Despite dealing with numerous injuries to both their pitching staff and position players in 2024, the Baltimore Orioles kept the AL East division race competitive with the New York Yankees. However, they were without promising starter Grayson Rodriguez down the stretch after a shoulder injury in July sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Rodriguez took the mound Wednesday for his second spring training start but may now miss some time due to triceps soreness in his throwing arm, as reported by Orioles insider Roch Kubatko on X. The team will reassess him on Friday to determine the severity of the issue.
The Orioles can’t afford to lose Grayson Rodriguez
The Orioles can’t afford to lose Rodriguez. During Wednesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Twins, his velocity was noticeably down, averaging 93.2 mph with his four-seam fastball dipping to just 89.5 mph, per RotoWire. Following the game, the 25-year-old attributed the drop to feeling “sluggish,” insisting it wasn’t injury-related.
However, it now appears Rodriguez may be dealing with an actual issue. While the Orioles are hopeful it’s just soreness, further evaluation will provide clarity. Last season, he suffered a right shoulder injury related to lat/teres discomfort, but this spring’s classification of triceps soreness suggests a different problem.
A former first-round pick (11th overall in 2018), Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 2023. With ace Corbin Burnes departing for the Diamondbacks on a six-year, $210 million contract, Baltimore is counting on Rodriguez to take a major step forward in 2025. To stay healthy, he adjusted his delivery and introduced a new pitch this offseason. He is expected to slot in behind Zach Eflin at the top of the Orioles’ rotation.