Up-and-down Povich makes latest audition for O's 2026 rotation

BALTIMORE -- On the final day of Spring Training on March 23, the Orioles set their rotation for 2025, answering one of their biggest roster questions in the process.

Cade Povich was named the No. 5 starter, a job that came with the assignment of starting Baltimore’s home opener against Boston on March 31 at Camden Yards. The 25-year-old left-hander made his first MLB Opening Day roster, then began a sophomore campaign in which he looked to solidify his spot on the O’s staff for years to come.

Fast forward nearly six months, and Povich remains in the Orioles’ rotation -- a group that has expanded to six starters for the final month to ease back in returning right-handers Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery) and Tyler Wells (UCL repair surgery) down the stretch.

Povich made what should be his penultimate start of the season on Thursday night, when he allowed three runs over five innings in the O’s 7-0 series-opening loss to the Yankees at Camden Yards. The southpaw collected five strikeouts and settled down nicely after yielding a pair of runs in the first inning on his way to an 89-pitch outing.

It’s been a long time since that March 23 morning in Sarasota, Fla., where Povich stepped outside of the Orioles’ complex to call family members and inform them of the good news -- and the young lefty has gained plenty while navigating his first full big league season.

“I think there’s a big advantage to trying to make adjustments from one big league start to another," Povich said. "Actually seeing how [things] work or don’t work in this league against these hitters and being able to watch our other starting pitchers more, how they go about day-to-day [stuff] as well. I think I’ve learned a lot, and I think that’s a big part of it.”

Povich has logged the third-most innings on Baltimore’s staff, with his 106 2/3 frames trailing only right-handers Dean Kremer (164) and Tomoyuki Sugano (149 2/3). Povich has remained in the O’s rotation outside of a seven-week stint on the injured list from June 16-Aug. 4 due to left hip inflammation.

After recording a 5.20 ERA in 16 starts as a rookie in 2024, Povich owns a 5.06 ERA over 21 games (19 starts and two outings following an opener) as he nears his '25 finale. He’s had ups and downs, though he’s allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of his past seven showings and has often kept the team in games -- just as he did on Thursday.

“I thought he hung in there. That first inning, [he] didn’t have any command, kind of got behind, gave up two runs real quick,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “Feel like the stuff sharpened up in the fourth inning, and you felt pretty good about it.”

Povich, though, likely hasn’t yet secured a permanent role in the rotation moving forward, especially with the O's -- now 72-81 and assured of finishing .500 or worse for the first time since 2021 -- entering a pivotal offseason.

As things stand now, the rotation landscape can be broken down into the following tiers:

The locks: RHP Kyle Bradish, LHP Trevor Rogers, RHP Grayson Rodriguez (if healthy)
The contenders: RHP Dean Kremer, RHP Tyler Wells, LHP Cade Povich, RHP Brandon Young
The free agents: RHP Zach Eflin, RHP Tomoyuki Sugano

More names will surely be added to the group this winter, whether that means Eflin and/or Sugano return, or Baltimore brings in arms via the free-agent/trade markets. The Orioles could use a true ace, something they didn’t have this year after losing Corbin Burnes, who signed a six-year, $210 million deal with the D-backs last offseason.

The status of Rodriguez is a major question mark, as the 25-year-old righty hasn’t pitched since July 31, 2024, due to various right lat/elbow injuries.

Perhaps Povich returns to the rotation out of necessity. Maybe his career takes a different path and leads to the bullpen, an area of Baltimore’s roster that will need to be completely reconstructed during the winter.

No matter what’s next after this season concludes, Povich plans to use what he’s learned to improve moving forward.

“Whether it be finishing guys earlier, ending at-bats earlier, kind of compressing those bigger innings, I think it allows numbers to be better, allows you to go deeper into games, allows pitch count to go down, allows stress to be taken off of the bullpen, allows the bats to kind of come in and find a groove," Povich said. "[Those are] all things that I think I've learned and, over the past seven or so games, have really tried to make a focus on.

"Not necessarily worrying about results, but just trying to get guys in and out as soon as possible. And the majority of the time when you do that, good results follow.”