Inside The Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Make Controversial Roster Move With Top Prospect

What are the Baltimore Orioles doing with Cade Povich?

Tyler Maher

Aug 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich throws a pitch.
Aug 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich throws a pitch. / Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports
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On Saturday, Baltimore Orioles rookie Cade Povich delivered one of the best starts of his young career. He logged a career-high 6 1/3 innings against the Boston Red Sox, yielding just two runs on six hits and no walks. He also matched his career-high in strikeouts with six, earning a standing ovation at Camden Yards in the process.

Unfortunately for Povich, the Orioles still lost, 5-1. Even worse, they rewarded him for his stellar outing by immediately sending him back to the minor leagues, continuing the questionable management of their young talent.

Baltimore announced on Sunday that it had optioned Povich back to Triple-A Norfolk and was calling up right-handed pitcher Colin Selby to replace him.

This is another tough break for Povich, who's struggled in his first taste of the big leagues. The 24-year-old rookie is 1-6 with a 5.77 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP in nine starts this year, only two of which have come since the All-Star Break as he's lost playing time.

Still, it will be tough for Povich to gain confidence and build on Saturday's gem back in Triple-A, where he's 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. While there's no denying that Povich needs more polish, he also needs more big-league experience to realize his abundant potential.

Unfortunately, that will have to wait. The Orioles haven't needed their No. 5 prospect as much since trading for Zach Eflin last month, filling a much-needed hole in their rotation. He'll likely be back up before the end of the season, perhaps when rosters expand in September.

Selby adds a fresh arm to Baltimore's bullpen in the meantime, but he doesn't seem like much of an upgrade over Povich. The 26-year-old righty had a 6.00 ERA in two appearances with the Kansas City Royals this season and has an 8.67 ERA in 27 career innings. Accordingly, he'll likely be used in low-leverage spots by Brandon Hyde for now.

Selby may not last long if his struggles continue, however, potentially opening the door for Povich to return in the near future.

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Tyler Maher

TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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