A month after signing with Orioles, Ferris alum Andrew Kittredge likes what he’s seeing, hearing

Over a year after he threw his final pitch for the Orioles, Kyle Gibson is still helping the young ballclub foster strong bonds in the clubhouse.

The veteran right-hander spent only one year with Baltimore, but he made an impression on his teammates and coaching staff for his leadership. Now with the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson reached out to new Orioles reliever Andrew Kittredge shortly after he signed with them in free agency to shower praise on his former teammates.

“I did talk to Gibby,” Kittredge said in a video news conference last week. “Had nothing but great things to say about the organization. I was excited to hear from someone who’s been here recently, to kind of know that the clubhouse is in a good spot and there’s a strong desire to win here. There’s an expectation to win here. A lot to be really excited about.”

Kittredge, 34, signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Orioles on Jan. 13 that included a $9 million option for 2025, according to a source with direct knowledge of the terms. The right-hander – a 2008 graduate of Spokane’s Ferris High School – shared a clubhouse with Gibson in St. Louis last year, his first season out of the American League East after spending seven years with the Tampa Bay Rays.

After his last two years in Tampa Bay were derailed by a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and the ensuing Tommy John surgery rehabilitation, Kittredge put together one of the best seasons of his career with the Cardinals. He racked up a franchise-record 37 holds along with a 2.80 ERA in 74 games as the primary setup man for star closer Ryan Helsley.

He returns to the AL East with high expectations for the team he spent most of his career looking down at in the standings.

“It’s been cool watching from a distance to see kind of the turnaround that they’ve made in the last couple years,” Kittredge said. “I think it was 2021 when I was in Tampa, we won 18 of 19 against the Orioles, and then two years later they’ve got the best record in the American League. Pretty cool to watch the turnaround that the organization has made and just competing for the American League every year, and hopefully this year we’re competing for the American League again and beyond that.”

The Orioles’ breakout 2023 campaign was fueled, in large part, by their young core led by catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson establishing themselves in the major leagues. Light on veteran voices, the Orioles leaned heavily on Gibson to guide them to their first postseason berth in seven years – much more than his 4.73 ERA might indicate.

Without Gibson last season, the Orioles failed to repeat as AL East division winners and instead had to settle for a wild-card spot after a frustrating second half knocked them behind the New York Yankees in the standings. They’re still looking for their first playoff win since 2014.

Another key component of that 2023 team was a strong bullpen, led by Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award winner Félix Bautista. The imposing closer is expected to be ready for the start of spring training after missing all of the past season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Between his return and the addition of Kittredge, the Orioles are hoping for a rebound performance out of their relievers this season – and for better playoff results to follow.

“I think there’s just a lot of excitement for the bullpen in general, the arms that we’re going to have down there,” Kittredge said. “Hopefully, with Bautista being back and healthy from the sounds of it, everything’s looking good on that end. So, I think I’ve always kind of just had the attitude of, ‘Use me where you where you want to and I’ll try to do my best to be ready in any situation,’ and I expect to be in the mix there late in games, but also I’m willing to do whatever is needed.”