Is there a starter ready to lower Lyles from No. 2 in rotation?

My question in Saturday's spring training storyline post about the starters who follow John Means and Jordan Lyles in the rotation was met with some online resistance.

As in, why is Lyles the No. 2 starter with a career 54-79 record, 5.21 ERA and 1.435 WHIP in 11 seasons?

I can offer seven million reasons - his guaranteed salary for 2022. Also, there isn't a proven top of the rotation starter that I'm ignoring. Or one of the prospects who was so overwhelmingly good this summer that he's become the favorite to follow Means.

This is basically a process of elimination that brings us back to Lyles. And his contract.

Lyles could drop back if he has a disastrous camp and another starter is head and shoulders above him in the competition. And it's important to remember that the Orioles didn't excuse themselves from the starter market after reaching agreement with him.

The lockout has stalled much of the winter business beyond minor league deals.

If we're guessing before Christmas, I don't see how Lyles is any lower than second. Means easily is the opening day starter unless he's traded, which seems highly unlikely. Again, the Orioles will listen because they should. That's it.

Of the in-house rotation candidates, local lefty Bruce Zimmermann might have the best chance of unseating Lyles - who still needs to pass his physical and sign his contract - because he broke camp last spring at No. 3 behind Means and Matt Harvey.

Manager Brandon Hyde made the announcement on March 28 after Zimmermann had allowed only one hit and struck out 10 batters in nine scoreless innings while coming out of the bullpen. He had some impressive moments during the season, but also a couple of injuries and a 5.04 ERA and 1.508 WHIP in 14 games.

Keegan Akin had a 6.63 ERA and 1.579 WHIP in 24 games (17 starts). Dean Kremer, also a passenger on the Triple-A shuttle and given a lengthy break from major league competition, had a 7.55 ERA and 1.640 WHIP in 13 starts. Zac Lowther made 10 appearances, including six starts, and had a 6.67 ERA and 1.652 WHIP. Alexander Wells made 11 appearances, including eight starts, and had a 6.75 ERA and 1.617 WHIP.

Jorge López could be a reliever in 2022. As a starter this year, he was 3-14 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.676 WHIP in 113 1/3 innings.

In case you hadn't heard, he struggled after his first trip through the order. Google it if you don't believe me.

Mike Baumann, Kyle Bradish and Kevin Smith will be in camp and they're on the 40-man roster, armed with Triple-A experience, but none with a track record of any length in the majors. Baumann made four relief appearances and allowed 11 earned runs (12 total) and 13 hits with six walks in 10 innings.

All of the earned runs scored over two games. In his debut on Sept. 7, he held the Royals to one unearned run and two hits in 3 2/3 innings. But the Blue Jays and Red Sox weren't as cooperative.

Lyles can give the Orioles starts and innings that others haven't proven capable of doing in their brief stints.

Akin was better later in the summer, allowing one run in seven innings against the Angels on Aug. 26 and one run in five innings against the Blue Jays on Aug. 31, keeping the Blue Jays hitless through six innings in Game 2 of a Sept. 11 doubleheader and closing his season with one run surrendered in 5 1/3 innings in Philadelphia. He underwent core muscle surgery in October.

Bradish is the No. 8 prospect in the system per MLBPipeline.com, Baumann is No. 10 and Smith is No. 14. Lowther is ranked 22nd. Kremer is still regarded in the organization as capable of being a productive major league starter, slotted toward the backend of the rotation.

Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall, the top two pitching prospects, finished 2021 at Double-A Bowie and probably will need to log some Triple-A innings before earning consideration for a promotion. No one is expecting them to break camp with the club, but their debuts are coming.

In the meantime, Lyles is the No. 2 starter in December.

Who's going to wrestle it away from him?