With Opening Day less than a week away, we’ll take a look at a member of the 2016 Orioles every day as they try to return to the playoffs for the third time in five years this season.
March 1 – Adam Jones
March 2 – Chris Tillman
March 3 – Jonathan Schoop
March 4 – Brad Brach
March 5 – Nolan Reimold
March 6 – Yovani Gallardo
March 7 – Matt Wieters
March 8 – T.J. McFarland
March 9 – Dariel Alvarez
March 10 – Brian Matusz
March 11 – J.J. Hardy
March 12 – Mychal Givens
March 13 – Ryan Flaherty
March 14 – Ubaldo Jimenez
March 15 – Mark Trumbo
March 16 – Darren O’Day
March 18 – Pedro Alvarez
March 19 – Oliver Drake
March 20 – Mike Wright
March 21 – Zach Britton
March 22 – Caleb Joseph
March 23 – Dylan Bundy
March 24 – Christian Walker
March 25 – Chaz Roe
March 27 – Manny Machado
March 28 – Chris Davis
March 29 – Miguel Gonzalez (placed on release waivers on Wednesday)
SP Kevin Gausman
Age: 25
Contract status: Under club control through the 2020 season
2015 stats: 4-7, 4.25 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 8.3 K/IP, 2.3 BB/IP, 17 HR, 112 1/3 innings
Why to be impressed: Despite another season of being shuffled between the bullpen and the rotation and the majors and the minors, the 2012 first-round pick improved his strikeout rate (8.3 from 7.0) and walk rate (2.3 from 3.0) from 2014. His best work as a starter came in September when he posted a 3.90 ERA and struck out 10 in eight impressive innings against Toronto in his final start of the season.
Why to be concerned: Gausman beginning the season on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis wouldn’t be as concerning if he hadn’t dealt with the same ailment last year. He allowed more than twice as many home runs as he did in 2014 in virtually the same number of innings and won’t reach his ceiling until he can refine a breaking pitch, whether it’s the curveball or the slider he’s used at different points.
2016 outlook: Gausman’s season isn’t off to a promising start as the Orioles are counting on him to take a big step forward to help a very suspect rotation, but the hope is that he will be ready by mid-April. Baltimore has handled its top pitching prospect poorly over the last couple years, and his uncertain health certainly tempers expectations until he proves his arm is completely healthy.
2016 not-so-scientific projections: 9-7, 3.72 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 8.2 K/IP, 2.6 BB/IP, 15 HR, 141 innings
