BALTIMORE — In a surprising turn of events, the Orioles have demoted one of their most consistent innings eaters in recent years.
Starting pitcher Dean Kremer on Saturday was optioned to the minor leagues, failing to make Baltimore's 2026 Opening Day roster.
The team decided against beginning the season with a six-man starting rotation.
With new off-season acquisitions like Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt, along with the re-signing of Zach Eflin, Kremer became the odd man out.
It's a shocking move considering Kremer has logged four consecutive seasons of at least 21 starts and 125 innings pitched in the big leagues.
The 30-year-old righty last year posted a 4.19 ERA and win-loss record of 11-10.
He's also coming off an impressive World Baseball Classic performance where he pitched 4.1 scoreless innings representing team Israel against Nicaragua.
