The injury bug has wasted zero time chewing away at the Orioles’ already unstable bullpen.
Baltimore is placing veteran reliever Dietrich Enns on the 15-day injured list with a left foot infection retroactive to April 4, the team announced Monday afternoon.
In other news, Baltimore has its starter for Monday night’s game.
Everybody welcome back Brandon Young!
Young is being recalled from the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in the corresponding move, and will start Baltimore’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
Young, 27, started 12 games for the O’s a season ago, accumulating a 6.24 ERA and 47 strikeouts. The right-hander earned his first major league win in his second-to-last start of last season, which saw him allow just one hit to the Houston Astros during a 7-0 O’s victory.
Young has made one start for the Tides thus far, allowing five hits and one earned run across five innings against the Memphis Redbirds on Tuesday.
For the ‘pen, injuries swipe another arm, this time one of the unit’s most experienced.
The 34-year-old lefty had notched a 4.15 ERA through his first three appearances of the season. Though he has walked five batters this season, he is the bullpen’s leader in strikeouts with seven.
The O’s unproven bullpen is now down to just one left-handed arm in Grant Wolfram.
Wolfram is coming off his best outing of the season, a two-strikeout inning in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The hope is that he can anchor the ‘pen as the lone lefty reliever.
Enns’ injury also likely opens a solidified bullpen spot for the young Cade Povich, who looked impressive in Baltimore’s Easter disaster.
Povich, who was originally slated to start Monday night before veteran Chris Bassitt had a breakdown on the mound on Sunday, pitched 5 ⅔ innings against Pittsburgh, recording two strikeouts and allowing two earned runs.
Again, the expected long-term fifth starter while Zach Eflin recovers from an elbow injury is Dean Kremer, who was ineligible to start on Monday due to lack of rest.
The 30-year-old right-hander Kremer will eventually start in place of Eflin. The only question is when.
Baltimore is aiming to remove a bitter taste in its mouth left by a sweep from the Pirates. First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. tonight.
