Bruce Zimmermann on his time with Orioles: ‘It was incredibly special’
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Bruce Zimmermann, who was born in Baltimore and raised in Ellicott City, is one of the few native Baltimoreans to play for the Orioles. A graduate of Loyola Blakefield High School, he played at Towson University before transferring to Mount Olive University in North Carolina.
Zimmermann was drafted in the fifth round by the Atlanta Braves in 2017 and traded to the Orioles as part of the deal that sent Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to the Braves on July 31st, 2018.
He made his major league debut on September 17th, 2020 in front of an empty Oriole Park during the pandemic-shortened season.
The 29-year-old left-hander was 8-10 with a 5.57 ERA in 38 games from 2020-2023. Zimmermann spent the 2024 season with Triple-A Norfolk and signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19th.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Question: What was it like to play for your hometown team?
Bruce Zimmermann: “It’s something that every guy who gets the chance to play professional baseball always dreams about. Not only was I in the org, but I was able to play in Bowie for a while, then I was able to make my debut with the Orioles and spend parts of the last four seasons with them.
“Looking back on it, it was incredibly special. I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to have that time to play for the Orioles and bringing it back to how they’re doing now and competing in the AL every single year, hopefully for years to come. To be a part of that was special.”
Q: You made your debut without fans because of the pandemic. Did that take away from the experience?
Zimmermann: “Looking back, it was definitely unique. You could look on it in a somewhat negative light, but I choose to look on it in a positive light because it was probably one of the most unique times to make a debut in the history of the game.
“The big thing about that whole debut was having my grandmother, Teresa Slade, still around for it. They did a little Zoom call with my parents and my grandmother from my parents’ basement for my debut. It was really special because she was an Ellicott City native, lifelong Orioles fan.
“When I got traded back to the Orioles, I wanted to debut like everybody else. To be able to have my grandmother witness that, she’s been a fan for her whole, entire life was really special for me.
Note: (Teresa Slade died four months after her grandson’s debut on January 13th, 2021 at 95.)
“It would have been great to have a traditional debut with people in the stands and all my family. I choose to look upon it as a unique experience and the big parts that I wanted to be a part of my debut were there, and I was able to have plenty of others moments and memories throughout the last several years [when] I was able to bring family to the ballpark.”
Q: Was your greatest thrill getting to start the home opener in April 2022?
Zimmermann: “If I had to narrow it down to my favorite and most exciting, right behind the debut was the home opener. It was pretty special to see Camden Yards really packed out for that. To get the honor to pitch that game. I threw well that game, and on top of that, we won that game.
“It was pretty awesome to be part of the fanfare that I watched growing up, the orange carpet and bringing a W to the fans on Opening Day. I’ll remember that pretty distinctly, especially with the [Ravens tight end Todd] Heepesque call of ‘Bruce’ after I punched [out] the last guy in the first inning with the stadium resounding my name. I can still remember it clear as day.” ‘
Q: You were back and forth between the Orioles and Norfolk a lot during your time here. Was that difficult?
Zimmermann: “It’s just part of the game. I don’t think the average fan understands. Even a team like the Yankees, there’s 20 guys or so that are going to be your callups, up and down, all year long for you to get through an entire 162 [games]. That’s just the nature of the game.
“To have that be what happened later in the time with the O’s, that’s just a part of the game. You’ve got to perform to play. That was the role I was given during the end of my tenure with the O’s, and I tried to perform it to the best of my ability. Nobody said this game was easy, and I’m not one to make excuses. The travel from Norfolk to Baltimore isn’t too, too bad, but that’s just the unfortunate role of a long reliever that sometimes you get tasked with being the guy that gets called up with being the fireman and eat some innings.
“It wasn’t anything that guys who play don’t expect.”
Q: Was it hard playing in your hometown? Was there added pressure?
Zimmermann: “I probably added pressure on myself. It’s an overused comment, but pressure is a privilege. It was a privilege to be able to play for my hometown team. I never felt that more was being asked of me than my teammates. I’m just lucky enough that I was able to do it in front of more people than they knew.
“Nobody could put more pressure than I put on myself to hold to the standard of play that I expect from myself. If anything, the privilege was a blessing to have those friends and family in the stands.”
Q: What advice would you give to another major leaguer who got to play in their hometown?
Zimmermann: “Tell them to enjoy it as much as possible. You’re probably going to get a few more calls and a few more texts, but in reality there are very few people that get to play in the major leagues, let alone to play for their hometown team. If it ever feels like it’s getting to be too much, take a step back and realize the position you’ve been blessed with, to be a part of the community that you grew up in that kids look up to.
“In the offseason, going back for camps and doing what you can for that community. Honestly, you get talked about more than you realize, and in a good way. Enjoy the time you have in the city you’re growing up in and playing because it is something special.”
Q: What was your thinking behind choosing Milwaukee when leaving the Orioles?
Zimmermann: “The decision there was opportunity. I loved my time here with the Orioles. You only get so much time in this game. When the time came for me to be a free agent this offseason, I was really excited to see what else was out there. It’s always nice to stay on a 40-man roster and to be available at any point in time, but there was definitely a desire to see what other teams had interest in me.
“Milwaukee has a great track record of using their free agents and they also have a great track record of competing and winning. I loved being a part of the last few years with the Orioles when we were winning, the expectations to always do well. Milwaukee seemed like a very good fit.”
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