New Baltimore Orioles Reliever Says Former Starter Raved About Clubhouse
New Baltimore Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge had a tangential relationship with the team before he signed his one-year deal with the O’s earlier this month.
He spent last year with the St. Louis Cardinals, which meant he worked alongside former Orioles starter Kyle Gibson.
Kittredge didn’t consult with Gibson before he signed the contract, but he did hear from Gibson after the deal was done. And, well, Gibson gave Kittredge the lay of the land, as he told reporters in a video call on Tuesday, including the Baltimore Sun.
“I did talk to Gibby,” Kittredge said. “Had nothing but great things to say about the organization. I was excited to hear from someone who’s been here recently, to kind of know that the clubhouse is in a good spot and there’s a strong desire to win here. There’s an expectation to win here. A lot to be really excited about.”
While he spent some time with the Tampa Bay Rays and is familiar with the franchise, that certainly didn’t give him a window into how things work behind the scenes in Baltimore.
Gibson did, as he pitched for the Orioles in 2023.
In one year, he gave Baltimore veteran leadership in a young starting rotation, as he went 15-9 with a 4.73 ERA. He led the American League in starts (33) and hits allowed (198). He struck out 157 and walked 55 in 192 innings.
Gibson joined the Cardinals in the offseason, where he went 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 30 starts.
Kittredge excelled with the Cardinals, which was his first full season in the Majors since 2021. With St. Louis he went 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA in 74 games, the last of which was a career high. He struck out 67 and walked 20 in 70.2 innings. He also had 37 holds, which was a St. Louis single-season record.
The 34-year-old right-hander missed parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons after he tore the UCL in his right elbow and needed Tommy John surgery.
He was an All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2021, when he went 9-3 with a 1.88 ERA with eight saves in 57 games. He struck out 77 and walked 15 in 71.2 innings.
Kittredge will probably serve as one of the primary set-up men for 2023 Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award winner Félix Bautista, who is set to return to the closer role after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery.
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