The Baltimore Orioles are gearing up for the 2025 season with lofty expectations, even though they haven’t won a playoff game since 2014 and have seen key players depart during the offseason. With former ace Corbin Burnes now with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Orioles are in urgent need of a new franchise pitcher. One promising option is 25-year-old Star, currently battling an injury.
Manager Brandon Hyde provided an update to the Associated Press on Sunday regarding the star’s condition:
“He’s experiencing some discomfort in the back of his elbow, and we’re still gathering multiple opinions,” Hyde said. “It’s not a ligament issue, so we’re not overly concerned about that aspect, but it will result in some missed time. We’re getting results from our tests and consulting with several specialists to determine the best treatment. Right now, we don’t have a definitive timeline.”
This update is notably more optimistic than Hyde’s Friday remark, where he indicated that Rodriguez would miss the start of the season. The Orioles are hopeful that the revised assessment will prove accurate and that Rodriguez will recover in time to make an impact.
Since his debut at age 23 in 2023, Grayson Rodriguez has become a regular part of the Orioles’ rotation, making 43 starts over two seasons and posting a 4.11 ERA along with a 95 ERA+. While these numbers might not yet be considered ace-caliber, Rodriguez showed significant improvement in his second season before a shoulder injury cut his season short.
Beyond Rodriguez, the Orioles still boast considerable pitching depth. They acquired Zach Eflin at last summer’s trade deadline, positioning him as a strong candidate for the Opening Day start. Veteran Charlie Morton is also in the mix, and the team is looking to promising young arms from their Baby Birds prospect group, namely Dean Kremer and Cade Povich. Additionally, the Orioles added Tomoyuki Sugano—a 35-year-old making his MLB debut—to further bolster the rotation.
However, without the elite talent that Burnes once provided, the Orioles find themselves at a disadvantage in the fiercely competitive AL East. The Toronto Blue Jays have bolstered their staff with Max Scherzer, the New York Yankees rely on Max Fried as a reliable ace even if Gerrit Cole is sidelined, and the Boston Red Sox have strengthened their rotation by acquiring Garrett Crochet. This means that Baltimore’s hitters will frequently face top-tier pitching, while their own rotation may struggle to keep pace.
It is for these reasons that Rodriguez is so critical to the Orioles’ future. With free agency failing to yield a true ace, the franchise is counting on Rodriguez to fill that void—even if he has to begin the season managing an injury.
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