The Baltimore Orioles have lost another starting pitcher for the season after right-hander Grayson Rodriguez was shut down on Wednesday. According to manager Brandon Hyde, Rodriguez will not pitch again this year. He was the last Orioles player on the injured list with a possibility of returning.
Rodriguez’s final appearance came on July 31 against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he allowed three earned runs and struck out eight in six innings. He was slated to start again against the Blue Jays but was scratched just 10 minutes before the game after throwing in the outfield. On August 7, he was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right lat/teres strain and had hoped to return for the postseason. Despite throwing in the bullpen, team doctors hadn’t cleared him to face live hitters. General manager Mike Elias acknowledged last week that “time and the calendar” were working against Rodriguez. Now, the former first-round pick will focus on recovering for next season.
“We’re going to prepare him for 2025,” Hyde told reporters Wednesday. “We simply ran out of time with him. It’s disappointing, but he’s incredibly talented and a key part of our future rotation.”
The Orioles won't have Grayson Rodriguez for their playoff run pic.twitter.com/uPnwqEgKWE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 25, 2024
Orioles Right-Hander Grayson Rodriguez Out for 2024 Season
Rodriguez started the season as Baltimore’s No. 2 starter, trailing ace Corbin Burnes, whom the Orioles acquired in February. He made six starts before developing right shoulder irritation in April and spending three weeks on the injured list. Rodriguez completes his second season in the majors with a 13-4 record and a 3.86 ERA. He struck out 130 batters in 116 ⅔ innings across 20 starts.
“He was doing fine,” Hyde added. “It’s usually a slow-healing injury, and getting him back in time for the playoffs was going to be a little rushed. We simply thought that it was the best thing to do for his health and future.”
Rodriguez was sidelined for three months in 2022 with a similar shoulder issue while playing for Triple-A Norfolk. Elias told reporters in August that this shoulder ailment was “relatively mild and much less severe than the one he had in 2022.” The 24-year-old is the latest Orioles starter to suffer a season-ending arm injury, following colleagues Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells.
Despite the injuries and their second-half slide, Baltimore secured a postseason spot with a win over New York on Tuesday. For the first time in 27 years, the Orioles secured back-to-back postseason appearances. With Rodriguez sidelined, right-handers Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer will join Burnes as Baltimore’s postseason starting.
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