Bruce Zimmermann of the Baltimore Orioles has had surgery and is expected to return in the spring.

After spending another season hopping between the minor levels and the Baltimore Orioles, starting pitcher Bruce Zimmermann underwent surgery on Thursday.
The Baltimore Orioles announced Thursday that left-handed pitcher Bruce Zimmermann underwent successful core muscle surgery.

According to MASN’s Roch Kubatko and others, the procedure was performed by Dr. Alex Poor at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia. Zimmermann is anticipated to pitch again in time for spring training.

Zimmermann spent the 2023 season bouncing between Baltimore and Triple-A Norfolk for the third time in a row. Zimmermann went 2-0 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.275 WHIP, and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings in seven major league bullpen appearances.

Zimmermann rose through the Orioles’ farm system as a starting pitcher. At Mount Olive, he went 18-5 with a 3.19 ERA and 28-25 with a 3.54 ERA throughout his minor league career.

Zimmermann has spent time in Baltimore as a spot starter over the last few years. Zimmermann started 13 games in both 2021 and 2022, and he started all 21 of his Triple-A games in 2023.

The Orioles improved this season, winning over 100 games and capturing the AL East title to secure a playoff position. Despite being swept out of the ALDS by the Texas Rangers, Baltimore made it obvious that its rebuilding phase was done.

Zimmermann was replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Kyle Gibson, rookie Grayson Rodriguez, and trade deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty, among others. Even with John Means sidelined for the majority of the season due to injury, Zimmermann was unable to carve himself a steady role as a starter.

With Gibson and Flaherty set to hit free agency and Zimmermann anticipated to be back at full strength by spring, the 28-year-old might reclaim his place in the big leagues. The Orioles only had 17 left-handed starts in 2023, and while Means’ return may help to some extent, it provides Zimmermann a chance to return to the bottom of the rotation in 2024.

In 27 career big league starts, Zimmermann is 5-10 with a 5.89 ERA, 1.535 WHIP, and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings. In 11 appearances out of the bullpen, he is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.133 WHIP, and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.