BALTIMORE — Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez completed his latest bullpen session on Tuesday, exactly six weeks after he was scratched from his Aug. 6 start in Toronto due to a right lat strain.
General manager Mike Elias reiterated the 24-year-old is “doing really well” and that his recovery and progression are “really moving in the right direction.” The next step is Rodriguez throwing live batting practice, which could be any day now.
The problem is the start of the postseason now being just two weeks away.
“Time and the calendar are not exactly our friend here with 12 games to go in the regular season,” said Elias, noting the organization’s original timetable for Rodriguez’s recovery being six to eight weeks. “We’re just kind of doing everything that we can to keep him moving in the right direction on a day-by-day basis and sort of see where we’re at in terms of the calendar and also our scenarios and what we’re projected to be postseason-wise and all that.
“We’ll see where we’re at with Grayson, but right now, it’s a one day at a time kind of thing.”
Further complicating matters is the Triple-A Norfolk season concluding on Sunday, but Elias noted that the Orioles could easily have Rodriguez pitch simulated games as he continues to work his way back to live-game action.
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Having sufficient time to stretch out a returning starting pitcher for October is another story, which is why Elias was asked whether a bullpen role would be a consideration for Rodriguez, who started against Texas in Game 2 of last year’s AL Division Series. In 20 starts covering 116 2/3 innings this season, Rodriguez has gone 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA. In addition to his current stint on the injured list, he missed the first half of May because of right shoulder inflammation.
“Time would be the factor that might prevent that kind of [starter] buildup more than anything, but it’s a real factor,” Elias said. “Yeah, a reliever takes less buildup for sure, but this kid is a starting pitcher. Also, first and foremost, we’re going to be most interested in doing the right thing for his health and his career. We’ll take all of that into account. It’s very difficult for me to give you a real direct answer on that because it’s going to depend on the circumstances — the rest of our staff, the standings, yada yada yada.
“There’s a lot that’s going to go into it. The main thing is making progress with his health one day at a time. When we get to a fork in the road about how much to build him up and when, we’ll address that then.”
In the 2014 postseason, the Orioles — under a different regime, of course — deployed second-year starting pitcher Kevin Gausman as an effective weapon out of the bullpen with the 23-year-old allowing one run and striking out seven over three appearances spanning eight innings. However, Gausman had pitched in relief the previous year and wasn’t returning from a late-season injury. Rodriguez has made just one relief appearance in his professional career, which came in the Gulf Coast League in 2018.
In other words, the Orioles must tread carefully no matter how Rodriguez is deployed — if he returns at all for October.
Should Rodriguez not return for the postseason, the Orioles’ projected playoff rotation would be Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin, Albert Suarez, and Dean Kremer.
NOTES: Lefty Danny Coulombe (left elbow surgery) will make at least one more rehab appearance with Norfolk on Wednesday before possibly being activated from the injured list, but Elias said each outing and the next day’s recovery remain “informative” with the reliever not having pitched for the Orioles since having bone chips removed from his elbow in June. “We’re not going to jump the gun on him until he’s fully healthy and back to his accustomed level.” … Infielder Jordan Westburg (fractured right hand) took batting practice at Camden Yards on Tuesday afternoon and remains on track to return before the end of the regular season. … First baseman Ryan Mountcastle (left wrist sprain) is continuing a hitting progression in Sarasota with Elias remaining optimistic that he’ll return before the end of the regular season. … Infielder Ramon Urias (right ankle sprain) took batting practice and ran the bases at Camden Yards on Tuesday with designs of returning before the end of the month.
