“The Comeback Kids,” have embraced their nickname, and the scrappy Baltimore Orioles have rode 7 walk off wins to turn themselves from surefire last place dwellers to playoff contenders. The Orioles have been clutch, and the offense has vastly improved from last year’s dismal squad. But the most important contributor to their new found success has been not the big hits or the new found offensive firepower. It’s been their bullpen.

The 2021 Orioles bullpen was not good. That’s putting it too lightly. The 2021 Orioles bullpen was atrocious. The group pitched to the worst ERA in the game at 5.70, and a FIP not much better at 4.87. It seemed as if they were always giving up big home runs, and they led in dingers per 9 innings at 1.47. Their LOB% was just 65.2%, meaning a whopping 34.8% of inherited runners scored. They truly just could not pitch without avoiding base runners, let alone getting out of any inherited trouble. But after finishing the season a dismal 52-110 and having to watch that dreadful bullpen every night, Orioles GM Mike Elias made some key changes that helped bolster the bullpen for next season.

The 2022 team has offered one of the best bullpens in the game, with the 2nd highest WAR, 3rd lowest ERA, 2nd lowest ground ball rate, and the 4th highest LOB%. The Orioles have transformed their weakest aspect into their strongest aspect, and have ridden the clutch performances of the breakout arms in the pen to being just a half game out of a playoff spot. But this dramatic change didn’t happen because of just one player. Let’s take a look at some of the different relievers who have stepped up in a big way to help push Baltimore to the brink of contention.

Félix Bautista

Equipped with Omar’s whistle from “The Wire” as his walk-out song, Félix Bautista has embraced the role of the Orioles' shutdown closer. The big 27-year-old put together a fantastic minor league season in 2021, and made his major league debut on April 10th of this year. With a wipeout slider and triple digit fastball (99th percentile), batters have struggled mightily off Bautista, and he’s posted a 1.69 ERA while averaging 12 strikeouts per 9 innings (97th percentile). Baustista has been one of the Orioles most valuable relievers, and his promotion this year has been key to their success.

Jorge López

While López was moved at the trade deadline to Minnesota for 3 minor league pitchers, the impact he left cannot be ignored. Lopez had a forgettable 2021, posting a 6.07 ERA and 1.63 WHIP while leading the league in losses with 14. López was one of the worst starters in baseball last year, and it was clear that a change was in order. A shift to the bullpen did miracles on Lopez, as he posted an exceptional 1.68 ERA and 2.99 FIP while ranking in the top 15% in HardHit%, xSLG, xERA, Barrel%, and xBA. He also led the teams in saves, with 19. The fact that the Orioles were able to get 3 mid-tier prospects for him after his dismal 2021 is incredible, and he not only left an impact with this year’s squad but the prospects the Orioles netted in the trade could help the team in the near future.

Keegan Akin

Another starter turned reliever, Akin bounced back from a lackluster 2021 season to put up a 2.80 ERA in 2022. A former 2nd round pick of the Orioles back in 2016, Akin struggled mightily, posting a 6.63 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in 2021. The lefty looked like yet another Orioles pitcher destined for a short career in the bigs. But the change to the bullpen did him well, as did an increase in his slider usage, which batters have just a .251 xwOBA against. The big lefty leads the Orioles bullpen with 61 innings pitched, and his ability to eat innings and get meaningful outs has proved invaluable for Baltimore, who are finally unlocking Akin’s true potential.

Cionel Perez

When Pérez was claimed off waivers from the Reds, expectations were low. The hard-throwing Pérez had pitched to a dreadful 6.38 ERA for Cincinnati in 2021, and sported a 1.71 WHIP. The lefty was just supposed to be a depth acquisition for the Orioles, but has turned into one of their best bullpen arms. His 2.13 WPA (Win Probability Added) leads the bullpen, and he’s worked to a 1.14 ERA in some really high leverage situations. His fastball velocity is in the 90th percentile, but improvements to his slider has given him a primary putaway pitch, something he’s lacked in years past. Getting paid just $705,000, Pérez has been a major bargain for the Orioles in 2022.

Dillon Tate

While Tate had been a successful reliever since 2019 for the O’s, he really took it to a new level in 2022. His ERA has been at a career-low mark, at 2.59, and so has his walk rate, at just 1.71 BB/9. Tate has worked often for the Orioles, and even after being a potential trade deadline continued to get meaningful innings. He’s been able to miss barrels at a solid rate, landing in the 81st percentile in Barrel% and 92nd percentile in chase rate. His sinker is far and away his best pitch, with an astounding -15 run value and opposing batters sporting just a .288 xwOBA against it. Controllable through 2026, Tate is yet another cheap breakout arm from a bullpen full of them.

Joey Krehbiel

The 29-year-old is probably the biggest surprise of this group. A former 12th rounder by the Angels, Krehbiel bounced around from LA to Arizona to Tampa Bay before finding a home in Baltimore. The righty has pitched to career-best numbers, landing in the 93rd percentile in Avg. Exit Velocity and in the 97th percentile in HardHit%. Not bad for someone claimed off waivers. His fastball and changeup combo have been practically unhittable, with hitters batting a combined .146 against the two. His 2.27 ERA has been great, and Krehbiel looks to be a solid option out of the pen for years to come.

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, and their miraculous season wouldn't have happened if it wasn’t for the contributions of these players. For a team that came into the year with so much uncertainty surrounding their bullpen, Bautista, Lopez, Akin, Perez, Tate, and Krehbiel have stepped up in a big way to help make the Baltimore bullpen one of the best in the game. Only time will tell if these guys can keep these numbers up. But things sure look good over at Camden Yards.