Friday’s roster expansion offered some much-needed relief to an Orioles bullpen that’s been outmanned and overtaxed throughout August as the club carried six starting pitchers and two weeks ago added seldom-used Rule 5 draft pick Anthony Santander.
While the two relievers the Orioles added Friday — right-handers Jimmy Yacabonis and Richard Rodriguez — bring just 6 2/3 innings of major league experience, they will help provide length until further reinforcements can join the active roster over the next week.
Still, if the way Orioles manager Buck Showalter maneuvered his bullpen in Friday night’s 13-inning 1-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays is an indication, having additional arms might only reduce the strain on the top relievers only so much until more bullpen options arrive when they become eligible to be recalled in the coming days.