The Baltimore Orioles entered the 2025 season carrying momentum after an impressive 91-win season last year. Fans were abuzz with anticipation, eager to see their exciting young core build on that success. Optimism filled the Baltimore air, but that bright outlook soon encountered turbulence. A spate of early injuries began stacking up, darkening the team’s initial surge and raising questions about its depth far earlier than expected. Now, a big piece of their pitching puzzle is out for the foreseeable future.

The news recently broke about pitcher Albert Suárez. The right-hander was also placed on a 60-day injured list by Baltimore. He was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain in his throwing shoulder. Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed the severity, stating that Suárez would be out for an extended period. “It’s going to be months,” Hyde said bluntly. “Hopefully just a few months, but it’s really unfortunate news”.

This shoulder problem did not come entirely out of nowhere for the veteran pitcher. Suárez reportedly began feeling discomfort near the end of spring training, during his final tune-up appearance. He struggled through 2 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and an earned run on March 28 against the Toronto Blue Jays. It wasn’t his best start, a sign that something wasn’t right. Two days later, the O’s put him on the 15-day IL, citing right shoulder inflammation and believing rest would resolve the issue quickly.

At that time, Manager Brandon Hyde expressed, “hopeful Suarez’s stint on the 15-day injured list won’t be long.” However, even after resting properly rested and receiving treatment, it became clear the problem was more serious than initially thought. That led to the official transfer to the 60-day injury list on April 8.

So, when can the Orioles expect Suárez back on the mound? Hyde’s comment, “hopefully just a few months,” suggests a return sometime between June and July as the target. The team hasn’t given a specific date, likely because shoulder recoveries can be unpredictable.

Orioles’ arms tested: Navigating the injury crisis

As Suárez faced a long-term sideline, the Orioles wasted no time in reworking their roster. Placing him on the 60-day injury list created room on the 40-man roster. The Orioles plugged that gap by acquiring minor league outfielder Daz Cameron. They also announced the acquisition of left-handed pitcher Grant Wolfram in a trade deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Wolfram provides organizational depth but was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. And it is important to keep in mind that right-hander Matt Bowman was already called up originally when Suárez first hit the 15-day IL.

Unfortunately, Suárez isn’t the only name on a lengthy list of injured Orioles pitchers. Ace Grayson Rodriguez is out with elbow inflammation. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells underwent significant elbow surgery last year and are probably out until midseason at least, if not longer. Trevor Rogers (knee) and prospect Chayce McDermott (lat strain) are also not available at this moment. Further complicating matters, Colton Cowser suffered a fractured thumb, which could keep him out for at least 6-8 weeks.

This raises a big question: how does the pitching staff look without all these arms? For now, Bowman seems to be in line to take Suárez’s long-relief innings after joining the active roster. The current starting rotation consists of Zach Eflin, veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer, and lefty Cade Povich. However, this group has struggled early, posting a 6.35 ERA in the season’s first week. Morton (9.72 ERA) and Kremer (6.52 ERA) especially need to improve quickly to stabilize the rotation.

This is indeed a painful loss, especially considering Suárez’s value from a year ago. The Orioles finished with 91 victories but were knocked out in the Wild Card round. He was a crucial, versatile arm during that run. He pitched to a 3.70 ERA over 133.2 innings, with 24 starts and 8 relief appearances. His 9 wins quietly helped the rotation stabilize amid other injuries. Losing that reliable innings-eater now, with Rodriguez, Bradish, and Wells all unavailable, puts huge pressure on the remaining, already struggling starters.

Now the question is: Can the Birds navigate this storm, relying on their remaining arms and organizational depth? Or will these early setbacks prove too much to overcome in the competitive AL East?