Over the previous two seasons, few beginning pitchers within the majors have thrown extra innings — or extra strikes — than Cole Irvin.
For the veteran left-hander, who the Orioles acquired in a commerce from the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, being an innings-eater and filling up the strike zone are key elements of his identification as a pitcher. In a sport that has grow to be fascinated with velocity, anticipated metrics and Statcast information, Irvin is aware of what he’s — and, simply as importantly, what he isn’t.
“I do know who I’m, I’ve at all times recognized who I’m. And that’s a beginning pitcher who eats innings and will get outs,” Irvin stated throughout a video name Friday. “I might not be fancy, I might not be lighting up the radar gun quite a lot of the time. However what I do is I feel by means of my pitch choice, the place I wish to be, and I understand how to get hitters out. On the finish of the day, that’s all my job is to do is to get these guys out.”
Irvin has averaged about 180 innings for Oakland the previous two seasons whereas recording a 4.11 ERA and an elite 5.2% stroll fee. With skilled beginning pitching a necessity for Baltimore getting into the offseason, Irvin now joins a protracted checklist of rotation choices.
As starter John Means continues to recuperate from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgical procedure, Irvin is anticipated to be the one lefty within the rotation to start the 12 months. Means’ absence may even probably make Irvin, who turns 29 subsequent week, the second-most skilled beginning pitcher behind solely Kyle Gibson, a 10-year veteran who the group signed to a $10 million contract in December.
“There’s a lot expertise while you look across the subject,” Irvin stated. “You’ve received Adley [Rutschman] and Gunnar [Henderson]. … There’s a lot good right here with this group and this group simply to sit up for this season coming off a really profitable season final 12 months. It wasn’t the place the group needed to finish up I’m certain, however there’s quite a lot of potential to show some extra heads in our path.”
Irvin, a fifth-round draft decide by Philadelphia in 2016, additionally is aware of what it’s prefer to be traded to a group on the other coast. Earlier than the 2021 season, he was traded from Philadelphia to Oakland, the place he received his first shot at being a daily starter within the huge leagues.
Whereas he led the American League in losses (15) and hits allowed (195) in 2021, he nonetheless posted 15 high quality begins (six-plus innings, three or fewer earned runs) and a 4.24 ERA. He registered one other 15 high quality begins in 2022 — a quantity that might have led all Orioles pitchers, forward of Jordan Lyles’ 13 — whereas his numbers improved throughout the board. Opposing hitters slashed .251/.293/.416 towards Irvin in 2022 in comparison with .275/.322/.424 in 2021. His ERA fell to three.98 as he averaged barely greater than six innings per begin.
His 181 innings would have additionally led the Orioles final 12 months, forward of Lyles’ 179. In actual fact, the final time an Orioles pitcher topped the 180-inning mark was Kevin Gausman (186 2/3) in 2017.
“On the finish of the day, it’s about throwing strikes and getting outs and getting your group within the dugout to attain some runs,” Irvin stated. “Each begin you wish to be high quality. That’s my focus, to place up a top quality begin each outing, even when that’s 5 innings, no runs or one run. I simply assume that there’s quite a lot of issues missed in as we speak’s sport and strikeouts and all that. I feel on the finish of the day it’s all about getting outs and doing all of your job. That’s what I received traded to do.”
Loading up the zone as often as Irvin does has its drawbacks, although. With a fastball that averages barely over 90 mph and a scarcity of a put-away pitch, Irvin’s 6.4 strikeouts-per-nine innings ranked third-worst amongst certified beginning pitchers final season. He’s additionally struggled away from the Athletics’ pitcher-friendly RingCentral Coliseum. Final 12 months, Irvin was glorious at dwelling with a 3.07 ERA and 1.02 walks and hits per innings pitched, however these figures ballooned to five.26 and 1.35, respectively, on the highway.
Whether or not or not the small pattern of his home-road splits are indicative of something, pitching in entrance of Camden Yards’ new left-field wall will assist Irvin considerably in comparison with Oriole Park’s earlier dimensions.
“I’m excited. I really like Camden Yards, it’s considered one of my favourite ballparks to go to,” Irvin stated. “I’m excited to name it dwelling, that’s for certain, with the left subject being pushed again just a little bit — or a lotta bit.”
Irvin is considered one of a number of pitchers who’re rotation candidates heading into spring coaching, and each he and Gibson are seemingly locks to replenish two of the 5 spots. Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, Grayson Rodriguez, DL Corridor and some different starters on the group’s 40-man roster are up for the ultimate three spots.
To accumulate Irvin, who’s getting into his last pre-arbitration 12 months and is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2026 marketing campaign, the Orioles gave up infield prospect Darell Hernaiz. Baltimore additionally acquired minor league right-hander Kyle Virbitsky within the deal.
Hernaiz, 21, hit .273 and stole 32 bases throughout three ranges of Baltimore’s minor league system final season, ending in Double-A. Hernaiz, who’s now ranked as Oakland’s No. 18 prospect on MLB Pipeline, was behind a number of high infield prospects in Baltimore’s system. Moreover, he will likely be Rule 5 eligible subsequent offseason, that means the Orioles would’ve been confronted with the choice so as to add him to the 40-man roster or danger dropping him within the Rule 5 draft.
For Irvin, the commerce to Baltimore is an “thrilling” alternative to be on a younger group hopeful of competing for a playoff spot. But it surely’s extra so simply “good to be needed,” he stated.
“I really feel like I used to be needed and really feel like this group noticed worth in what I can do,” Irvin stated.
Spring coaching
Pitchers and catchers report: Feb. 15
First full-squad exercise: Feb. 21
Grapefruit League opener: Feb. 25 vs. Twins
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