No Surprise As Orioles DFA ex-All-Star with 16.78 ERA

Well, that didn't last long. And who'd have seen this coming? The Baltimore Orioles have cut short their failed experiment with 13-year veteran right-handed starter Kyle Gibson after just four outings, designating him for assignment. Gibson had a 16.78 ERA.

The Orioles neglected their pitching staff in the offseason, watching ace Corbin Burnes sign a free agent deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and only bringing in as replacements the likes of 41-year-old Charlie Morton, and then Gibson.

No surprise that the O's have gotten off to a horrendous 15-30 start, buried in last place in the AL East, a division they won in 2023 with 101 wins, and finished as runner-up in 2024, with 91 wins.

Gibson surrendered 29 hits, seven walks and seven home runs in just 12 innings over his four starts, with a 2.91 WHIP (yes, you read that right). In his last start with the O's over the weekend, it took him 40 pitches to record a single out against the Washington Nationals.

Gibson, 37, has had an ERA above 5.00 in five of his 12 prior major league seasons, with a career 4.60 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Not the stuff winning rotations are made of.

Morton hasn't fared so well, either, this season, with a 7.68 ERA in seven starts with a 1.75 WHIP.

All of this has left Baltimore with the second-worst team ERA in baseball, at 5.52, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies. And it's resulted in the firing of manager Brandon Hyde.

Until the team decides to spend some money on significantly upgrading the starting staff, they will continue to underachieve.