Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher to have season-ending surgery

Rodriguez, 25, has not appeared at the big league level since July 31, 2024. He was diagnosed with elbow inflammation during this year’s spring training and, shortly after beginning his ramp-up in April, was diagnosed with a lat strain—the same injury that prematurely ended his season last year.

The right-hander was shut down for several weeks, and when he began working his way back from the lat injury, elbow discomfort resurfaced, forcing him to stop throwing again. As a result, his 2025 season will end without a single inning pitched.

Over the previous two seasons, Rodriguez recorded a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9 rate across 43 starts with Baltimore. Once considered the consensus top pitching prospect in baseball, he has shown flashes of ace potential, baffling hitters with a changeup that drops more than three feet on its way to the plate. Opponents batted just .161 against the pitch in 2024.

Had he been healthy, Rodriguez likely would have been a candidate to start on Opening Day. In his absence, the Orioles’ rotation has struggled: As of Monday afternoon, Baltimore’s starters ranked second-to-last in the majors with a 4.97 ERA.

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Rodriguez’s procedure offers hope for a full recovery in time for spring training. The Orioles have several other starters under club control for 2026, including frontline arm Kyle Bradish, as well as Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Cade Povich, and Tyler Wells.