The Latest Breaking News from John Means

BALTIMORE — The Atlanta Braves announced on Monday that they signed strikeout-inducing starter Spencer Strider to a deal that could last through the 2029 season, keeping the rookie right-hander under team control one to two years beyond when he otherwise would have become a free agent.

No team has ever had a turnaround quite like Baltimore this season. Here’s how it happened.

TORONTO — Look around the Orioles starting rotation, and the holes are incredibly apparent. Left-hander John Means and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez are injured, left-hander Bruce Zimmermann was sent down to the minors and right-hander Kyle Bradish is experiencing the lumps that can follow a first-year major leaguer.

BALTIMORE — The Orioles agreed Saturday to a two-year, $5.925 million contract with left-hander John Means to avoid arbitration, an industry source with direct knowledge of the agreement confirmed.

John Means is in the early stages of his recovery from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, but the mustache he sported Wednesday in the Orioles’ clubhouse was in vintage form.

BALTIMORE — Austin Hays looked back into the Orioles’ dugout as he passed first base, as if he wanted to see the expressions on his teammates faces. The ball that had just left his bat — a rocket that just cleared the newly remodeled left-field wall — continued a power…

Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery was once so rare that when the procedure’s namesake had it in 1974, many believed he’d never pitch again. Now, it’s so common that one doctor has performed three such surgeries on Major League Baseball pitchers in the past two weeks.

The Baltimore pitcher had multiple MRIs to confirm that he needed the surgery.

BALTIMORE — In spring training, Rougned Odor subtly bemoaned his time with the New York Yankees. He described their usage of him at third base as “uncomfortable.” The club’s facial hair policy caused him to shave his signature beard, making him unrecognizable to even his daughter.

BALTIMORE — Even as the Orioles came back before falling behind again late to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the focus will be on that fourth inning, when left-hander John Means was last on the mound before an unceremonious departure that will drive worry throughout Baltimore.