The Orioles once envisioned a postseason rotation of Corbin Burnes, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, and John Means.
Unfortunately, only one made it to mid-August, let alone October.
Eight days after general manager Mike Elias admitted time was “not exactly our friend” in getting Rodriguez ready for the postseason, the Orioles announced the 24-year-old will not pitch again in 2024 because of the right lat strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list in early August. Rodriguez had been throwing bullpen sessions over the last couple weeks, but he hadn’t advanced to facing hitters, which wasn’t an encouraging sign with the postseason beginning next week.
At the time of Rodriguez’s injury, the organization expressed optimism that he’d be able to return before the end of the regular season.
“It wasn’t a setback. He was progressing fine,” manager Brandon Hyde told reporters at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. “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. We just felt like for his health [and] his future, it was the right thing to do.”
With Rodriguez having suffered two lat strains in the last three seasons, the Orioles are probably wise to be cautious with the young right-hander, but it’s the latest season-ending blow to a rotation that’s been decimated by injuries. Bradish, Means, and Tyler Wells each underwent season-ending elbow surgery in June and combined to make just 15 starts in 2024.
In 20 starts covering 116 2/3 innings, Rodriguez went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA this season. In addition to the lat strain, right shoulder inflammation sidelined him over the first half of May.
With Rodriguez officially not returning for the playoffs, the Orioles are expected to have an October rotation of Burnes, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, and Albert Suarez. Bradish, Rodriguez, and Kremer were Baltimore’s starters in last year’s AL Division Series, which ended in a sweep at the hands of the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers.
