The Baltimore Orioles have optioned right-hander Dean Kremer to Minor League camp, excluding him from the Opening Day roster due to a deep rotation. This move came on Saturday afternoon in Sarasota, Florida. Kremer, a staple in the rotation for six seasons, led the team in wins and innings last year.
In Sarasota, Florida, the Baltimore Orioles made a surprising decision on Saturday afternoon, optioning 30-year-old right-hander Dean Kremer to Minor League camp. This means Kremer will not be part of the club's Opening Day roster for the 2026 season. Over the past six seasons, Kremer has posted a 4.26 ERA across 671 2/3 innings in 126 games, including 123 starts. In 2025, he led the Orioles with 11 wins and 171 2/3 innings pitched. This spring, he recorded a 5.00 ERA over nine innings in three Grapefruit League starts and pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for Israel against Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic on March 8. He will report to Triple-A Norfolk, with the earliest recall date of April 9 unless needed for an injury replacement. The Orioles' rotation now projects as: Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, and Zach Eflin, with Rogers starting Opening Day. President of baseball operations Mike Elias explained the choice against a six-man rotation or piggybacking due to April's off-days, noting three off-days from March 26 to April 9. 'Looking at the schedule and the amount of off-days that we have in April, that didn’t look beneficial,' Elias said. Elias praised Zach Eflin's recovery from back surgery, highlighted by a strong outing against the Yankees. Recent additions include Shane Baz, acquired from the Rays on December 19, and Chris Bassitt on a one-year, $18.5 million deal. Others optioned include Cade Povich and Brandon Young. Elias noted Kremer's professionalism: 'We had an honest conversation with Dean about it and, in character with him, he was completely professional about it.' Manager Craig Albernaz added, 'Dean handled it like a pro.' Kremer has historically struggled early in seasons, with a 6.24 ERA in March/April over his career. Elias left open the possibility of a six-man rotation later.
