‘Everything is on the Table’ for Injured Baltimore Orioles Pitcher’s Return

Baltimore Orioles pitching coach Drew French talked about the status of starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez.

Jul 26, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (30) throws a first inning pitch against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

For once, it wasn’t Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde providing the daily injury updates — at least when it came to the pitching.

On Sunday, pitching coach Drew French spoke to reporters, including MLB.com, about several injured pitchers, including starter Grayson Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has been out for more than a month with a right lat/teres strain and was last seen at Oriole Park at Camden Yards throwing about 20 pitches during a bullpen session on Wednesday. Per observers, he mixed his fastball with off-speed pitches and it was his first session throwing off a mound since suffering the injury.

It was an encouraging session. French said the next steps are throwing to live hitters and then a rehab assignment.

But, with just a few weeks left before the end of the regular season, it begs the question — does Rodriguez have the runway to return as a starter?

French said the team his “hopeful.”

“Yeah, we’re hopeful,” he said. “We know we’re coming up against it right now, but we’re very hopeful, with the plan that we have in place with the medical team and the front office. We’re hopeful to have him back in that capacity. Obviously, everything is on the table at this point. So just kind of take it day by day and we’ll see where we’re at at the end.”

Since the right-hander has been down for a month, he would normally go on a rehab assignment with a minor-league team to build up to return to the rotation. But, minor league baseball is starting to shut down and a timetable for him to ramp up isn’t clear.

After his injury on Aug. 6, the Orioles shut him down for 10 days.

It’s possible Rodriguez could build up on the fly with Baltimore. Last year, Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi missed August with an injury and opted to return in September without a rehab start to build up for the postseason.

The schedule, among other things, may determine what the Orioles do with Rodriguez, who doesn’t have a Major League relief appearance in the regular season.

The former first-round pick took a big jump this season, his second with Baltimore. At the time of his injury he was 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts. He had 130 strikeouts and 36 walks in 116.2 innings. He had developed into a solid 1-2 punch with Corbin Burnes, and the trade for Zach Eflin only made the rotation stronger.

Eflin just returned from his own stint on the injury list. Rodriguez had a stint earlie this season for right shoulder inflammation but returned on time.

As a rookie in 2023 he went 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 23 games, with 129 strikeouts and 42 walks in 122 innings.