Suddenly, one of the biggest question marks heading into the 2025 season seems a bit more certain for the Orioles.

Baltimore made a significant addition to its bullpen early Friday by agreeing to a one-year deal with right-hander Andrew Kittredge, a source confirmed to the Baltimore Banner. The contract, first reported by The Athletic, is worth $9 million for 2025 and has a $9 million club option for 2026 or a $1 million buyout clause.

The 34-year-old brings ample experience in the American League East, having played for the Tampa Bay Rays from 2017 to 2023. He was an All-Star in 2021, when he produced a 1.88 ERA in 71 2/3 innings with eight saves. Last year, his first and only season with the St. Louis Cardinals, Kittredge again performed well; the 34-year-old finished with a 2.80 ERA in 70 2/3 innings.

He has the potential to be a high-leverage arm but won’t be expected to close games. With right-hander Félix Bautista returning from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, the back-end of the bullpen appears secure, with right-hander Yennier Cano, left-hander Cionel Pérez, right-hander Seranthony Domínguez and Kittredge all in the mix for big moments.

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Kittredge relies heavily on his slider and he recorded swings and misses on 38.9% of his pitches out of the zone last year, according to Statcast — ranking in the 100th percentile. He also drew a 27.8% whiff rate.

The righty also kept his walk count low, giving free passes to 7% of the batters he faced.

Kittredge also mixes in a sinker and four-seam fastball, but his slider accounts for about half of his pitches. His whiff rate leaps to 41.3% on his slider alone, and it’s a well-above average pitch in baseball, with a 133 Stuff+ rating, per FanGraphs.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in June of 2022, but his performances for St. Louis last season indicates that he’s back to his best.

By signing Kittredge, the Orioles have acquired five players on major league deals this offseason: starting pitchers Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano; catcher Gary Sánchez; and outfielder Tyler O’Neill.