The Orioles pitching staff is a bit of a mess. They rank at, or near, the bottom of the league in most categories as a group, and there is unlikely to be much immediate help on the way to save them. One of the bright spots in the staff’s early season struggles, however, has been the performance of John Means and his seemingly un-hittable change-up.
The 25-year-old left-hander has made the most of his three relief appearances so far. Over 5.2 innings, Means has allowed just one run and struck out nine batters. For his efforts, manager Brandon Hyde has rewarded the southpaw with a spot start, the first of his big league career, during the upcoming series against the Oakland Athletics.