‘Definitely want to see what that looks like’ – The Denver Post

Tyler Wells was a key reliever for the Orioles down the stretch of the 2021 season. They’re hoping for a repeat in 2023.

After making three starts with Double-A Bowie, Wells will join Triple-A Norfolk to work out of the Tides’ bullpen, manager Brandon Hyde said before Tuesday night’s matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The right-hander, who turns 29 on Saturday, was Baltimore’s best starter in the first half, but signs of fatigue showed in his three starts out of the All-Star break. Using Wells as a reliever will help the team manage a career-high workload while also potentially adding another capable arm to Hyde’s late-inning mix.

“Definitely want to see what that looks like just because of how Tyler pitched out of the bullpen a couple years ago and how well he did there,” Hyde said. “He’s thrown a lot of innings this year for us in the rotation and kind of where we are, hopefully we can stay healthy the rest of the way, but just kind of want to see what it looks like out of the ’pen right now.”

Wells will make his first appearance for Norfolk on Wednesday. The Orioles acquired Wells in the second round of the Rule 5 draft before the 2021 season. At the time, Wells had made six appearances above High-A and hadn’t pitched since 2018, losing the 2019 season to Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery and 2020 to the canceled minor league season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Baltimore used him out of the bullpen, and although he struggled early, Wells posted the fourth-lowest walk rate among pitchers who threw at least 30 innings from June on, briefly serving as the Orioles’ closer.

Baltimore elected to return Wells to a starting role in 2022, though he operated under strict inning and pitch limits. He pitched well in the first half but spent much of the second half on the injured list. He beat out top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez for the Orioles’ fifth rotation spot this spring then quickly justified that decision. In 18 first-half outings, Wells posted a 3.18 ERA and led the majors with a 0.927 WHIP.

But he wasn’t the same pitcher after the All-Star break, issuing nine walks and allowing 11 runs over nine innings in three starts. The Orioles optioned him to Bowie, where in three starts he never gave up more than one run but also never went more than 3 1/3 innings. In his final Double-A start Saturday, Wells threw 27 pitches over two innings in a planned shorter appearance. His 122 1/3 innings across levels are three more than his previous career high, set in 2018 while in the Minnesota Twins’ minor league system.

His remaining outings will also be brief, with the Orioles preparing him to boost a bullpen that is filled with other arms approaching career highs for usage. Backend relievers Félix Bautista and Yennier Cano were All-Stars, but both are on pace to pitch the most innings they have in affiliated baseball.

After acquiring inconsistent right-hander Shintaro Fujinami in a trade with the Oakland Athletics in July, the Orioles sought additional relief help before the Aug. 1 trade deadline but were unable to make an additional move. Baltimore did add another bullpen arm off waivers in acquiring Jacob Webb from the Los Angeles Angels, with the right-hander beginning his Orioles tenure with seven scoreless appearances.

The team has other reinforcements coming beyond Wells. Left-hander John Means pitched four innings for Bowie on Sunday as he works toward an early September return from Tommy John surgery. Right-hander Austin Voth, on the injured list with right elbow discomfort since mid-June, could be activated this week. Left-hander DL Hall has regained his velocity after a strengthening period at the Orioles’ Sarasota, Florida, complex and could be a weapon down the stretch.

Around the horn

• Outfielder Anthony Santander was out of the lineup with a sore back for the third straight game, but Hyde said the veteran was feeling better and could be available off the bench.
• The Orioles promoted right-hander Trace Bright, their fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft, from High-A Aberdeen to Bowie. Baltimore’s No. 30 prospect per Baseball America, Bright, 22, posted a 35% strikeout rate for the IronBirds, the fourth-best among all minor leaguers with at least 80 innings pitched.

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