Insiders State Baltimore Orioles Have 'Indicated Interest' in Appealing Reliever

The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly interested in adding an intriguing left-handed reliever this offseason.

Aug 25, 2020; Buffalo, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Kyle Hart (81) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Sahlen Field / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

After bringing in Tyler O'Neill to boost their outfield and Gary Sanchez to improve their offensive profile, the Baltimore Orioles are seemingly turning their attention to pitchers the rest of the offseason.

The front office is scrambling a bit after missing out on Corbin Burnes, continuing to look for a top-end arm who can impact their starting rotation, but they are also reportedly eyeing an intriguing option who can be a backend starter or long reliever for them.

According to Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic, they are among the teams interested in taking a chance on Kyle Hart.

"The Yankees, Brewers, Twins, Astros and Orioles are among the teams that have indicated interest, league sources said," they report.

This would be the classic reclamation project Mike Elias has gone after during his tenure.

Hart was an 19th round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2016, and after a successful first professional season, he was able to start climbing up the pipeline until he made his Major League debut in 2020.

But, that's where the positive story ended.

The left-hander recorded a disastrous 15.55 ERA across his four outings and three starts, giving up 19 earned runs on 24 hits in just 11 innings pitched, walking 10 batters while striking out 13.

Hart hasn't appeared in an MLB game since, electing free agency after the 2022 campaign before spending time with the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners in their minor league system.

He decided to play overseas, signing a deal with the NC Dinos of the KBO League and becoming one of the best pitchers in South Korea.

In 2024, the 32-year-old had a 13–3 record and a 2.69 ERA in 26 starts, winning the Choi Dong-won Award, which is the KBO equivalent to the Cy Young Award.

Following that showing, Hart is looking to return stateside where he figures to be a backend starting pitcher or someone who is used as a long reliever.

He's the exact type of pitcher Baltimore has targeted in the past, so with the insiders stating they have interest in him, this could be something that gets done.