Zimmermann waiting for next chance with Orioles

BOSTON – Bruce Zimmermann got caught in that same emotional web that usually traps backup quarterbacks. Rooting for the success of the people who are blocking you.

The life of a team player ain’t easy.

Zimmermann returned to the Orioles yesterday at Fenway Park as a member of the taxi squad. He’s here but not really here. He checked to make certain that he could talk to the media, since he wasn’t on the roster.

The Orioles haven’t given Zimmermann a start since June 15, his 13^th of the season. The Blue Jays hit three home runs. They scored six runs with 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings, and he was optioned the following day.

Zimmermann had allowed 17 homers in his last seven starts and 18 for the season, tied with Miami’s Elieser Hernández for most in the majors at the time. He surrendered 18 runs and 31 hits in 15 innings in June and his ERA rose from 2.72 on May 14 to 5.94.

The left-hander tied a franchise record by surrendering five home runs in a May 29 game in Boston.

This was happening to a pitcher who started the first home game, quite an honor for a kid who grew up in Ellicott City, and began the season with a scoreless streak of 14 2/3 innings.

Only two major league appearances followed, both in relief. Here and gone. No need to unpack.

“It’s just waiting for that opportunity to arise again when I was first optioned,” he said yesterday. “Since then, the starting rotation has done their job more than could have been asked. They’ve been pitching so well, so it’s a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good for the organization, bad for me.”

There’s the conflict. Zimmermann isn’t rooting for his teammates and friends to fail, but he wants to come back. It’s hard to make one happen without the other.

Zimmermann had a 3.77 ERA and 1.323 WHIP in 14 games with Triple-A Norfolk, which concluded its season last night. He surrendered only six home runs in 76 1/3 innings.

The Loyola-Blakefield graduate tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings against Lehigh Valley on Aug. 30, with only three hits allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts. He held Memphis to two runs in six innings on Sept. 11 and Durham to three runs in six innings in his last outing.

“It’s just consistency, I guess,” he said. “Once I got through that first couple weeks down there, we were getting back to the things that I was doing at the beginning of the season, and just getting on track with those things, with mechanics and fine-tuning the use of the one-seam and the curveball, which were new pitches at the time. Just kind of getting all those things working together on a consistent basis. And working with (Justin) Ramsey down there has been a good experience.

“It’s been tough, obviously, to take that step backward, but I feel like we did do as much as we could to take steps forward. I definitely saw some really good results with some of the games I was pitching down there. It was just staying on top of things and being on track.”

Zimmermann gained confidence in the sinker and used it early in counts to induce weaker contact and remove the hitter’s advantage deeper in the at-bats.

“To have it, especially against lefties,” he said. “And the righties, still used the four-seam quite a bit because of what the analytics say. But to be able to get more ground balls without the use of the changeup, so I could use the changeup in more swing-and-miss counts or use it different, definitely adds a different dimension to my own game, which is a lot of good results with it.”

The Orioles play in the Bronx this weekend, with Aaron Judge needing one home run to break Roger Maris’ single-season American League record. They return home next week for three games against the Blue Jays to close out the season.

A team that’s totaled 14 runs and 24 hits with seven homers against Zimmermann in 11 1/3 innings.

He’d still rather be on the active roster and take his chances.

Kyle Bradish and Dean Kremer established themselves as pieces for the rotation heading into 2023. Grayson Rodriguez will join them. Tyler Wells is expected to remain a starter after transitioning from his Rule 5 relief role. DL Hall will compete for a spot in spring training.  

Zimmermann said he treats his situation as if he’s also in the picture. No reason why he can’t break camp with them again.

“Every day that you’re still in this game, there’s still an opportunity to come back up and contribute. And when you come back up, you make the most of the opportunity and, hopefully, get to stick a little bit longer,” Zimmermann said.

“Put a lot of good work in in Norfolk. Happy to be up here, hoping to get another opportunity before the end of the year. Obviously, this team’s pushing for a playoff spot, still, and I really want to be a part of that regardless. I’m really excited to be here. Hopefully, I get to toe the rubber again here soon and contribute to that.

“If not, cheer these guys on, finish the season strong, go into the offseason and look forward to 2023.”