Orioles won't rule out moving struggling Charlie Morton to the bullpen despite rotation injuries

Morton has a 10.89 ERA after five starts this season

The Baltimore Orioles have opened the season in disappointing fashion, amassing a 9-12 record that has them closer to last than first place in the American League East. The main culprit behind Baltimore's lousy first month? A rotation that ranks 30th in the majors in earned run average. 

Even though the Orioles have seen several starting pitchers go down with injuries, it appears they're considering moving the worst offender of the bunch to the bullpen. Veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, who joined the Orioles over the offseason on a one-year pact worth $15 million, has surrendered at least four runs in each of his first five starts. In turn, Morton is sporting a 10.89 ERA (34 ERA+) and a 1.40 strikeout-to-walk ratio that verifies he's been poor by every measure.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was asked about demoting Morton to the bullpen ahead of Tuesday's game versus the Washington Nationals. To that, Hyde told reporters (including the Baltimore Sun): "Anything is on the table at [this] point."

As noted above, the Orioles have suffered their share of pitcher injuries. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells are recovering from elbow surgeries; Zach Eflin and Chayce McDermott both have strained lats; Grayson Rodriguez has elbow inflammation; Albert Suárez is down with shoulder inflammation; and Trevor Rogers, who will commence a rehab assignment on Wednesday and whose return could theoretically spur movement on Morton's behalf, has been sidelined by a kneecap subluxation.

Of the six pitchers the Orioles have started at least once this season, only two of them (Japanese newcomer Tomoyuki Sugano and Eflin) have an ERA+ above 70. To emphasize that statistic: four of the six Orioles starters have an ERA that is at least -- at least -- 30% below the league-average mark.

One of those four, Dean Kremer, will try to begin to right the ship on Tuesday night against a Nationals lineup that ranks 19th in runs scored (BAL -105, WAS -115, over/under 9.5, via Caesars).

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