The Orioles did a rare thing yesterday: call up a pitching prospect. It wasn’t totally unexpected, but then on Wednesday night they added a second announcement: Cade Povich, 24, will make his MLB debut as a starter tomorrow. Yes, yes, we all love MLB debuts, but one big question about this one: why now?
In a generic sense, the answer is: pitching injuries. John Means (Tommy John surgery) and Tyler Wells (upcoming UCL surgery) are out for the season, and Dean Kremer is still rehabbing a triceps injury. The Orioles have adapted gracefully to these developments, sliding Cole Irvin and Albert Suárez out of and back into the rotation (the latter performed admirably there last night, despite an eventual loss).