During the offseason, the Baltimore Orioles focused on improving their starting rotation by reacquiring Zach Eflin and adding Shane Baz through a trade, alongside signing Chris Bassitt. These moves aimed to bring stability and depth, but they also left Cade Povich’s future with the team less clear. Despite not receiving significant offseason attention, the 25-year-old left-hander from the Minnesota Twins’ third-round draft remains a potential asset for the Orioles.
In the previous season, Povich pitched just over 112 innings with a 5.21 ERA, though his underlying numbers painted a more encouraging picture. He recorded a strikeout rate above 24% and an expected FIP of 3.95, showing promising skills despite limited experience in fewer than 40 major league appearances. This suggests that Povich might still have a place on Baltimore’s pitching staff moving forward.
Cade Povich’s Potential Shift to the Bullpen
Recent developments indicate Cade Povich could transition from starting pitcher to reliever in 2026. In his Grapefruit League debut this spring, he delivered two scoreless innings and expressed willingness to embrace a new role if the team believes it benefits their success.
“It’ll continue with talks with them,”
Povich said.
“If whatever they come to me with, if they say, ‘We think this is going to help the team best,’ then I’m all for it.”
?Cade Povich, Orioles pitcher
This kind of shift has proven successful in the past, as with Brad Keller, who transformed from a struggling starting pitcher with the Kansas City Royals into a key bullpen figure for the Chicago Cubs. Povich could follow a similar path, becoming a valuable bullpen presence for the Orioles in 2026.
Left-Handed Bullpen Depth Remains a Priority
The Orioles currently have Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns as their primary left-handed relief pitchers, but neither has secured a guaranteed spot on the Opening Day roster, partly due to less than ideal performances in spring training. This lack of certainty in southpaw bullpen options makes Povich’s flexibility more appealing, as Baltimore seeks effective relief pitching to complement their improved rotation.
Given the team’s offseason moves and spring training progress, deploying Povich in the bullpen might be the Orioles’ best strategy for maximizing their pitching staff’s depth and effectiveness throughout the 2026 campaign.
