You could make the case that in 2023, no AL pitcher more dramatically outperformed expectations than Kyle Bradish.
As a 25-year-old, the right hander cracked the Orioles rotation in April 2022, but an unsightly 7.38 ERA in his first ten career starts got him optioned to Triple-A (shoulder pain was the official line, but also he just wasn’t good). Bradish returned in July with a new pitch mix and posted better results, including a 3.28 ERA in 13 starts down the stretch for a young and unexpectedly competitive Orioles team.
But entering 2023, it wasn’t clear whether Bradish was rotation material, depth, or unworthy of a roster spot at all.