Due to Jason Hammel’s injury, the Orioles’ new ace is lefty Wei-Yin Chen. Chen has pitched well for the Orioles so far this year as he has started 18 games in which he is 7-5 with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Behind him the Orioles have 28-year old Miguel Gonzalez. Gonzalez has pitched in 5 games (2 starts) so far this year and he is 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. This is his first taste of the majors. 24-year old Chris Tillman is also currently in the rotation. He started 1 game so far this year for the O’s and he was the winning pitcher, working 8 1/3 innings allowing 2 hits, 2 runs (both unearned), with 2 walks while whiffing 7 batters. He was very impressive in his first start. But, he has pitched in 37 games (all starts) in his first four years with the Orioles and he is 8-15 with a 5.33 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. The Orioles now have to choose two more starting pitchers out of the minors. Lefty Zach Britton should get one of the jobs as he is looking good in the minors. The other spot will likely to to Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz or Tommy Hunter. All of those guys have failed with the Orioles earlier this year. Arrieta has the best stuff, but it hasn’t translated into success at the major league level. He has pitched in 18 games (all starts) for the Orioles so far this year and he is 3-9 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Lefty Brian Matusz has also been awful this year for the Orioles. He has pitched in 16 games (all starts) for the Orioles so far this year and he is 5-10 with a 5.42 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Righty Tommy Hunter also has failed so far this year. He has pitched in 15 games (13 starts) for the Orioles this year and he is 3-4 with a 6.11 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. The #1 need for the Orioles at the trade deadline is starting pitching. They would be smart to make a deal as soon as possible if they are serious about making the playoffs this year.

26-year old righty starting pitcher Jake Arrieta has outstanding stuff, but he just doesn’t know how to pitch. Give his arm to Jamie Moyer, and he would have 400 wins in his career already. Arrieta has pitched in 17 games (all starts) for the Orioles so far this year and he is 3-9 with a 5.81 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Manager Buck Showalter is starting to run out of patience with him. Arrieta has now pitched in 57 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Orioles and he is 19-23 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.

The Orioles have sent 25-year old righty starting pitcher Tommy Hunter to AAA. Hunter has started 10 games for the O’s so far this year and he is 2-3 with a 5.59 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He has given up a stunningly awful 13 homers in his first 58 innings this year. The Orioles have called up 28-year old righty reliever Miguel Gonzalez to replace Hunter on the pitching staff. Gonzalez pitched in 11 games (3 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he was 2-1 with 1 save, a 1.50 ERA and a 0.50 WHIP. He only gave up 10 hits and 5 walks in 30 innings this year while whiffing 36 batters in the minors, and that is impressive. He made his major league debut for the Orioles last night, working 3 1/3 innings allowing 4 hits and 1 run (it was earned), while whiffing 5 batters and walking none.

33-year old righty reliever Kevin Gregg started 2011 as the Orioles’ closer and now he’s essentially a mop up man. Gregg pitched in 63 games (0 starts) for the Orioles last year and he was 0-3 with 22 saves, a 4.37 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He walked 40 batters in only 59 2/3 innings last season and it was a big reason why he lost his closer’s gig. He has pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the O’s so far this year and he is 0-3 with 22 saves, a 4.37 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. The Orioles aren’t going to pitch Gregg at all when the game is close until he starts pitching better.

25-year old lefty starting pitcher Brian Matusz is likely running out of time to impress with 31-year old lefty starter Tsuyoshi Wada on a rehab assignment. Matusz has started 2 games for the Orioles so far this year and he is 0-2 with a 8.38 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP. He has given up 13 hits (2 of which were homers) and he has also walked 8 batters in his first 9 2/3 innings so far this year. Matusz has now pitched in 14 games (all starts) in his last two years with the O’s and he is 1-11 with a 10.31 ERA and a 2.12 WHIP. Matusz is running out of time to get his career with the Orioles back on the right track as he looked pretty decent in his first two years with the team.

24-year old lefty starting pitcher Brian Matusz has been flat out pathetic for the Orioles in 2011. He has pitched in 10 games (all starts) for the Orioles so far this year and he is 1-7 with a 9.84 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. Matusz has given up 68 hits (15 homers) and he has also walked 19 batters in his first 43 innings of the season! Matusz has now pitched in 50 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Orioles and he is 16-21 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. The Orioles will give Matusz another shot to make the starting rotation next spring.

33-year old righty closer Kevin Gregg has been putrid lately for the Orioles. In his last five games, Gregg is 0-1 with 1 save, a 21.00 ERA and a 4.00 WHIP. He has given up a stunning 9 hits while also walking 3 batters in his last 3 innings pitched! Gregg has pitched in 51 games (0 starts) overall this year for the Orioles and he is 0-2 with 18 saves, a 4.50 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP as he has walking an amazingly bad 31 batters in his first 48 innings this year. Don’t be surprised if the O’s take Gregg out of his closer role and replace him with Jim Johnson in the near future.

The Orioles have sent 24-year old lefty starting pitcher Brian Matusz to AAA. In his last four starts for the Orioles, Matusz was 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.59 WHIP. He has started 6 games for the O’s so far this year and he is 1-4 with a 8.77 ERA and a 1.99 WHIP. The Orioles have to be very disappointed with how poorly Matusz has pitched this year as they had high hopes for him. Matusz started 32 games for the Orioles last year and he was 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. He pitched especially well last year after Buck Showalter took over as the manager. The Orioles hope that Matusz gets straightened out in AAA, so that he can get back to Baltimore.

32-year old righty reliever Kevin Gregg is on thin ice with the Orioles as far as the closer’s job is concerned. Gregg pitched in 12 games (0 starts) in May for the Orioles and he was 0-1 with 4 saves, a 3.97 ERA and a 2.03 WHIP as he walked 13 batters in only 11 1/3 innings pitched. Gregg has now pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Orioles this year and he is 0-1 with 9 saves, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. If Gregg doesn’t start pitching better soon, 36-year old righty reliever Koji Uehara might take his closer’s job away from him. Uehara has pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the O’s so far this year and he is 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He has only given up 15 hits while walking 5 batters in his first 23 2/3 innings with 29 whiffs, as he has been very impressive. Uehara pitched in 43 games (0 starts) last year for the Orioles and he was 1-2 with 13 saves, a 2.86 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Uehara is flat out a better pitcher than Gregg is, so look for the switch at closer to come soon if Gregg doesn’t start pitching better soon.

Young righties Jake Arrieta and Chris Tillman are having issues right now for the Orioles. Arrieta has started 3 games for the Orioles so far this year and he is 1-1 with a 7.04 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He actually has pitched good in two of his three starts so far this year. Chris Tillman has also started 3 games for the Orioles so far this year and he is 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP. Tillman hasn’t been anywhere as good as Arrieta, but he did look good in his first start of the year. The Orioles need to stick by these guys for a while this season to see what they have in them. Both of these guys have electric stuff.