity.

CHICAGO – Dylan Cease struck out five of the first six Orioles this afternoon, plate umpire Junior Valentine giving Cease a call on a low fastball that angered Adley Rutschman and signaling that it could be a long day.

Gilman-product Gavin Floyd hit a two-run homer in the second, the first deficit for the Orioles since Tuesday.

The four-game winning streak came apart, with the Orioles settling for a series win and hoping to transport the lingering good vibes to Seattle. But they sure made it interesting.

Cease struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings, and the Orioles lost for the first time in five games, 4-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field. They're 34-40 as they continue their three-city road trip.

First baseman José Abreu committed back-to-back errors in the ninth and Jorge Mateo drew a four-pitch walk to give the Orioles three cracks at tying the game or taking the lead against Kendall Graveman. Jonathan Araúz singled to reduce the lead to 4-2, pinch-hitter Rougned Odor struck out, Cedric Mullins flied to deep center for a sacrifice fly and Trey Mancini struck out.

CHICAGO – Orioles rookie Kyle Bradish is optimistic that he can pitch again after his 15 days expire on the injured list. Manager Brandon Hyde thinks it will be close to the date, if not hitting it exactly.

Bradish is eligible to return on July 6. For now, he’s shut down with inflammation in his right shoulder.

“I’d say Monday on the off day, it kind of started to get a little tight,” he said today. “And then Tuesday I woke up and then threw a bullpen, and it didn’t get better from there. Right now it’s feeling good. We’re on some treatment and some other stuff, and it’s feeling good.”

Which leads Bradish to believe that he can jump back into the rotation when rules allow it.

“Yeah, no doubt,” he said.

CHICAGO – The Orioles waited to post their lineup until checking Rougned Odor’s back.

Odor worked out on the field and remained on the bench for the fifth game in a row - the last four due to injury.

Richie Martin is the second baseman and Jonathan Araúz is the third baseman, with Tyler Nevin among the reserves.

Trey Mancini stays in the lineup after being hit on his left hand yesterday. X-rays were negative.

Jordan Lyles has a 4.92 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 14 starts. He held the Nationals to two runs over 6 1/3 innings in his last appearance after going four consecutive starts without reaching the sixth.

CHICAGO – The Orioles have posted a 13-9 record in June, with a chance for their first winning month since August 2017. They haven’t gone .500 since July 2019.

They’ve built a 20-15 record since May 19, which is their best 35-game stretch in five years.

They have a chance today to post their first five-game winning streak since taking seven in a row from Aug. 7-14, 2020.

Trey Mancini talked yesterday about players showing up to the ballpark expecting to win, “and that's not a feeling we've had here in a long time.” Manager Brandon Hyde noted the energy and confidence, passing much of the credit to the pitching staff, including a bullpen stocked with waiver claims that’s registered a 3.07 ERA that ranks sixth in the majors.

The Orioles were dead last in 2021 at 5.70, and they hadn’t traded Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott.

CHICAGO – In the ever-changing world of the Orioles’ starting rotation, Spenser Watkins is back in it and Austin Voth receives at least temporary housing as the Orioles stretch him out.

This is how they do it. Try to find a set five and be ready to scramble.

Bruce Zimmermann was optioned and Kyle Bradish went on the 15-day injured list. Dean Kremer was activated from the IL and later recalled from the minors. John Means’ locker no longer has his nameplate above it.

Where or when it stops, nobody knows.

Nobody cares if the Orioles keep winning.

CHICAGO – Some of the Orioles are playing catch on the field in a light rain. They’ll have to wait for first pitch, however.

Both teams have been informed that today’s game will begin in a delay, with the start time closer to 2 p.m. local time.

Jonathan Araúz is starting at second base today in his Orioles debut. He was a waiver claim from the Red Sox and had to stay in the minors a minimum of 10 days after being optioned.

The infield needed more versatility with Rougned Odor receiving treatment for back soreness and Ramón Urías on the injured list with a left oblique strain.

“It’s a guy that can play multiple positions,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “We’re a little banged up here with Roogie, Ramón’s still out. So, a guy that can play three spots in the infield, another left-handed bat, which we don’t have many of. It’s just a versatile guy that we’ll take a look at.”

CHICAGO – Spenser Watkins is back in the rotation and reliever Marcos Diplán is optioned without pitching yesterday.

The Orioles also recalled infielder Jonathan Araúz from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned infielder Rylan Bannon, who didn’t appear in a game in his second stint with the team.

Watkins has been recalled as Kyle Bradish’s replacement. Bradish went on the 15-day injured list yesterday with right shoulder inflammation.

The Orioles simply had to activate Watkins from the taxi squad.

Watkins hasn’t started for the Orioles since failing to retire any of three Tampa Bay batters on May 22 and leaving with a bruised right elbow – the product of a line drive from Ji-Man Choi.

CHICAGO – Austin Hays is afraid of heights. He’s tried to overcome it, much to his credit, but prefers his feet planted on the grass unless he’s scaling an outfield fence in pursuit of a fly ball.

The phobia dates back to his childhood, as it often does.

“My dad’s a general contractor, chief inspector, so he goes up on scaffolds for a living and inspects balconies and a lot of high-rise buildings,” Hays said. “Just the thought of that when I was younger was enough to bother me, just thinking about seeing him up on a scaffold. He’s 30 stories in the air. That alone, me standing on the ground, made my stomach churn.

“Other kids would love to go on roller coasters, my friends would go on roller coasters, so I went on one and it was just, I got off it and my arms were bruised from me squeezing the protector so hard.”

Hays tried to tackle his fears during his senior year of high school while also impressing his future wife, Samantha. A noble gesture that backfired like an old car.

CHICAGO – The Orioles haven’t won as many games as they’ve lost, but they don’t back down, whether it’s from the adversity brought upon them by another injury that wrecks the rotation, or a 99 mph fastball in the ribs and the aggression from dugouts and bullpens emptying onto the field.

Jorge Mateo was drilled on the left side in the second inning tonight by White Sox starter Michael Kopech, dropped his bat and began taking a wide path toward first base. Veering a little closer to the mound with each slow step. Bringing tempers closer to the boiling point.

They exchanged words, but not punches, as the usual scrum formed on the grass. Play resumed after both benches were warned, angering manager Brandon Hyde, and the Orioles held the White Sox to one hit and retired the last 19 batters in a 4-1 win at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Perhaps this was carryover from Dean Kremer nailing Josh Harrison last night on the right triceps. Or just a pitch that got away from Kopech. Mateo’s reaction after absorbing the blow set off both teams, with assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes holding back Rougned Odor as the Orioles second baseman yelled and gestured.

"He gets hit in the back after squaring to bunt and didn't like it," Hyde said. "I don't know the exchange, honestly. I need to look at the replay, what Jorgie did. But it's one of those competitive things that happens and we moved on pretty quickly.

CHICAGO – Kyle Bradish began feeling some discomfort in his right shoulder a few days ago after his bullpen session, and the Orioles had to put him on the 15-day injured list this afternoon, with fingers crossed that it isn’t an extended absence.

Bradish has made 10 starts in his first major league season and posted a 7.38 ERA and 1.770 WHIP. He hasn’t finished five innings in his last five outings, unable to recapture the form that enabled him to strike out 11 batters with no walks in seven innings in St. Louis.

“We’re doing this out of precaution,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re hoping it’s just going to be a couple weeks, but he does have some fatigue in there. We’ll take a couple weeks to get some treatment, be with Brian (Ebel) and the guys in the training room, and hopefully he just misses a couple weeks.”

The reasons behind Bradish’s shoulder inflammation aren’t clear. Hyde can’t blame the high-stress innings in the majors or any other excuse.

“Tough to speculate,” Hyde said. “I think there’s a lot of things going on around the league, but the intensity level up here is definitely different. It’s hard to put my finger on why his shoulder is a little bit sore. But hopefully it’s just a little bit of a hiccup and he’s back in a couple weeks.”

CHICAGO – Adley Rutschman is catching Austin Voth tonight, as the Orioles plan on a bullpen game after putting Kyle Bradish on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

Rutschman is slashing .326/.370/.651 (14-for-43) with eight doubles, two home runs, seven RBIs, seven runs scored and three walks over his last 12 games. He’s the fourth player in Orioles history with at least 12 extra-base hits in his first 27 career games, joining Trey Mancini (15), Curt Blefary (14) and Manny Machado (12).

Tyler Nevin is the third baseman again tonight. Richie Martin is the second baseman, with Rougned Odor day-to-day with back soreness.

Jorge López hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 13 appearances covering 16 innings. He owns a 35 1/3-inning homerless streak since Sept 6, 2021, and is the only pitcher in the majors with at least 35 innings this season and no home runs.

Félix Bautista hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 16 appearances over 14 2/3 innings.

CHICAGO – The Orioles placed rookie starter Kyle Bradish on the 15-day injured list today and recalled reliever Marcos Diplán from Triple-A Norfolk.

The move is retroactive to Tuesday.

Bradish was scheduled to start tonight and then pushed back to Saturday. Now he’s off the active roster after posting a 7.38 ERA and 1.770 WHIP in 10 games.

The last start against the Rays ended with Bradish allowing six runs and a career-high 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He hasn’t completed five innings in his last five outings.

The rotation already underwent a change last week with Bruce Zimmermann optioned to Norfolk. A starter is needed for Saturday and Spenser Watkins is a logical choice because he’s on the taxi squad and threw only one inning Wednesday in Lehigh Valley to keep him available.

CHICAGO – The identity of Saturday’s starter wasn’t expected to be revealed until that morning. The way it’s happened with the Orioles in the past. Everyone loves tradition.

Manager Brandon Hyde surprised the media late last night by breaking his own news. Rookie Kyle Bradish is pushed back to Saturday. Austin Voth is leading another bullpen game tonight.

Hyde wasn’t ready to commit yesterday afternoon until checking the condition of his bullpen. Voth didn’t pitch. He remained in play.

The taxi squad figured to offer a few hints. The Orioles will have one tonight. But they don’t seem interested in making a roster move.

There appeared to be three possibilities, including Voth, who made an emergency start Sunday against the Rays after Jordan Lyles was scratched with a stomach virus. He responded with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

CHICAGO – Where starts used to get away from Dean Kremer, they now remain under his control.

It’s such a startling change, the aggression, command and confidence thrusting him back into discussions about the future of the Orioles rotation.

Kremer followed his six scoreless innings in his last start with 5 2/3 tonight, Adley Rutschman hit his second major league home run and the Orioles began a four-game series against the White Sox with a 4-0 win.

Rutschman gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the fourth when he followed Ryan Mountcastle’s second double of the night with a 402-foot shot to right field off Johnny Cueto, the ball landing far beyond the visiting bullpen.

Reliever Reynaldo López replaced Cueto with runners on the corners in the sixth and Rutschman doubled for a career-high three RBIs. Ten of his last 14 hits since June 10 have gone for extra bases.