As the Orioles' desperate search for starting pitching takes them into the trade market and their own bullpen, outings like Friday's relief appearance by Odrisamer Despaigne are sure to lend some credibility to the idea that he could get a shot in the rotation before long.
Despaigne relieved Dylan Bundy, whose own foray into starting pitching was accelerated out of sheer need, and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings on 63 pitches, only ceding the last out of the ninth inning to Zach Britton for the save after a two-out walk put a pair of Cleveland Indians on.
Manager Buck Showalter has found Despaigne's rubber arm and ability to go multiple innings useful out of the bullpen since he was summoned from the Triple-A Norfolk rotation in mid-June, and has gotten a good sense of him since then.
"He loves to pitch," Showalter said. "This guy loves to pitch. He'd pitch every night if we'd let him. He likes going out there and pitching. He'd had two days off. He kept waiting for a spot. I thought I was going to get him the inning before with [Jason] Kipnis on deck, but he just kept finding a way and cutter was good for him tonight."
Despaigne's scoreless outing lowered his ERA to 3.00 on the button this season in 21 innings, with seven of his 13 appearances going for multiple innings and nine now scoreless. He hasn't gone as long as he did Friday all year, but was asked to keep the ball as almost a piggyback starter behind Bundy.
Despaigne said he's ready to pitch any day, even if there might be more opportunity behind someone on a lower pitch count like Bundy, and said he's happy to contribute in whatever role Showalter bestows on him.
"I'm ready for anytime, no matter if I'm a starter or reliever," Despaigne said through coach Einar Diaz, who translated. "I've got to be ready for that time, but it's the manager's decision. I'm ready."