Orioles Recall Brandon Young From Norfolk to Fill Rotation Spot

Brandon Young, the 27-year-old right-hander who owns a 3.19 ERA across 121 Triple-A innings with Norfolk, arrived at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 6 under some of the least glamorous conditions a pitcher can inherit, then went out and quieted a White Sox lineup for five spotless frames.

The Orioles recalled Young from Triple-A Norfolk earlier that day after left-hander Dietrich Enns was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left-foot infection serious enough to require a hospital visit. The IL placement was made retroactive to Saturday. Young was also Baltimore's second option for the spot start: Cade Povich had thrown 5 2/3 innings in long relief the previous afternoon in Pittsburgh, leaving him unavailable on short rest.

Young allowed just two hits, walked two, and struck out two on 66 pitches, giving the bullpen the bridge it needed. Tyler Wells followed with two innings of relief, Rico Garcia handled the eighth, and Ryan Helsley worked out of a ninth-inning jam, walking the first two batters before striking out Edgar Quero on a 99 mph fastball to preserve the 2-1 final and earn his third save. Baltimore snapped a three-game losing skid. Gunnar Henderson supplied the decisive blow, homering in the sixth off Erick Fedde. Tyler O'Neill added an RBI single in the fourth after White Sox left fielder Austin Hays exited early with a right hamstring injury.

Young picked up the win to improve to 1-0 for the season, a tidy turnaround from his 2025 debut, when he went 1-7 with a 6.24 ERA across 12 starts for Baltimore. The ERA told one story; his xFIP of 4.52 and SIERA of 4.67 told another. His signature outing that season was an almost-perfect game he carried into the eighth inning at Houston in August, the kind of performance that keeps a depth arm in organizational plans.

The roster math around Young extends well beyond one spot start. Zach Eflin, who left his season debut March 31 with right elbow discomfort, flew to Dallas for a second opinion from orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister, leaving the No. 5 rotation spot unresolved. Young, Povich, and Albert Suarez are effectively auditioning for however many turns remain open while Eflin's elbow gets evaluated. The Orioles also moved to patch their bullpen depth, acquiring left-hander Nick Raquet after Enns's absence left Grant Wolfram as the lone southpaw available out of the 'pen.

Young's recall was also timed to push Trevor Rogers back a day for additional rest. Rogers enters his next outing at 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA. For now, Young holds a rotation spot by virtue of having done exactly what the Orioles needed him to do.