What do the Orioles have planned for Grayson Rodriguez?

Rodriguez, who turns 26 in November, has posted a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9 rate across 43 career starts with Baltimore. The former consensus top pitching prospect in baseball 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.

Injuries have been a recurring theme for Rodriguez, who also missed the final three months of the 2024 season due to a right lat/teres strain. Orioles president Mike Elias said during his end-of-season press conference that it is possible Rodriguez’s elbow procedure could help reduce the stress in that area. Still, he acknowledged the team must be cautious moving forward.

“We’re cognizant that he threw zero innings and finished 2024 hurt, so we’re going to have to plan with those realities in mind,” Elias said. He added that he is bullish about Rodriguez’s situation and thinks he is due for some good luck on the injury front, but right now, the focus is on getting his mechanics and health back to a good place.

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Elias did not say whether Rodriguez could be a possibility to pitch in relief should the club decide to leave him out of the rotation to start the year. The right-hander has only worked out of the bullpen once as a professional, during a Gulf Coast League appearance in 2018—the year he was drafted.

Baltimore’s starters ranked 24th in MLB with a 4.65 ERA in 2025. While Rogers’ resurgence and the late-season returns of Bradish and Tyler Wells were bright spots, the Orioles will need better overall production from their pitching staff to contend next year. That begins with keeping their best arms healthy.