Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez was scratched from his scheduled begin towards the Blue Jays attributable to what the membership later introduced as “proper lat/teres discomfort.” As famous by Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Solar, Rodriguez started to heat up for his begin earlier than showing to say to pitching coach Drew French, “I don’t really feel proper.” Rodriguez left the sector for the clubhouse after the dialog and was changed by right-hander Albert Suarez as the sport’s starter.
Particulars relating to the severity of Rodriguez’s discomfort are minimal, so it’s unclear at this level if the right-hander would require a visit to the IL or when he may subsequent be anticipated to take the mound. In spite of everything, the righty’s discomfort will certainly call to mind his stint on IL attributable to shoulder irritation earlier this 12 months that finally lasted almost three weeks. Rodriguez additionally has a historical past of lat points, having handled a lat pressure as a prospect again in 2022 that finally value him three-and-a-half months.
No matter how lengthy Rodriguez finally ends up lacking, the information is a worrying growth for the Orioles only one week after the commerce deadline as they gear up for a run at their second consecutive AL East crown and one other postseason run. Accidents within the beginning rotation have been frequent in Baltimore this 12 months. The membership misplaced three starters (Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells) to UCL surgical procedure again in June and has additionally beforehand noticed right-hander Dean Kremer spend time on the shelf along with Rodriguez’s aforementioned shoulder concern earlier this 12 months. These damage woes led the Orioles to refill on beginning pitching depth forward of final week’s commerce deadline as they swung offers to carry right-hander Zach Eflin and lefty Trevor Rogers into the fold.
Whereas these additions helped to shore up the membership’s shaky again of the rotation, shedding Rodriguez for a major interval can be a deeply worrisome consequence because the 24-year-old has emerged because the membership’s clear No. 2 starter behind ace Corbin Burnes. Rodriguez has typically pitched fairly properly within the sophomore season of his profession with a good 3.86 ERA in 116 2/3 innings of labor throughout 20 begins that’s matched with even higher peripheral numbers. He’s struck out 26.5% of batters confronted whereas strolling simply 7.3%. That’s left him with a powerful 3.67 FIP and a fair higher 3.60 SIERA, the latter of which is sweet for high 25 amongst all certified starters this 12 months and barely higher than Burnes’s personal 3.71 determine.
Ought to Rodriguez find yourself lacking time, it appears seemingly that the membership would flip to Suarez to take over his spot within the rotation on a extra everlasting foundation. The 34-year-old journeyman final appeared within the majors again in 2017 earlier than the Orioles introduced him in on a minor league deal and added him to their roster, however he’s accomplished properly in a swing function since then, with a 3.75 ERA in 15 begins together with his 5 scoreless innings of labor filling in for Rodriguez this night. Different choices to interchange Rodriguez within the rotation (or Suarez in a protracted aid function if he returns to beginning) can be teen Cade Povich, who has struggled to a 6.27 ERA in eight begins within the majors this 12 months, and lefty Cole Irvin, who was just lately outrighted off the 40-man roster. Prime pitching prospect Chayce McDermott, who made his massive league debut in a spot begin earlier this 12 months, might have been a doable candidate to assist fill in for Rodriguez within the majors, however the membership introduced that he’s been positioned on the minor league IL with a stress response in his proper scapula.
