After aggressively landing Corbin Burnes during the winter, the idea was he would push this group to the next level after they were swept out of the playoffs last year in large part due to their inexperienced staff.
With Burnes alongside rising stars Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez at the top of their rotation, the Orioles looked to have one of the best starting units in all of Major League Baseball.To try and address some of the pitching issues Baltimore has had, the front office went out and landed two starters ahead of the trade deadline by bringing in Zach Eflin and Trevor Rogers.As for Rogers, he has struggled mightily since joining the team, posting a 7.11 ERA in his four starts.
Because of that, the Orioles shockingly optioned him to the minors as part of their multiple roster moves.Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells all underwent season-ending surgery. Rodriguez is on the injured list with a concerning issue that sidelined him for multiple months in the past, putting the rest of his campaign in jeopardy.
The Orioles have been searching for roster combinations that has both top-end talent and depth amid all of these injuries, but with certain players struggling, it's been difficult to find consistency.. He was supposed to be someone who came in and was a reliable option behind Burnes, but he's been anything but that.
Hopefully this time in the minors allows him to regain his form and gives him a chance to come back and pitch well in the Majors, but if not, this will be one of the worst trads of Elias's career.Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he did work at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports.