The Orioles’ bullpen is getting a boost before the series finale against the Brewers.

Among the more intriguing moves the Baltimore Orioles made last offseason was signing veteran reliever Andrew Kittredge.

Coming off one of the best seasons of his eight-year MLB career, the O’s brought in Kittredge to add bullpen depth behind the likes of Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano.

Nearly two months into the season, Baltimore will finally see what the right-hander can provide.

The Orioles announced that Kittredge was activated from the injured list before Wednesday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 35-year-old joins Baltimore following a lengthy rehab stint in the minors, as he built his strength back after undergoing a left knee debridement.

Kittredge, a one-time All-Star in 2021, was lights out for the St. Louis Cardinals last season. He finished in the 100th percentile with a 38.9% chase rate, much of that due to a devastating slider.

Kittredge threw his slider nearly 50% of the time, causing a 41.3% whiff rate according to Baseball Savant. Opponents posted a .177 batting average against the slider.

It is interesting how interim manager Tony Mansolino will utilize Kittredge. More than two-thirds of his appearances last season were in the eighth inning or later. Kittredge recorded 37 holds and one save in 74 games.

Bautista and Cano, two late-inning stalwarts for the O’s, have struggled lately. Both allowed an earned run in each of their last three outings. Cano’s ERA has skyrocketed to 5.09. That might open the door for Kittredge to become Baltimore’s set-up man.

Orioles looking to avoid an MLB-worst against the Brewers

The past few days have been unpleasant for the Orioles.

Nothing has changed in the aftermath of Brandon Hyde’s dismissal, and Baltimore is still searching for its first win under his replacement.

Injuries undoubtedly played a role in the wretched start to the season for the Orioles. The O’s had 14 players on the injured list at one point, adding to the dismay of the team’s production on the field.

The returning Orioles were supposed to help pick up the slack of a damaged roster.

That hasn’t been the case, as Baltimore is left with more questions than answers during their current eight-game losing streak. No MLB team has lost nine in a row this season.

One constant positive for the O’s is Tomoyuki Sugano, who gets the start today in Milwaukee. Although his streak of allowing three or fewer runs ended his last time out, Sugano still looked sharp for much of the outing. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, three of which came in one inning.

A key for Sugano today is to keep the ball on the ground. Only two teams have a higher batted ball percentage of ground balls than the Brewers this season.

Look for Sugano to use his impressive offspeed stuff to limit the damage and induce weak contact from Milwaukee’s lineup.