Orioles RHP Kyle Bradish to pitch for first time in 14 months after elbow surgery

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kyle Bradish will make his 2025 debut on the mound for the Orioles on Tuesday night, far too late to help Baltimore salvage an extremely disappointing season.

Bradish can, however, provide hope that next year might be a whole lot better — for the right-hander and the last-place Orioles.

Bradish hasn’t pitched in a big league game since June 2024. He underwent Tommy John surgery that same month, and has since worked diligently to return to form.

The results will be on display in his start against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards.

“Obviously he’s been very miserable, not being able to help us this year and watching how this thing has gone,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said Monday.

Bradish went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA in 2023 and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young Award balloting. He was 2-0 last year before going on the IL during a season in which the Orioles repeated as a playoff participant.

With Bradish and ace Grayson Rodriguez opening the 2025 season on the injured list, Baltimore sputtered at the outset and never recovered. The loss of those two, along with subsequent injuries to pitchers Tyler Wells, Zach Eflin and Félix Bautista, have left the Orioles with little chance to finish with a winning record.

Bradish can’t change that, but if he closes strong that could be a positive sign for next year.

“Just the confidence in having a regular offseason,” Mansolino said. “When guys go through injuries, there’s a lot of self-doubt. Are you going to be good enough when you come back? Well, he’s going to answer the question for himself in the next month.”

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