Two Baltimore Orioles Pitcher to Undergo UCL Surgery

The Baltimore Orioles rotation got bad news on Friday from general manager Mike Elias.

May 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher John Means (47) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles took a big hit on Friday as two pitchers will now undergo UCL surgery.

General manager Mike Elias told reporters that left-hander John Means and right-hander Tyles Wells will undergo elbow surgery, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports.

There were concerns about their injuries, but the hope was that it wasn't anything as serious as this.

For the second-place Orioles, this is massive news as they look to navigate themselves into a position to win the division. Ultimately, the goal is to win a World Series, and this news doesn't help those chances.

Means threw in just 20 2/3 innings this season as he missed the start of the year. In his limited work, the left-hander had thrown well, posting a 2.61 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

Wells last appeared on April 12 and it was clear something was wrong when he was on the bump. The 29-year-old allowed 10 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings pitched, good for an ERA of 5.87.

With the trade deadline approaching, this gives Baltimore a reason to go out and be aggressive. Losing two above-average pitchers isn't easy to replace, but they'll have to do just that if they want to find success in the later stages of the season.