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Baltimore Orioles Make Chris Bassitt Decision Before Tigers Game
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- Baltimore Orioles Make Chris Bassitt Decision Before Tigers Game
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The Baltimore Orioles had a busy offseason in MLB free agency, but so far they have not seen those moves pay off in 2026. Entering Friday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers , they sit eight games below the .500 mark and are continuing to search for answers in every area.
One player who was expected to significantly improve the floor of the starting rotation, right-hander Chris Bassitt , has instead had one of the toughest seasons of his career. He signed a one year, $18.5 million deal this past winter, but the results have not matched the investment.
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The 37-year-old veteran owns a 5.44 ERA through his first nine appearances, with just 30 strikeouts in 43 innings of work.
Bassitt has not posted an ERA above 5.00 in more than a decade, so this early performance is concerning. As a result, the Orioles decided to make an adjustment ahead of his scheduled start on Friday. " Keegan Akin will start tonight, the Orioles say, as an opener before Chris Bassitt," reported Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun.
This is not the first time the Orioles have used Keegan Akin as an opener for Bassitt. They tried the same approach earlier this month on May 10 against the Athletics , and it worked.
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Bassitt followed Akin and delivered one of his best outings of the season, tossing six innings and allowing just one run. With Baltimore coming off an off day on Thursday and the bullpen fully rested, the timing made sense to try the strategy again.
The matchup also supports the decision. Detroit features several left-handed hitters near the top of the order, including Kevin McGonigle, Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene .
Limiting how many times they face Bassitt and instead letting the left-handed Akin open the game is a smart move. Akin has struggled this year, but historically he has handled left-handed hitters well.
Once Bassitt enters, he will look to contain a Detroit offense that has been inconsistent all season. The Orioles are trying to stop the bleeding after being swept earlier this week by the AL-East leading Tampa Bay Rays . They need Bassitt to turn in a quality start.
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Baltimore's season is slipping away, and their rotation has been a major reason why. They have lost multiple starters to injury, but even the healthy arms such have not performed. As a result, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is making some adjustments and hoping for change.
