Red Sox Facing Unknown In Orioles’s Starting Pitcher

The Baltimore Orioles have Kyle Bradish slated to start Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox.

Bradish hasn’t pitched in over a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. He began 2024 late due to an arm injury, and eventually was shut down for the season to have surgery.

Bradish has been excellent when healthy, but players often have a hard time early in the return from UCL surgery. The results in his rehab assignment weren’t great, either. Over 22 minor league innings, he posted a 4.91 ERA. While he has a track record of success, the Red Sox could have an opportunity to score early runs on Tuesday.

The Orioles also have one of the worst bullpens in the league. Its 4.66 ERA ranks 26th in baseball. Bradish threw 89 pitches in his most recent outing, so he is stretched out, but he never pitched into the sixth inning. If the Red Sox can drive up an early pitch count, they’ll have a good matchup with a shaky bullpen.

On top of the opportunity tonight, there are two more games to play in the series. The Orioles’ starter for tomorrow is to be determined. Early offense tonight could put Baltimore in a difficult position later in the series.

At his best, Bradish was able to work deep into games. Against righties, in particular, he used a sinker early in counts to generate ground balls at a high rate, while using a slider and curveball to punch hitters out later in counts. Minor league readings show his movement profiles are similar to the last time he appeared in major league action. How much the Orioles are willing to push Bradish remains a question, especially in a year where the playoffs are a long shot.

If the Red Sox are on Bradish early, they’ll put themselves in a great position for the rest of the series.