When the Orioles summoned left-handed reliever Donnie Hart from Double-A Bowie at the All-Star break last year, he was the latest solution to a problem that frustrated the team all season long.
The offseason departure of left-handed starter Wei-Yin Chen meant the rotation was full of right-handers. Injuries and ineffectiveness meant the likes of Brian Matusz and T.J. McFarland weren't counted on for long, and at times, Zach Britton was the only left-hander in the clubhouse — and he specialized in saves, not seventh-inning situational work.
The Orioles cycled through minor leaguers and trolled the waiver wire for left-handed depth, but it was a problem that didn't really go away.