With camps opening for spring training, it’s common for clubs to provide updates on player health or the lack thereof. Orioles general manager Mike Elias today informed members of the media, including Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun and Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, that both left-hander Trevor Rogers and infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo are unlikely to be healthy by Opening Day.
The news on Mateo isn’t particularly surprising, as he underwent significant left elbow surgery in August. That was to repair his ulnar collateral ligament and add an internal brace, as well as repairing the flexor tendon. That procedure was on his non-throwing arm but the expected recovery timeline was still going to take a few months. The O’s have said at times that Mateo could perhaps be ready for a full season in 2025 but it now seems that his recovery will extend at least partway into the season.
The news on Rogers comes out of nowhere, as he didn’t spend any time on the injured list last year. Per Elias, he suffered a right kneecap subluxation in January. It’s unclear exactly how it happened but Rogers himself told Kubatko that it dislocated for about a second. Though the lefty downplayed the severity and said he’s already playing catch, he is apparently weeks behind schedule.
It appears it won’t be a devastating blow but it’s another frustrating development in what has already been a difficult Baltimore tenure for the southpaw. Acquired from the Marlins at the deadline last year, Rogers was torched for 15 earned runs in 19 innings over his first four starts as an Oriole and got optioned to Triple-A. He then made five starts for Norfolk with a 5.65 ERA to finish the year.
Going into 2025, he was likely blocked from securing a rotation gig to start the season. On top of his poor finish in 2024, the O’s added Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano on one-year deals to pad out the rotation alongside Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer.
Rogers is still optionable and may have been ticketed for another stint in Norfolk to start 2025 if he were healthy. An injury to those front five starters could have opened a path for him but he would be competing with guys like Albert Suárez, Chayce McDermott and Cade Povich for the #6 spot on the depth chart.
The O’s would obviously love for Rogers to get back into his 2021 form. With the Marlins that year, he made 25 starts with a 2.64 ERA, 28.5% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. But his ERA climbed to 5.47 the following year and he spent most of 2023 on the injured list. He bounced back somewhat last year, with a 4.53 ERA prior to the trade, but then had his aforementioned struggles after the swap. The club will have a bit less pitching depth to start the year, though they have other options there. For Rogers personally, he’ll be a bit delayed in heading down the comeback trail.
Mateo would ideally be on the club’s bench, providing the Orioles with depth all over. In his career, he has played every position outside of the battery and first base. He’s not a huge hitter but is a threat to steal 30 bases a year, having done so twice, and gets strong marks for his glovework at several different spots. RosterResource currently projects the club’s four-man bench to consist of catcher Gary Sánchez and infielder Ramón Urías, with Ramón Laureano and Heston Kjerstad backing up the outfield. Kjerstad is the only one in that group who can be optioned to the minors, perhaps leaving him vulnerable to getting sent to the minors once Mateo is healthy unless someone else goes on the IL.
Come on Mikey, you could at least sign Quintana!
Should have signed Flaherty or Pivetta.
Orioles putting on a masterclass of how to not take advantage of a competitive window.
But they have a TON of prospects. So there’s that.
Yep. And running out of room to play them. They think you fly flags for prospect rankings. Good luck signing Gunnar and Adley to 500m deals. Sucks because I really want them to win as a fan of a team in the perpetual dumpster.
You haven’t looked lately. They have only a few and Mike refuses to trade them.
I have rooted for the Orioles to win the east, but I’m beginning to not like how they handle some of their prospects like Kjerstadt. We’ll see if they mess up Mayo’s development.
Jerry DiPoto has entered the chat…
Well after the amount of injuries to our starters last year I’m not all that surprised. Just wish we would’ve replaced Burnes with someone near his level of production and durability. A big ask for sure but you don’t end up being a better team by subtracting a Cy Young candidate and just bringing in more back of rotation starters. You really just have to hope Wells and Bradish return healthy and productive and that Grayson makes that jump from a pretty good number 2 starter to staff ace.
I do believe they tried to retain Burnes. They just lost out.
I also see the logic in adding Morton and Sugano. Heck, last year, the only starter that took the ball every 5th day was Burnes. Everyone else couldn’t stay healthy. Bradish, Wells, Means all year. Rodriguez put fir a good awhile. Even Kremer. Mirton and Sugano look like ther are durable.
As far as short lefty SPs, if the FO thought there was someone available, whether TOR, mid rotation or backend, they would have signed that arm
O’s main problem is obviously the loss of an ace caliber guy. Second problem is the top 5 you listed are all right handed. Only lefty options are Povich and Rogers
Trade Trevor Rogers to the Giants, they are now short one Rogers.
Jose Iglesias will be in Oriole orange by tomorrow.
And Mike should apologize for trading for Rogers.
Yes! Get Iglesias to play SS.
IMO, Henderson is like a bull in a China closet. His position is hitter. He is gonna kill himself out there at SS. Can’t help us from the IL. Move him back to 3rd. Westburg to 2nd. Holliday to Norfolk. Henderson spells Iglesias at SS until Mateo is back. Urias backs up at 3rd, 2nd and 1st.
I hate that idea so much Jeff.
Jbigz12; fair enough. That said; I’m sticking to it.
I am down with this idea. Especially the parts about Henderson moving over and Holliday to AAA.