The Orioles are shutting down Grayson Rodriguez for the season, supervisor Brandon Hyde advised reporters (X hyperlink by way of Jake Rill of MLB.com). Whereas Rodriguez didn’t have any sort of setback, the workforce doesn’t really feel there’s ample time for him to return from the injured checklist.
Dropping the right-hander is a devastating blow for the Orioles rotation with the postseason set to start subsequent week. It could require a miracle for the Orioles to run down the Yankees for the AL East crown (and accompanying bye by way of the Wild Card Collection) at this level, and failing that the membership must decide whether or not to show to right-hander Dean Kremer or journeyman Albert Suarez to spherical out the membership’s rotation for the collection behind Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin, whereas seemingly utilizing each within the ALDS and past ought to they handle to make a deeper run.
Each hurlers have been stable mid-to-back of the rotation starters for the Orioles this yr however aren’t the type of dependable arms groups want to lean on in a playoff collection. Kremer has made 24 begins for Baltimore this yr to barely beneath common outcomes, with a 4.10 ERA (92 ERA+) and 4.32 FIP in 129 2/3 innings of labor, whereas Suarez sports activities a 3.74 ERA (100 ERA+) and 4.12 FIP in 127 2/3 innings of labor cut up between the bullpen and rotation. Of the pair, Kremer is probably the extra dependable alternative given his stronger outcomes of late (he’s pitched to a 3.95 ERA and three.55 FIP for the reason that begin of August) that evaluate favorably to Suarez’s ugly 7.23 ERA in 4 September begins which have seen him give up a whopping seven homers.
Baltimore’s entrance workplace tried to shore up the rotation in response to accidents suffered by the pitching employees all year long on the commerce deadline, and whereas the addition of Eflin to the combination has proved invaluable down the stretch the identical can’t be stated for his or her determination so as to add Trevor Rogers to their rotation combine. The Orioles surrendered well-regarded kids Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers in change for Rogers’s providers again in July, however the lefty made 4 disastrous begins for the membership (7.11 ERA, 5.01 FIP) earlier than being optioned to the minors the place he continued to wrestle badly down the stretch.
No matter how Kremer, Suarez, and different rotation choices like Rogers and Cade Povich (5.59 ERA in 15 begins) are deployed by Hyde throughout the postseason, none of these choices appear more likely to be as dependable as Rodriguez. In 116 2/3 innings of labor earlier than being sidelined by a lat harm again in August, Rodriguez pitched to a 3.86 ERA with a stronger 3.66 FIP throughout 20 begins whereas hanging out a stable 26.5% of opponents in his second season as a member of the Orioles rotation this yr. That strikeout charge is nice for twenty third within the majors amongst starters with at the very least 100 innings of labor this yr, in step with seemingly playoff starters for different golf equipment similar to Tanner Bibee of the Guardians and Carlos Rodon of the Yankees.
Fortuitously, Hyde’s feedback provide little purpose to worry for Rodriguez’s potential to return wholesome and efficient subsequent season. Whereas Burnes is slated to hit free company this November, Rodriguez figures to be joined by Eflin because the membership’s prime inside choices subsequent yr, with ace Kyle Bradish and righty Tyler Wells each probably within the combine to return to motion within the second half of 2025 after present process UCL surgical procedure again in June. Even with Rodriguez more likely to be wholesome getting into subsequent season, nevertheless, bolstering the rotation figures to be a precedence for the Orioles this winter as they appear to help their vaunted offensive core. That might imply pursuing a reunion with Burnes, or maybe signing a second-tier arm anticipated to be out there this winter similar to Nathan Eovaldi or Sean Manaea.
