Trey Gibson was moved from the taxi squad to the Baltimore Orioles’ active roster and is set to start tonight’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, a promotion that makes this his third major league appearance and second start.
Gibson replaces left-hander Nick Raquet, who was optioned after one day to make room on the roster. Gibson, MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 prospect in the Orioles system, last pitched seven days ago and will take the mound after a mixed pair of early big-league outings: he allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings in his debut at Yankee Stadium on May 3 and gave up one run over two relief innings against the Athletics.
Those major-league flashes sit beside stronger Triple-A work. The Orioles’ 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year posted a 3.69 ERA and a 1.674 WHIP in eight starts with Triple-A Norfolk before his call-ups, numbers the club is betting will translate as it patches a rotation that has been hit by injuries.
The timing matters now: Baltimore has won four of its last five games and is going for the sweep tonight, but the rotation’s season ERA sits at 4.87 — 28th in the majors, narrowly ahead of Houston’s 4.90. Brandon Young, in the rotation because of those injuries, has a 3.47 ERA in seven starts and has allowed only four earned runs over his last three appearances, covering 15 2/3 innings.
The Rays present their own picture of vulnerability. Left-hander Steven Matz, who came off the injured list to face the Orioles last week at Tropicana Field, has a 3.70 ERA in eight starts and allowed one run in four innings against Baltimore. Tampa Bay has lost three in a row for the third time this season and committed seven errors across two games — 39 on the year, the second-most in the majors.
Craig Albernaz, speaking about the starting staff more broadly, said, "I think they’re getting into a groove," and added, "I think they’re in a good cadence of their work and their process, as far as in between starts, making little tweaks that they need to, whether that be delivery or pitch usage." He also noted, "And also with the starting pitching group, they’re a tight-knit group and they also like to talk crap and compete, too. So that competitive nature kind of filters over to the game."
That competitive edge is one of the reasons the club is willing to fast-track a prospect whose major-league resume is still short. Gibson’s last appearance was only seven days ago, and the club will judge tonight whether his Triple-A consistency can cover the rotation’s broader weaknesses.
On the defensive side, Richie Palacios addressed the Rays’ fielding struggles with a blunt reminder: "We’re human. We’re gonna make errors," and, "Don’t try to overcompensate. … Just continue to play the game. We’ll be all right." The Orioles will take comfort from Tampa Bay’s miscues if Gibson can give them length and quality early in the game.
The move also coincides with a minor-league signing: the Orioles announced they signed shortstop Mason Dinesen, 27, to a minor league contract and assigned him to the Florida Complex League, an organizational depth move that underlines how the club is balancing immediate needs with long-term pieces.
The clear test is simple: can Trey Gibson, a top prospect with solid Triple-A numbers but only two big-league outings to his name, deliver a start that steadies a rotation ranked among the worst in baseball? The Orioles are betting yes — and if Gibson gives them length and the club completes the sweep, that gamble will look smart. If he doesn’t, the rotation’s 4.87 ERA will remain a problem that wins and a healthy bullpen cannot hide.
