Mike Elias announced that right‑hander Kyle Bradish will have hernia surgery tomorrow, per Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun. Bradish has battled the condition in his last three outings and landed on the 15‑day IL in mid‑September with abdominal pain. He had already admitted surgery was a possibility. Will he be ready for 2027?
Those final three starts were rough. Over 12 innings the 30‑year‑old yielded 10 runs—seven earned—on 16 hits and eight walks while striking out nine. The outing before that saw him surrender seven runs at Coors Field. The shaky finish nudged his ERA from 3.70 to 4.12.
Overall, 2026 proved solid for Bradish. In his first full campaign after Tommy John, he logged 29 starts and threw 155 innings, both the second‑highest totals of his career and his best since a 30‑start, 168 2⁄3‑inning season in 2023.
Bradish earned a $3.55 MM arbitration award last winter and, in my view, the subsequent five‑year, $90 MM extension was a smart gamble. The deal covers 2027‑31, buying out his final arbitration years and sealing what would have been three free‑agent seasons.
The hernia operation shouldn’t derail his 2027 prep. Assuming a smooth recovery, he’ll slot back into a rotation featuring Shane Baz—who also secured a five‑year deal—and breakout right‑hander Brandon Young. Prospects Trey Gibson and Luis De Leon will get another look, and former top prospect Cade Povich could still factor in.
The Orioles will lose Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin to free agency this winter. Rogers is expected to decline a qualifying offer and chase a multi‑year contract. Elias said he’ll touch base with Rogers’ agents at PSI Sports Management before the pitcher officially hits the market five days after the World Series, according to MASN’s Roch Kubatko.
Even after a single start before UCL surgery, Eflin entered the year with a rotation spot. His exit, combined with possible losses of Rogers and Bassitt, strips Baltimore of three veteran arms it counted on. Young’s surge and the arrivals of Double‑A right‑hander Anthony Eyanson and High‑A Kyson Witherspoon in the Adley Rutschman blockbuster add depth, but the club will likely chase at least two proven starters this offseason.