John Means could be back on an MLB mound soon. The Baltimore Orioles southpaw missed most of last season due to Tommy John surgery but has rejoined his teammates in Spring Training.
Means presence is a good sign that his recovery is progressing, and O’s Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed the lefty would throw off a half-mound later this week.
Brandon Hyde said John Means will throw off half mound sometime next week. But won?t be Monday #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) February 19, 2023
Means started two games last year before being forced to the sidelines. Still, he maintained his elite standard from the past few seasons, accumulating a 2.11 FIP while striking out seven across 8.0 innings.
The former All-Star has a solid four-pitch mix, relying on his changeup as his put-away offering. Means will slot back into the top of the rotation when healthy.
As usual, the Orioles have to contend with some of the best teams in the league in the AL East. Consequently, they are priced as +2500 longshots to win the division, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
