Baltimore Orioles Suffer Devastating Blow Ahead of Playoffs

He was thought to be close to a return, and was originally being counted on as part of the Baltimore Orioles playoff rotation. But after missing seven weeks, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez simply won't have enough time to return to the mound for the postseason, the team has determined, and he has been shut down for 2024.

The 24-year-old has been out with a right lat/teres strain. Manager Brandon Hyde said there hasn't been any setbacks in the youngster's recovery, but he has yet to face live hitters, and had merely been throwing routine bullpen sessions this month. Given all of that, the O's just didn't feel comfortable sending him to the mound in the pressure-packed environment of October.

“He was progressing fine. It’s normally an injury which takes some time, and to get him back for the playoffs was going to be a little bit of a rush,” Hyde said. “We just felt like for his health, for his future, it’s the right thing to do.”

Rodriguez was scratched minutes before an Aug. 6th start when he felt soreness while warming up. He hasn't been seen since.

It was a breakthrough year for the former first-round pick and top pitching prospect, as he posted a 13-4 record with a 3.86 ERA and a tremendous 130:36 strikeout-to-walk ratio (10 K/9).

“We’re going to get him ready for 2025,” Hyde said. “It’s disappointing and tough, but he’s so talented and a huge part of our rotation this year and going forward. Just ran out of time.”

The Orioles will now head into the Wild Card series with Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin as their 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation, with Dean Kremer as the likely No. 3 starter.