Disaster keeps knocking, and the Orioles just can’t seem to lock the door. The Baltimore Orioles rotation has taken another massive hit, and it’s the last thing they need. Grayson Rodriguez, one of their most promising young arms, has been shut down for 7 to 10 days after getting a cortisone shot for his elbow inflammation. The opening day is on March 27, and Rodriguez is just out of the door. It’s a huge setback for the team, especially when they are already dealing with their pitching concerns and have to face teams like the Boston Red Sox.
And it’s not a secret that Baltimore’s rotation has been shaky to begin with in the first place. They had lost Corbin Burnes and John Means in the free agency. Kyle Bradish is also out for a huge chunk of the first half, recovering from his elbow surgery. The team was banking on Rodriguez to step up, and even he left the team in a spot. So, the Orioles are scrambling.
This is the last thing the Orioles rotation needs with how poorly the front office constructed that group.
Once again, it feels like the Red Sox have a great opportunity to win the AL East in 2025. https://t.co/PjjJ1UDedU
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) March 9, 2025
Tyler Milliken didn’t hold back when he shared the news on X, and he called out the Baltimore front office for not doing enough to bolster their rotation. “This is the last thing the Orioles rotation needs with how poorly the front office constructed that group,” he wrote. Ouch! He has a point because while they are still like a ship anchored to the shore, their division rivals have gone above and beyond to build a great team.
Pointing towards Boston, Milliken said, “Once again, it feels like the Red Sox have a great opportunity to win the AL East in 2025.” And he has a point because Boston did go a mile this time around to stop penny-pinching and go ahead and make changes. And after getting Alex Bregman, they are over the moon. And rightly so! As for Rodriguez, it’s for sure a bummer for the team because he had a strong 2024 season. Despite injuries, he put up a 13-4 record with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts. He struck out 130 batters in 116.2 innings. But sadly, his health issues kept him away from the team’s postseason run.
But it’s not all bad for the Baltimore Orioles, as they have some of the best and youngest offensive cores in baseball, and even Felix Bautista is back from his surgery. But the truth is, if they don’t fix up their rotation, the Red Sox might take over the AL East battle for sure. And while the Orioles star is on the outs, the Red Sox have their star coming in.
Triston Casas makes a return to the Boston Red Sox
Triston Casas is finally back at the spring training grounds after a tough and rough bout with a stomach bug. The 25-year-old was supposed to start last Tuesday but had to be scratched at the very last minute. He wasn’t just out of weather; he was off the grid completely. Alex Cora mentioned that Casas wasn’t responding to his texts, and he got the updates from Vaughn Grissom. But thankfully, after a few days of recovery, Casas rejoined the team, and the team couldn’t be more thrilled.
But even before his stomach bug, Casas wasn’t really tearing through spring training. He was hitting just .091 with a .515 OPS in five games. However, when you take into account the injury-plagued season he had where he missed 99 games because of a rib injury, it is understandable. And when he is healthy, Casas has proven his worth as a major offensive weapon. He posted a .800 OPS last season and finished third in AL Rookie of the Year in 2023. No, just him; even Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony have made it back to the team.
But all the sickness bouts aren’t done for Boston, as Justin Staten and Rany Gonzalez are now victims, and the latter hasn’t even played since last Monday. But overall, they seem more sorted than the Baltimore Orioles.
What do you think about the Orioles’ rotation? Let us know your thoughts.
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