Grayson Rodriguez has sustained another setback. Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Danielle Allentuck of The Baltimore Banner) that the right-hander is dealing with more elbow soreness. Rodriguez, who had progressed to throwing bullpen sessions, is being scaled back until he heads for further evaluation next week.
Rodriguez and Zach Eflin were supposed to be the 1-2 pairing at the top of Baltimore’s rotation. Injuries have wrecked both pitchers’ seasons. Rodriguez has been kept off the mound entirely. He was diagnosed with elbow inflammation during Spring Training. When he tried to resume throwing in April, he suffered a lat strain that shut him down for weeks. That was his third such lat/shoulder strain in the past four seasons. Now, it’s the elbow that’s bothering him again.
Allentuck writes that Rodriguez had slightly adjusted his mechanics during his most recent throwing sessions. He raised his arm angle in an effort to take the pressure off the shoulder. It’s not known if that had any effect on his elbow. Regardless, it’s yet another setback for a talented pitcher whose arm continues to give him problems. The O’s will have more information in the coming days.
It’s approaching a full calendar year since Rodriguez’s last MLB appearance. He made his final start of last season on July 31. Lat discomfort cost him the final two months. It’s fair to wonder if he’ll be able to get any major league work this season. Even if this most recent issue turns out to be minor, it’s going to delay his rehab. There are two and a half months remaining and Rodriguez doesn’t seem close to beginning a minor league assignment. The Orioles aren’t likely to be playing meaningful games in September. The former first-round pick and top prospect is under club control for four seasons beyond this one.
Baltimore provided a more encouraging update on Kyle Bradish. The 28-year-old righty will throw a two-inning practice session tomorrow and will then begin a rehab stint (relayed by MLB.com’s Jake Rill). Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery 13 months ago. Pitchers ordinarily can spend up to 30 days on a rehab assignment. That can be extended by as much as 30 days for those coming back from Tommy John surgery. If all goes well, Bradish should be in line to return to the MLB club around the beginning of September. Even if the O’s season is all but over at that point, he’d be able to take a few turns through the rotation in preparation for a hopefully typical offseason.
This actually could not be going worse for the o’s. They are gonna have to find so much pitching.
Perhaps they can dip into their amazing farm system & entice another franchise to trade a good top of the rotation starter. Expecting ownership to spend on a good free agent starting pitcher seems unlikely.
Top of the Rotation arms are not cheap either in terms of trade or free agency. Few are available. Even fewer with any type of remaining control. Best option is to trade for a mid rotation starter with upside and hope they continue to develop. Keller is a possibility.
This was last winter’s spin, to “build rotation depth.” But signing over the hill guys or not quite there guys on the cheap doesn’t do the job, which is apparent to all but the Orioles’ front office and the commenters blinded by orange colored glasses.
2023’s results were not sustainable. The good health was a total outlier. The one-run record was awesome, every time there was a comeback to be made they made it. The notes about the turnaround in RISP and other situational hitting in the recent good stretch? They hit better than that most of the 2023 season.
2024-like results are attainable if they have 2 top tier pitchers. It doesn’t matter if their lineup is the 1927 Yankees if they have 7 ERA desperation starters or they pin their hopes on Kremer being something other than hot and cold or Rodriguez being something other than injured.
Either a) develop those aces of your own, which the Orioles can’t do, or b) buy/acquire the aces other teams develop, which the Orioles won’t do.
Maybe other teams weren’t interested in them, but I was surprised not to see one of Mayo or Kjerstad on the move this past offseason for pitching. Would’ve been the best sell high opportunity for them.
silly – The “amazing” farm system of what? Overrated and overhyped prospects like Mayo, Ortiz, Disabled List Hall, not to mention classics like Hunter Harvey? The Orioles must pay the media to hype their kids.
This site should do a survey to see which team has produced the biggest gap between prospect hype and eventual results over the years. My money’s on the Orioles. There are dozens of examples I have going back to the 80s with Mike Young, Ken Gerhart, Eric Bell, etc.
Hall has been good with the Brewers when he has pitched. They must love Ortiz at SS, he keeps hetting run without adding any significant offense.
They did offer Corbin Burnes a higher AAV than anyone this past season.
Imagine what a difference a healthy Grayson and a healthy John Means could have meant to the O’s over the past few years, even though Means’ contract would have ended last season.
Are we o’s fans allowed to have any good news?
Not this year it would seem.
Maybe we’ll get something nice at the deadline?
And the cursed season continues.
Bleh.
I don’t know who they think they’re kidding. The guy needs TJ surgery. Put another young arm on the shelf, Orioles. Way to go.
How they approached this off season and the following one after this season as far as pitching goes will tell you how serious this organization is about winning. They finally have some good offensive players.
If they are banking on Rodriguez, Wells, Bradish, and some of their young guys that we’re seeing currently, they are sadly mistaken. Signing the bottom of the barrel guys that nobody else wanted isn’t going to work. They need to go out and get two serious top of the rotation arms, and whoever is best and actually healthy can slot in behind them. That’s the only way this team is going to win.
You don’t undergo Tommy John surgery for a sore elbow. Or a lat pull. Unless the doctors can find structural damage to the elbow or shoulder surgery won’t do any good. Unfortunately the best cure for elbow inflammation is rest. Once the swelling goes down they can do an MRI and see if there is any structural damage. If they can’t find anything it’s back to rehab and hope he holds up.,
Perhaps trade for Luis Castillo in the offseason. He’s controlled through 2026. Ideally they can sign him to an extension.
Castillo’s home/road splits should make him undesirable unless a team needs a back of the rotation innings eater.
2024 ERA: home 3.15/road 4.25
2025 ERA: home 2.06/road 4.74
He can give a team a lot of innings, but away from the safety of T-Mobile, he’s not very good.
he gone
The good silver lining is that god they didn’t sign Burnes. He went down with TJ and was showing signs of some health issue. The bad news is Rodriguez looks to be going that way. If they were wise they would take the top prospects like Mayo, Basalello, Kjerstad (Though this season damaged him.) etc… and go get an Alcantra or go big for a Skenes or Gore and lock them up.. If Bradish is healthy next year they could be a very good team with that one-two and just returning the lineup they have with some vet enhancements.
Mayo and Kjerstad are no longer top prospects to land good SP-that ship sailed once exposed.
OTOH Bautista is its current golden ticket to get SP back. Excellent closer is wasted with their bad rotation. They can backfill/develop another closer even if not nearly as dominant.
Alcantra is a gamble. He may not rebound. That currently makes him affordable. Florida will be happy to unload the contract, as they can afford to take the risk even less than Baltimore can.
Renewed elbow soreness. That’s not ominous at all…
Thanks for nothing says the fantasy team for wasting draft capital on this dud thank goody for Shane Smith