A past and potential future ace for the Baltimore Orioles will start on the mound Friday night for the Norfolk Tides.
Left-hander John Means, a 2019 AL All-Star who once threw a no-hitter, is set to make his next appearance for Norfolk as he attempts to return to the major leagues after having Tommy John surgery in May 2022.
Means, who pitched for the Tides in 2018 and ’21, has made three rehab starts for Double-A Bowie this season, going 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings. He is expected to pitch five innings for Norfolk, with his next appearance possibly coming for the first-place Orioles.
An 11th-round pick in the 2014 draft out of West Virginia, Means retired all 27 batters he faced in a 2021 game against the Seattle Mariners. The lone hitter to reach base did so when Means threw a wild pitch on a swinging third strike. The runner was then caught stealing.
Means, 30, has a 20-24 career record and a 3.81 ERA in parts of five major league seasons. He last made a start in the big leagues on April 13, 2022.
David Hall, [email protected]. Twitter @DavidHallVP.
