Chris Tillman
The lanky right-hander who anchored the Orioles' rotation during their playoff renaissance, delivering clutch performances with a devastating curveball.
Born 1988 (age 38)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 15·Millennials
Biography
Chris Tillman arrived in Baltimore as a key piece in the trade that sent Erik Bedard to Seattle, and he grew into the steadying force of the Orioles' staff. With a tall, lean frame and a delivery that seemed to unleash the ball from the heavens, his curveball became a signature out-pitch. Tillman's career arc mirrored the Orioles' own resurgence in the early 2010s. After some early growing pains, he broke out in 2012, helping propel the team to its first playoff berth in 15 years. His 2013 All-Star season was a masterclass in consistency, as he won 16 games and became the undeniable ace. While his velocity dipped later in his career, his savvy and competitiveness kept him effective. Tillman's name is synonymous with the most successful Orioles era in a generation, a workhorse who took the ball every fifth day and delivered when it mattered most.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1988, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1988
#1 Movie
Rain Man
Best Picture
Rain Man
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1988Born
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1993Started school
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2001Became a teenager
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Could drive
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2006Could vote
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Turned 21
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2018Turned 30
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 38 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2013 after a dominant first half of the season.
- Won 16 games in both the 2013 and 2016 seasons, leading the Orioles' starting rotation in victories.
- Started the American League Wild Card Game for the Orioles in 2016 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Pitched over 200 innings in a season twice (2013, 2014), establishing himself as a durable innings-eater.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the 2006 MLB draft out of high school.
He and fellow pitchers Adam Jones and George Sherrill were traded together from Seattle to Baltimore in the 2008 Erik Bedard deal.
He hit a home run in a minor league game while playing for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides in 2009.
He finished 7th in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2013.
“When my curveball is working, I know I can put hitters away.”
