The Baltimore Orioles struck gold last year with a trade with reliever George Lopez.
He was pitching like an All-Star, but the Orioles traded him to four young pitchers from the Minnesota Twins’ system.
One of those pitchers was fellow reliever Yenier Cano.
Cano hasn’t really aged the potential, as he’s already 29.
However, he is enjoying a successful campaign with the O’s.
He allowed no earned runs in 20.2 frames, struck out 23 hitters and raised eyebrows everywhere.
His changeup, his go-to pitch, is a thing of beauty.
yenier cano’s changeup is simply unstoppable 🤯@Orioles , #birdland pic.twitter.com/rZlbl6sXVq
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) May 16, 2023
The man didn’t even let a hit off his changeup.
Statcast’s expected figures on the pitch (considering whiff rate, exit velocity, launch angle and other factors) are also unreliable.
He has fooled the hitters with the pitch.
Cano has, without a doubt, been one of the greatest relievers and one of the reasons the Orioles are 27-15 and in second place in the AL East division.
Not only is he stingy in scoring runs, but the guys on the mound don’t get on base with him.
His WHIP, as of Wednesday afternoon, stood at 0.19.
No, that’s not a typo: He’s given up just four hits and no walks in his 20.2 innings so far.
As long as Cano and fellow major reliever Felix Bautista are healthy, the Orioles bullpen will remain elite.
Imagine reaching the eighth inning down in the score against Baltimore.
It might be easier to go to the moon than flip the score against both Cano and Bautista.
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