Orioles’ Dean Kremer to make playoff debut with family in Israel on mind

By James On Oct 10, 2023

Israeli-American pitcher Dean Kremer will make his first postseason start with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, thinking of his family members in Israel, where war was declared following a deadly incursion by the militant group Hamas .

Kremer said he had no hesitation in pitching Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Texas Rangers, a game the Orioles must win to extend their season.

“I still want to pitch, but, I mean, it’s going to be in the back of my mind,” Kremer said Monday.

The 27-year-old right-hander has dual citizenship and much of his extended family lives in Israel. Without going into detail, Kremer said they are doing well for now.

Although born and raised in Stockton, California, Kremer is the son of Israeli parents and strongly identifies as Israeli. He spends time every year in the Jewish state and speaks Hebrew fluently.

Kremer found out Sunday that he would start Game 3. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde met the pitcher in a breakfast conversation Monday.

Dean Kremer is 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 32 starts this season, which included the Orioles' two clinching games. — Dean Kremer is 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 32 starts this season, which included the Orioles’ two clinching games. Photograph: Julio Cortez/AP

“I gave him my support and sympathies for him and his family involved, and he seemed to be OK,” Hyde said. “Obviously he’s very upset and there’s a lot going on. But I didn’t think it was going to affect…I think he’s really looking forward to pitching tomorrow, so I didn’t think it was going to affect him.

Along with the manager, Kremer said almost everyone in the Orioles clubhouse had checked on him at some point over the past few days.

“I’m very grateful for that,” Kremer said.

Kremer is 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA in 32 starts this season, which included the Orioles’ two clinching games. He allowed one run in five-plus innings in an 11-inning win over Tampa Bay on September 17 that secured a playoff berth, and pitched five 1/3 scoreless innings on September 28 against Boston in the team’s 100th victory – winning the AL East. title.

Kremer was the first Israeli to enter a baseball amateur draft when the San Diego Padres obtained him in the 38th round in 2015. Kremer remained in school at that time, but signed the year next after the Dodgers got him in the 14th round. He went to Baltimore as part of the 2018 trade that sent Manny Machado to Los Angeles and made his big league debut with the Orioles in 2020.