Last week we learned that, unfortunately, both Kyle Bradish and John Means would both be on the shelf to start the 2024 campaign (at the very least). Nobody in Birdland was excited about the prospect of Cole Irvin once again possibly being a member of the rotation. The 30-year-old southpaw began 2023 as a member of the starting five, but got off on the wrong foot, posting a 10.66 ERA over three starts in which he never got out of the fifth inning. He was subsequently demoted to Norfolk before being recalled later in the season. Irvin was a somewhat reliable spot starter/swing man in July and August, and ended the year as a decent option out of the bullpen.
He finished up the campaign with a pedestrian 4.42 ERA in 77.1 IP, but what we’ll remember him most for when it comes to the 2023 Birds will always be his hand in coming up with the Homer Hose/Dong Bong.
Suddenly thrust back into competition for a starter’s role, Irvin seems poised to make the most of it – at least, that is, if you believe your eyes upon watching his spring debut today against Pittsburgh in Bradenton.
Irvin pitched two perfect innings while striking out three, but what really jumped out was his velocity, which was up across the board.
I direct your eyes to the far-right column there. Cole’s four-seamer was up nearly two MPH from his 2023 average, while his cutter was up 2.5 MPH. As you see above, his sinker, curveball, and change also jumped up in velocity.
The first question we all had, naturally, was “is this just a quirky gun in Bradenton?”
Pirates starter Mitch Keller‘s numbers were much more in line with his 2023 averages, so unless he was actually throwing a few MPH slower than expected, we should be able to toss out that theory.
Irvin told reporters that he’s made some adjustments this offseason, and the increased velo didn’t seem to come as a surprise to him. Roch has more:
“I’m feeling good,” [Irvin] said. “All in all, just blessed. A lot of the hard work in the offseason is starting to pay off. That’s what I attribute it to. It was a longer offseason for me because I gave myself no breather of rest, because I just wanted to get better. And so far we’re starting to see the labors of the work…”
“He’s in great shape,” said catcher James McCann. “I know he made a few little mechanical changes and it’s led to him … Just talking to him, I don’t think he sought to increase velocity. I think that it’s just kind of a byproduct of the few things he was working on in the offseason. He looks really good.”
Irvin said he dropped between 12-15 pounds through improved diet and sessions with his strength and conditioning coach, “lifting more weight than I ever have,” and he also worked on his delivery and pitch design.
“Just cleaned a lot of things up,” he said. “I’m just glad the hard work is just showing up. There’s still a lot of spring training left to go and I’m just trying to maintain it and putting my best foot forward.”
All eyes will certainly be on those speed readings the next time Irvin takes the mound down in Grapefruit League action. In 2021 and 2022, he made a combined 62 starts for the Oakland Athletics, posting ERAs of 4.24 and 3.98, respectively. With Oriole Park at Camden Yards now a much more pitcher-friendly park, there shouldn’t be any reason Irvin can’t get back to being that kind of pitcher.
As a fifth starter-type, that would certainly play. Especially with the Orioles awaiting the return of their only (other) lefty starter in Means, being able to slot Irvin into the rotation and send him to the mound every fifth day knowing what you’re going to get would go a long way toward helping the Birds repeat as AL East champs.
How does an April rotation like this strike you?
Cole Irvin
While it certainly isn’t quite the Burnes-Bradish-Rodriguez-Means-Kremer that we’d been dreaming about oh, 10 days ago or so, it could certainly get the job done, as important reinforcements work their way back.
Or would you still prefer the team make another big splash in the pitching market? Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell are still unsigned…
