The Baltimore Orioles opened spring training Monday and have already received some bad news. Right-hander Chris Tillman is still recovering from a shoulder issue and won't be ready to begin the regular season.
MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli has the details:
Tillman not expected to start the season. Shoulder issue and got PRP injection in December
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) February 14, 2017
Tillman scheduled for a sim game March 14, would face hitters in a game on the 17 if all goes well.
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) February 14, 2017
Tillman missed a little more than two weeks with shoulder bursitis in the second half last season, so the need for treatment in December, after weeks of rest, isn't a good sign.
Given the shoulder woes, it's worth noting Tillman's average fastball velocity gradually declined in 2016. From Brooks Baseball:
That's not encouraging. That's why the Orioles are going to play it safe with Tillman this spring. It's better to miss a few games now than a lot of games later.
With Tillman out for the time being, Baltimore's rotation figures to look something like this:
Among the candidates for that fifth spot are Logan Verrett, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson and Gabriel Ynoa. That grouping had a combined 5.46 ERA in 278 2/3 innings in 2016. That doesn't mean they will continue to pitch that poorly, but it's not exactly confidence-inspiring.
The O's made the postseason as a wild-card team last year despite a rotation that posted a 4.72 ERA, seventh worst in baseball. They won 89 games and qualified for the postseason because their offense and bullpen covered up for the rotation woes. It seems they're hoping to do the same again this summer.
Baltimore is returning largely the same staff in 2017 -- Verrett and Ynoa came over this winter in separate offseason trades with the Mets -- though they will have full seasons of Bundy and Miley in the rotation. Any improvement will come from guys performing better than they did a year ago.
Tillman was Baltimore's best starter from start to finish last year, throwing 172 innings with a 3.77 ERA (118 ERA+). He was in line to start his fourth straight Opening Day, something no Orioles pitcher has done since Hall of Famer Jim Palmer from 1974-77.
The Orioles open the season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3. SportsLine projects the O's to win 84.1 games in 2017.
