The Baltimore Orioles received two helpings of bad news on Friday, as they announced that starters John Means and Tyler Wells will both require elbow surgery. Each pitcher has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament, though it’s unclear at this stage if they’ll necessitate Tommy John surgery or the alternative internal brace procedure. Either way, they’ll miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
The Orioles, who are also without right-handed starter Dean Kremer on account of a strained triceps, seem like a reasonable bet to pursue starting pitching help between now and the July 30 deadline. As it stands, Baltimore’s rotation includes ace Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, lefty Cole Irvin, and journeyman Albert Suárez. While that group has performed well as a unit — they entered Friday ranked third in rotation ERA — it’s fair to have some reservations about the back …