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The Baltimore Orioles invested heavily to acquire Shane Baz in the offseason, signaling their belief that he could be a cornerstone of their starting rotation for years to come. That commitment was further solidified when the Orioles extended Baz\u2019s contract one day into the 2026 season, locking him up for the next five seasons. With a long runway to develop into the pitcher the organization envisions, expectations are high\u2014but after five starts, the reviews have been mixed.<\/p>\n
As noted by commentator Connor4Real, Baz\u2019s performances have shown flashes of brilliance, but there are still areas in need of refinement.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s easy to see the upside with Baz. His fastball explodes out of his hand at 98 mph with a seemingly effortless delivery, a stark contrast to the parade of soft-tossing right-handers Baltimore has relied on in recent years.<\/p>\n
When he locates his knuckle curve effectively, it\u2019s a devastating strikeout pitch that can completely neutralize hitters.<\/p>\n
In short, Baz possesses the raw tools to be a fearsome starter. The challenge lies in harnessing that arsenal consistently. His four-seam fastball command has been inconsistent from start to start, forcing him to rely on his cutter more often than ideal. While effective in moderation, the cutter lacks the upside of his blazing fastball, and left-handed hitters have punished it when overused.<\/p>\n
The knuckle curve, meanwhile, is only as effective as its placement. When Baz misses his spots, opposing hitters capitalize, leading to extra-base hits and a rising ERA. Walks from poor fastball command combined with misplaced curveballs are a dangerous mix, which partially explains why Baz\u2019s ERA sits above five through five starts.<\/p>\n
Despite these struggles, Baz\u2019s outings are far from complete disasters. In his debut against the Twins, he gave up four runs in the second inning but then settled in to pitch into the sixth without allowing another run. Against the Pirates, only one inning produced damage, and against the Guardians, a two-run homer came on the third batter faced, after which Baz delivered four scoreless innings.<\/p>\n
A pattern emerges: most of Baz\u2019s runs and walks occur early, followed by adjustments that stabilize his performance. He hasn\u2019t been chased from any start or suffered a blow-up outing, consistently making it through at least five, often six innings. The issue appears to be preemptive: Baz hasn\u2019t always identified which pitch will be problematic until the damage is done.<\/p>\n
Left-handed hitters have particularly tormented Baz this season, slashing .373\/.438\/.567 against him. This is directly tied to his command issues, as his two go-to pitches against lefties\u2014the four-seam fastball and knuckle curve\u2014have been inconsistent, while the cutter cannot compensate effectively.<\/p>\n
For Orioles fans, there\u2019s reason for optimism: historically, Baz has performed better against left-handed hitters than right-handed ones. Adjustments are likely needed, including better knuckle curve location and increased usage of his changeup, which was his second-most-thrown pitch to lefties last year.<\/p>\n
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Pitchers rarely abandon pitches without reason. Baz\u2019s changeup has reportedly shown less movement this season compared to last, which may explain why he\u2019s hesitant to throw it to lefties as frequently. Still, considering that his current approach hasn\u2019t yielded success, revisiting the changeup could be worthwhile.<\/p>\n
Beyond pitch selection, Baz may also need a bit of luck. His 3.71 FIP is more than a full run below his ERA, and batters are experiencing unusually high BABIP numbers against him. This suggests that some of the damage he\u2019s allowed is due to factors outside his control, such as batted ball luck.<\/p>\n
Despite early struggles, the potential is undeniable. Baz\u2019s combination of velocity, strikeout capability, and secondary pitches offers the Orioles a middle-of-the-rotation starter with ace upside if minor adjustments are made. A little luck and refinement could see him stabilize command, particularly early in games, and become the reliable force the Orioles envisioned when signing him to a long-term deal.<\/p>\n
If Baz can improve fastball command, locate his knuckle curve more consistently, and incorporate his changeup more effectively against left-handed hitters, the \u201cWizard of Baz\u201d nickname might not be far off. For a team that has struggled with rotation consistency in recent years, Baz offers a chance to anchor the staff for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n
Shane Baz\u2019s 2026 season may not be perfect so far, but there is every reason to remain optimistic. His outings show glimpses of brilliance, his ERA is inflated relative to underlying metrics, and he has proven he can settle into games after shaky starts. The Orioles\u2019 investment and belief in Baz as a long-term solution is justified.<\/p>\n
With minor adjustments and a bit of fortune, Baz could transform into the pitcher Baltimore envisioned when they signed him to a five-year contract. Fans can take comfort in knowing that the talent is there\u2014it\u2019s just a matter of harnessing it consistently. The 2026 season may yet be the one where Shane Baz solidifies his role as a reliable, mid-rotation force in the Orioles\u2019 rotation, perhaps even earning the moniker \u201cWizard of Baz\u201d along the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Baltimore Orioles invested heavily to acquire Shane Baz in the offseason, signaling their belief that he could be a cornerstone of their starting rotation for years… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":181473,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-181463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n