The Orioles activated right-hander Kyle Bradish from the 15-day injured list and named him their starting pitcher for Thursday’s series finale against the New York Yankees. Right-handed reliever Yohan Ramírez was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Bradish, 27, will make his season debut after missing the first month of the season recovering from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow he suffered in January. The 2018 fourth-round pick enjoyed a breakout season for Baltimore in 2023, placing fourth in American League Cy Young Award voting after going 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 30 starts. He started Game 1 of their AL Division Series against the Texas Rangers.
After undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections to speed up the healing process in his elbow, Bradish spent spring training slowly building up his workload. He then pitched a live bullpen session and made three rehab assignments, posting a 3.97 ERA with 14 strikeouts and four walks across 11 1/3 innings in Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. He steps into the rotation just one day after the Orioles reinstated left-hander John Means and placed righty Grayson Rodriguez on the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation. Baltimore has not yet announced when Means will make his first start.
Ramírez, 28, joined the Orioles in a cash trade with the New York Mets in April. He posted a 6.00 ERA in five appearances out of the bullpen.