Baltimore Orioles Rookie Making Iron-Clad Case for Opening Day Rotation

The Baltimore Orioles made an investment in this rookie pitcher in the offseason and it looks like it has the potential to pay off.

Matthew Postins | Mar 10, 2025

Orioles right-hand pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano throws a pitch during his session in the bullpen on Tuesday. The Baltimore Orioles held their first full-squad workout of the 2025 spring training season on Tuesday, Feb. 18th in Sarasota, Florida. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles haven’t gotten good news lately when it comes to their pitching.

Grayson Rodriguez will start the season on the injured list. So will reliever Andrew Kittredge.

Two starters, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, each had elbow surgery last year and it’s possible they could be available at some point in the second half of the season.

Another potential starter, Trevor Rogers, is not expected to be ready for opening day with a partial dislocation of his right kneecap. Chayce McDermott, who made his MLB debut last year, is behind schedule after a lat injury.

Plus, closer Félix Bautista is pitching, nearly 18 months after his Tommy John surgery. But the Orioles have not committed to putting him on the opening-day roster.

So, Baltimore will take any good news it can get, especially went it comes to their starting rotation.

Enter Tomoyuki Sugano.

Sugano has now pitched in three spring training games, with two starts. He is 1-0 with no ERA. In fact, in seven innings he’s given up four hits, no runs and two walks while he’s struck out seven.

Plus, batters are hitting just .167 against him.

Baltimore didn’t sign the 35-year-old Japanese veteran to be their ace. But at least early this season, the Orioles may need him to pitch like one.

With Rodriguez headed to the injured list, the rotation is shaping up to lead off with Zach Eflin, who joined the team last season at the trade deadline. Charlie Morton, the 41-year-old left-hander with 20 years of Major League experience, figures to be in the rotation, along with Sugano and Dean Kremer.

Without Rodriguez, though, the O’s will have to tap into depth they were hoping to avoid for the fifth starter. It figures to come down to Albert Suárez, last year’s surprise starter who can also pitch out of the bullpen, or Cade Povich, who made his MLB debut last year.

Sugano is pitching on a one-year deal and he’s starting to look like a bargain at $13 million.

He played for the Yomiuri Giants in the NPB and is coming off an MVP season in the Central League.

Sugano pitched for a decade with the Giants went 136-74 with a 2.43 ERA and 1,585 strikeouts.

He was a three-time Central League MVP, won the Japanese pitching triple crown in 2018 and is a two-time recipient of the Eiji Sawamura Award, the Japanese version of the Cy Young award.

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