Orioles Ace-in-Waiting Faces Setback: How It Shakes Up Baltimore’s Rotation for Opening Day
The MLB regular season has yet to begin, and the Baltimore Orioles already find themselves dealing with more starting pitching injuries. During the Orioles’ Spring Training matchup against the Minnesota Twins last Wednesday, top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez experienced discomfort in his right tricep following his 33-pitch outing. This resulted in a decrease in velocity on his pitches, with Rodriguez touching 95 mph just once and his four-seam fastball reaching 89.4 mph, the slowest of his MLB career. After the game, Rodriguez noted that he was feeling “sluggish” and stated, “[It] kind of felt like I was fighting myself today.” As a result, manager Brandon Hyde announced on Sunday that the 25-year-old received a cortisone shot in his elbow and would be shut down for seven to 10 days before being reevaluated and will ultimately start the season on the injured list.
With the latest development in Rodriguez’s most recent injury hiccup, the Orioles now face the ramifications of their decision not to pursue a top-tier free agent starting pitcher after losing last season’s ace, Corbin Burnes, during the offseason. This decision drew scrutiny from the fan base, who questioned the team’s spending and commitment to going all-in. In his two-year MLB career, Rodriguez has been no stranger to injuries, as the Houston, Texas native spent time on the IL twice last season, once in the first half and again at the beginning of August with a right lat strain, which caused him to miss the rest of the year. As a result, this marks his third IL stint in less than a year for the former 2018 first-round pick.
Entering this season, the Orioles expected Rodriguez to take a major step forward in 2025, looking to become the new top-of-the-rotation arm for Baltimore after an impressive 2024 season, injury aside, when the right-hander posted a 3.86 ERA, a 13-4 win-loss record, just 36 walks, and 130 strikeouts in 20 starts. However, that will now have to wait as Rodriguez looks to recover from this latest obstacle. As a result, the Orioles will head into Opening Day later this month with veteran starter Zach Eflin, whom they traded for last season from the Tampa Bay Rays and who impressed in his nine starts with Baltimore a year ago, and he now appears to be the de facto Opening Day starter against the Toronto Blue Jays. The rest of the starting rotation will likely include veteran Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer, and a combination of Albert Suarez and Cade Povich for the fifth spot. Suarez could also serve as a bullpen arm, as he would need to clear waivers if optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, due to having no remaining minor league options. As the Orioles navigate the 2025 season, they will need to rely on organizational depth and may consider adding additional pitching help if they hope to maintain their championship aspirations and avoid a shaky start without their top arm.
