Baltimore Orioles Starting Pitcher Take Scary Line Drive off Arm

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer may have dodged a serious injury against the Colorado Rockies.

Aug 31, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dean Kremer (64) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles really don't need another injury to a starting pitcher. But they'll be watching the condition of Dean Kremer after the events of Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies.

Kramer started the contest for the Orioles and was in the fourth inning and experienced a player that no pitcher ever wants to deal with.

A Rockies hitter connected with a Kremer pitch and slammed a line drive up the middle, a liner that was recorded at nearly 104 mph. The ball collided with Kremer’s left wrist and left him in serious paid as it carries into the infield.

Scary situation in Denver as Dean Kremer takes a 103.1 mph comebacker off his forearm/wrist area. A large welt started to form immediately.

🎥: @Orioles pic.twitter.com/Ar0vh5L8oL

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) September 1, 2024

Kremer didn’t last long after he absorbed the line drive. But he remained on the field long enough for the Baltimore Banner’s Justin Fenton to screenshot the damage the line drive did to his arm. The right-hander had a welt on his wrist almost immediately.

Dean Kremer set to join the Orioles zombie rotation of Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, John Means and Tyler Wells pic.twitter.com/ohn31pHHn0

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) September 1, 2024

The Orioles told reporters on-site that Kremer had a right forearm contusion. The better news is that an MRI showed no damage to the area.

Baltimore will likely do more testing once the welt goes down. Sometimes the amount of bruising can cover up damage on initial MRIs.

The coming days will reveal how much of a setback it will be for Kremer and the entire rotation, which has suffered beating after beating this season.

The Orioles have had to shelve Tyler Wells, Kyle Bradish and John Means after each needed season-ending elbow surgery. Zach Eflin is set to return on Sunday to start after dealing with a 15-day IL stint for right shoulder inflammation. Grayson Rodriguez is working through a right lat/teres strain that put him on the IL in early August.

In the meantime, Kremer has been one of the starters the Orioles have relied on to keep things together, along with ace Corbin Burnes, journeyman Albert Suarez, swingman Cole Irvin and rookie Cade Povich.

Kremer, in his third full MLB season, is 6-9 with a 4.51 ERA in 20 starts, with 99 strikeouts and 44 walks in 105.2 innings. He is coming off a career season in 2023 in which he went 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA as the Orioles won the AL East.

After playing for Israel in the World Baseball Classic, he returned to Baltimore and was part of the starting rotation until he went on the 15-day IL on May 24 with a right triceps strain. He started a rehab assignment less than a month later and was activated on July 3.