What seemed all but inevitable last weekend became official Wednesday with Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in Arlington, Texas.
General manager Mike Elias announced to reporters at Yankee Stadium that Bradish had ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction with an internal brace, a hybrid procedure performed by Dr. Keith Meister that will sideline the 27-year-old through at least a sizable portion of next season. Tommy John surgery typically requires 12 to 16 months of rehabilitation before a pitcher returns to major league action.
Though it’s a brutal blow to Baltimore’s championship upside, Bradish — the ace of last year’s rotation who finished fourth in 2023 AL Cy Young Award voting — was initially diagnosed with a sprained UCL in January, leading many to fear this outcome back in spring training. However, he responded favorably to a platelet-rich plasma injection and a throwing progression that allowed him to make his season debut in early May. In eight starts covering 39 1/3 innings, Bradish pitched to an impressive 2.75 ERA and averaged a career-high 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings, but he exited his last start against Philadelphia with elbow discomfort after just 74 pitches and was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday.
The Game 1 starter in last October’s AL Division Series, Bradish went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA in a career-high 168 2/3 innings last year.
Bradish is the third Orioles pitcher to undergo season-ending UCL reconstruction or revision surgery this month, joining lefty John Means and right-hander Tyler Wells. Of course, Baltimore also lost All-Star closer Felix Bautista to Tommy John surgery at the conclusion of last season.
Elias also revealed left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe is likely to be sidelined until September after having bone chips removed from his pitching elbow. The 34-year-old was placed on the IL with left elbow inflammation on June 11 after posting a 2.42 ERA over his first 29 appearances this season.
In more encouraging news, right-handed starting pitcher Dean Kremer will make his next rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk this weekend as he nears a return from a right triceps strain that’s sidelined him since late May.
