Baltimore doesn't have a whole lot of exciting pitching prospects on the horizon -- top righty Hunter Harvey is at least a year away -- and the club can't afford to have any of its starters struggle, especially without Gonzalez as a fallback option. The ideal scenario for the O's is for the rotation to, at worst, be league average as they come out of camp with their biggest question still looming: Can the starting pitching hold up?
If everything goes to plan, Yovani Gallardo -- signed to a two-year deal with a third-year option -- will become the rotation's consistent force, turning in quality seven-inning outings at nearly every turn.