Irvin 'unreal' over 7 scoreless as O's blank A's

BALTIMORE -- When Kyle Bradish and John Means both return to the Orioles’ rotation in the near future -- Bradish during the upcoming week and Means probably not long after -- Cole Irvin is likely to be one of the two starters bumped out.

Well, not so fast.

Irvin continued his recent hot streak on Saturday afternoon, tossing seven dominant innings in Baltimore’s 7-0 win over Oakland at Camden Yards. The 30-year-old left-hander gave up only four hits (all singles) while recording five strikeouts and no walks during the 89-pitch outing.

No A’s baserunner made it past first base, as Irvin was helped by a pair of double plays. He became the first O’s starter to complete seven innings this season.

“That was unreal. How about that?” said shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who hit one of the Orioles’ three home runs. “That was what you go out there and you look forward to, and he went out there and just excelled. That was really awesome.”

Irvin’s gem came after he tossed 6 2/3 terrific innings at Kansas City last Sunday in the O’s first -- and only prior -- shutout victory this season. He hasn’t allowed a run in his past 14 1/3 frames, marking the longest scoreless streak of his career, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Just go out and execute pitches, and the results will hopefully take care of themselves,” Irvin said. “But it’s baseball, so you never know.”

This was Irvin’s longest start since he went seven innings while pitching for Oakland on Sept. 17, 2022, at Houston. A little more than four months later, he was traded to Baltimore.

Irvin’s first year with the Orioles didn’t go great, as he recorded a 10.66 ERA over his first three starts, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and then spent the rest of the season shuttling back and forth. He also had stints in Baltimore’s bullpen, finishing the year with a 4.42 ERA in 24 games (12 starts).

Through his five starts in 2024, Irvin has a 3.49 ERA over 28 1/3 innings.

Manager Brandon Hyde feels Irvin has been “more unpredictable” to hitters of late due to a better pitch mix. The southpaw used all of his offerings well against his former team, throwing 30 four-seam fastballs, 22 curveballs, 15 cutters, 12 changeups, nine sinkers and one slider while inducing seven whiffs, one off his season high.

“We’ve seen that from him when he was with the A’s. His location was great today,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “He was jamming guys with his cutter. He had a good mix, pitched great, and sometimes, you need to tip your cap.”

The Orioles provided plenty of offensive support. They rallied for three runs with two outs in the fourth, then Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle swatted back-to-back homers in the fifth. Henderson later belted a two-run home run in the seventh, his team-high ninth long ball of the season.

Baltimore’s MLB-high 41 homers through its first 26 games are a franchise record.

“This lineup is just ruthless, night in and night out, and gives teams a tough battle every night,” Irvin said.

Know what may be even tougher? The upcoming rotation decisions faced by the Orioles.

Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez are locked into their spots, and it’s unlikely Dean Kremer will be removed. Earlier this month, it seemed probable Bradish and Means would slide into the other two spots -- the one held by Irvin and the other once occupied by Tyler Wells (who is out with right elbow inflammation) and now filled by Albert Suárez.

The O’s have gotten four scoreless outings from a starter this year -- Irvin’s past two outings and the two most recent starts by Suárez, who threw 11 1/3 sterling frames over his first pair of MLB appearances since 2017. Both Irvin and Suárez are out of Minor League options.

Irvin hasn’t been feeling additional pressure, though. He’s eager for Baltimore’s pitching staff to get closer to full strength, and he hopes to continue to contribute.

“My job has been to just go out, take the ball and get outs. Execute pitches and get outs,” Irvin said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a huge lift for us when they come back.”

It'd also be a big boost if this version of Irvin continues to show up, as he’s been an integral part of the Orioles’ 17-9 start, during which they’ve displayed their potential to thrive in all facets of the game.

“There’s just confidence in this clubhouse, and so, it’s easy to feed off of each other,” Irvin said. “We’re in a great spot as a club. We’re throwing the ball well, we’re hitting well and just doing the little things right.”