Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz's stint in the bullpen is temporary, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Eduardo A. Encina.
Encina spoke to Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette, who said moving Matusz to the bullpen fills a temporary void, and that he eventually will return to starting. The Orioles are looking for a reliever who can shut down left-handed hitters, and Matusz appears to be a fit. He’s held lefties to a .233/.281/.384 slash line over his career.
The Orioles only have one left-handed reliever in their bullpen with J.C. Romero, so the team is desperate for help. Matusz may not be up immediately, however, as the team wants him to get some experience relieving in the minors before promoting him.
While the team will use Matusz as a reliever this season, they still have faith in him succeeding as a starter. After a strong rookie season, Matusz has struggled as a starter in the majors. In 354.2 innings pitched, Matusz has a 5.51 ERA and a 4.82 FIP for the Orioles.
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