Bruce Zimmermann

Bruce Anthony Zimmermann (born February 9, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career
Zimmermann graduated from Loyola Blakefield in 2013. Undrafted out of high school in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at Towson University to play college baseball. He transferred to the University of Mount Olive after his sophomore year. In 2017, as a senior at Mount Olive, he was 9–2 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 129 batters in 99 innings.

Atlanta Braves
After Zimmermann's senior year, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. He signed for $10,000, and was assigned to the Danville Braves, where he was 0–1 with a 3.09 ERA in 11 starts. He began 2018 with the Rome Braves, with whom he was named a South Atlantic League All-Star, before being promoted to the Mississippi Braves in June.

Baltimore Orioles
On July 31, 2018, Zimmermann, Jean Carlos Encarnacion, Brett Cumberland, Evan Phillips and international signing money were traded to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day. He was assigned to the Double-A Bowie Baysox and finished the season there. In 25 starts between Rome, Mississippi, and Bowie, he compiled an 11–7 record with a 3.21 ERA. He returned to Bowie to begin 2019 before being promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in July. Over 25 games (24 starts) between the two clubs, Zimmermann pitched to a 7–6 record with a 3.21 ERA, striking out 134 over 140 innings.

His addition to the Orioles' 60-player Alternate Training Site pool was delayed to August 2020 due to his recovery from COVID-19. Hours after he was added to the team's 40-man roster when his contract was selected by the Orioles, Zimmermann pitched three innings as the starting pitcher in his MLB debut in a 10–6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a two-night doubleheader at Camden Yards on September 17, 2020. Zimmermann gave up six earned runs over seven innings pitched in his debut season in 2020.

On August 15, 2021, Zimmermann was placed on the 60-day injured list. Zimmermann had been nearing a return to the team from biceps tendinitis but suffered a sprained right ankle. He was activated from the injured list on September 28. On the season, he went 4-5 with a 5.04 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched across 14 games (13 starts).

In 2022, Zimmermann made 15 appearances (13 starts) for Baltimore. In 73.2 innings pitched, he recorded a 2-5 record with a 5.99 ERA and 49 strikeouts. On June 16, 2022, he was optioned to Norfolk after allowing six runs in 4.2 innings pitched against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Zimmermann was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to begin the 2023 season. On June 13, 2023, while pitching for Norfolk, Zimmermann tossed a complete–game shutout against the Worcester Red Sox. He pitched in just seven games for Baltimore, logging a 4.73 ERA with 14 strikeouts in $13 1⁄3$ innings of work. Following the season on October 19, Zimmermann underwent core muscle surgery.

Zimmermann was optioned to Triple–A Norfolk to begin the 2024 season.