3 Best Pitchers for the Baltimore Orioles During the 2024 MLB Season

Who were the best performers on the mound for the Baltimore Orioles this past season?

Sep 26, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The 2024 MLB season did not end in the fashion the Baltimore Orioles were hoping. After looking like one of the best teams in baseball early on, they struggled in the second half and limped into the postseason.

The high level of performance in the final week of the season, when they won five out of six games, was a mirage. In the postseason, their ice-cold lineup returned as they managed only one run in two games against the Kansas City Royals.

While the pitching staff had its ups and downs throughout the season, they showed up in the playoffs. It certainly wasn’t the fault of the pitching staff, who surrendered only three runs in two one-run losses.

Who performed the best on the mound for the team throughout the season? Here are the three best pitchers for the Orioles in 2024.

Corbin Burnes

Baltimore has been seeking an ace to anchor their rotation for years. In the offseason they made a splash, acquiring the former Cy Young Award winner from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Set to hit free agency this winter, he has set himself up for a massive payday. Burnes was excellent in the regular season, making 32 starts and pitching 194.1 innings with a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts.

There were concerns at times with his fastball velocity, but he got the job done more often than not. In his one postseason start, he was lights out as well, pitching into the ninth inning and allowing only one run in a 1-0 loss.

Keegan Akin

Manager Brandon Hyde had issues all season with the back end of his bullpen. The Craig Kimbrel experiment did not pan out as he was designated for assignment in September.

Reliability out of the bullpen was far and few between, but one player who showed up when his number was called was Akin. He made 66 appearances this season, which was second on the team.

The lefty had a 3.32 ERA in 78.2 innings, pitching more than one inning on several occasions. His ERA+ of 113 was above average and his FIP of 2.99 was excellent as well.

Yennier Cano

Another reliable option out of the bullpen but from the right side. His win probability added of 1.1 is tied for fourth on the team and he had the highest championship win probability added of 1.2 percent.

His 70 appearances were the most on the team, as he threw 60 innings with 65 strikeouts. With an ERA+ of 120, he was reliable throughout the year for the Orioles.