Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat) is "moving in the right direction" but "time is not our friend." Elias left open the possibility of Rodriguez temporarily pitching out of the bullpen when he returns. Rodriguez is recovering from a strained right lat and has been throwing off a mound, but he's running out of time to get stretched out as a starting pitcher with the end of the 2024 regular season quickly approaching. When the 24-year-old is activated from the injured list, he could build his arm back up by coming on in relief out of the bullpen at the end of September. From there, it would be the team's call as to whether they trust him enough in a starting role in the playoffs. He has been out since late August but was a solid rotation piece for the O's and fantasy managers before his injury, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in his 20 starts.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat, shoulder) could face live hitters at some point during the team's road trip through Boston and Detroit that starts on Monday and runs through this coming Sunday, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Rodriguez has been on the 15-day injured list since early August with a strained right lat but was able to throw off a mound next week and could go on a minor-league rehab assignment if he has a successful session throwing to live hitters this week. Barring a setback in that process, Rodriguez should be able to rejoin Baltimore's starting rotation in late September or just in time for the start of the playoffs. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 is a top-of the rotation starter next to Corbin Burnes when healthy, so the O's really will need him to be at the top of his game come October if they want to make a deep postseason run.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat) threw his first bullpen session that consisted of around 20 pitches on Wednesday at Camden Yards, and he said he felt good while mixing in some offspeed pitches as well. "Arm's feeling good," Rodriguez said. "That's the most important thing." It's good news for the O's, but Rodriguez is still likely several weeks away from a return to the big-league starting rotation. The 24-year-old suffered a lat strain almost a month ago and will most likely need at least one minor-league rehab start before returning to the majors. It means that he might have a couple more starts to help fantasy managers down the stretch, if that. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 has improved in his second year in Baltimore, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and nice 26.5% strikeout rate over his 20 starts.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat) threw from flat ground at Dodgers Stadium before the series finale on Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and said he plans to throw off a mound "soon." Rodriguez is deferring to the team's medical staff on what a timeline might look like for his return. It's good progress for the 24-year-old, but with just a month left in the regular season, fantasy managers aren't going to get much usage out of Rodriguez the rest of the way, even if he doesn't encounter any setbacks. The fact that Rodriguez last started for the O's on July 31 means he needs a bit longer to get his arm built back up as well. At this point, Baltimore's primary concern is most likely having him ready for a postseason run. In his second year in the big leagues, G-Rod has a 13-4 record, 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 26.5% strikeout rate in 116 2/3 innings over 20 starts.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (lat) only has a mild lat strain, according to GM Mike Elias, and the Orioles are hopeful he will be back in September. Baltimore will keep him shut down for 10 more days and will have him get more imaging in three weeks. This is positive news for Baltimore as they aim to position themselves in the AL playoff picture, giving them a reliable arm for a deep October run. Rodriguez pitched to a 3.86 ERA before hitting the 15-day IL. The Orioles' rotation has been a bit sketchy outside of AL Cy Young candidate Corbin Burnes, so a speedy return from Rodriguez into the rotation would be music to the Orioles' ears. Fantasy managers looking for an arm to replace Rodriguez in their lineups should look to Albert Suarez, who has posted a 3.75 ERA in 15 starts for the Orioles this season.

The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 4) on Wednesday with right-late/teres discomfort and recalled left-hander Keegan Akin from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. Rodriguez was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday due to the injury and will now miss at least the next two weeks. It's unclear if the 24-year-old will be able to come off the IL when he's eligible to return on Aug. 19, but he should be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues while we wait. Albert Suarez was used in an emergency spot start in place of Rodriguez on Tuesday and will likely take over Rodriguez's rotation spot for however long he's sidelined. Rodriguez has a league-high 13 wins in his second year in the big leagues in 2024 while also posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a 130:36 K:BB in 20 starts over 116 2/3 innings.UPDATE: Manager Brandon Hyde said Rodriguez has a mild strain, and the O's are optimistic about the timeline for recovery, although an exact timeline is still TBD.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (lat) was scratched from Tuesday's start against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays with right lat/teres discomfort. Rodriguez threw a pregame bullpen at Rogers Centre ahead of Tuesday's game against Toronto, but he was scratched roughly 10 minutes before the first pitch, much to the dismay of fantasy managers. In his place, right-hander Albert Suarez started for the O's against the Jays. Rodriguez boasts a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 130:36 K:BB to go with a 13-4 record in 116 2/3 innings over 20 starts for Baltimore this year, and this sounds like an issue that could very well lead to a stay on the injured list. For the time being, the 24-year-old former top prospect can be considered day-to-day until he's re-evaluated ahead of his next scheduled start, which tentatively lines up for Sunday's matchup at home against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (undisclosed) has been scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday in Toronto against the division-rival Blue Jays due to undisclosed reasons. Right-hander Albert Suarez was called upon to make the emergency spot start for the O's. It's unclear if Rodriguez is dealing with an injury or an illness of some sort. Fantasy managers should check back soon for an update on the 24-year-old's condition. In three starts since the All-Star break, Rodriguez has two quality starts and has allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 16 hits (two homers) while walking only five and striking out 18 in 17 innings pitched. Hopefully for fantasy managers, Rodriguez will be able to take his next turn through Baltimore's rotation. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 has a league-high 13 wins in his second year in the big leagues and a solid 26.5% strikeout rate in 20 starts.UPDATE: Rodriguez was scratched with right-lat/teres discomfort.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was sharp on the mound during Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics. The right-hander struck out eight batters while allowing three runs over six innings of work. Rodriguez earned his 11th win of the year which ties him for the major league lead in wins. He holds a 3.52 ERA across 16 starts with the O's this season. It's a bit surprising Rodriguez didn't make the All-Star team. However, he'll have plenty of more chances throughout his career. Rodriguez will make his final start before the All-Star break against the New York Yankees on Saturday.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez improved to 10-3 with a victory against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday. Rodriguez went 6 1/3 innings and allowed two hits, no runs, four walks and struck out eight batters on the night. The four walks weren't ideal for the young ace, but he was able to get out of jams with strikeouts. Other than the walks, which haven't been an issue for Rodriguez this season, he continues to look like one of the best young arms in the game. With this outing, the right-hander will carry a 3.45 into a very favorable start against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. Rodriguez should continued to be treated as a top pitcher in dynasty formats and a must-start in general.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez fanned four batters over seven innings pitched, allowing five hits and two earned runs in his start against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. After surrendering seven runs in his last start against the surging Houston Astros, Rodriguez grabbed his ninth win of the season during Wednesday's strong effort for the O's against the first-place Guardians. While the 24-year-old right-hander is still not necessarily performing like the top pitching prospect in baseball that he was a year ago, he'll still take a solid 3.72 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with an 89:25 K:BB across 82 1/3 frames into his next scheduled appearance in Tuesday's clash on the road against the first-place Seattle Mariners.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez turned in a quality start in a 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Rodriguez allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out four on the way to earning the win. The 24-year-old hurler has been excellent for the Orioles this season, posting a 6-2 record, 3.28 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts over 57 2/3 innings of work. Rodriguez should remain in fantasy lineups for his next start, which is scheduled to come against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) allowed one hit and three walks while striking out seven across six scoreless innings in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. He did not factor into the decision. The 24-year-old returned from the injured list on Saturday after missing two weeks with right shoulder inflammation. He was efficient on Saturday, throwing 82 pitches and landing 50 for strikes. The right-hander owns a 3.15 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 44:15 K: BB across 40 innings in 2024. Rodriguez will look to build off his performance in his next start on the road against the Chicago White Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles reinstated right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Saturday and designated right-hander Mike Baumann for assignment in a corresponding move. Rodriguez will immediately re-enter the starting rotation to toe the rubber against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Saturday. The 24-year-old is back after going on the injured list on May 1 with right-shoulder inflammation. It wasn't a serious injury, though, and Rodriguez is returning to Baltimore's rotation without making a minor-league rehab start. That will make him a little more risky in fantasy lineups on Saturday, but he'll also be facing a Mariners offense that ranks 20th in baseball with a .675 OPS. Rodriguez could certainly be on a limited pitch count in his first start back. He'll be returning to a 4-1 record, 3.71 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 34 innings over his six starts in 2024.

It's "possible" that Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) returns from the injured list this weekend, according to manager Brandon Hyde. Pitcher Cole Irvin is already scheduled to start on Wednesday, the first day that Rodriguez is eligible to return from the injured list, but the team's rotation after their scheduled off day on Thursday has yet to be announced. If the 24-year-old Rodriguez does return this weekend, his first start off the injured list would be a solid matchup against the Seattle Mariners. Rodriguez threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Sunday and didn't suffer any setbacks. He's been out since the start of May with right-shoulder inflammation, and it appears that the Orioles aren't going to send him on a minor-league rehab assignment before he returns. Rodriguez went 4-1 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 37 K's in 34 innings over his first six starts of the year.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) felt good after throwing a 30-pitch bullpen session on Sunday. The talented right-hander has been sidelined for a couple weeks with right-shoulder inflammation, but he is getting closer to a return. It is unclear what is next on the schedule for Rodriguez as the Orioles have not announced if a minor-league rehab start will be required. Nevertheless, the former first-round pick is eligible to return this upcoming Wednesday and he should be back around that time frame. Rodriguez should still be rostered in all formats as he owns a 4-1 record with a 3.71 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 37:12 K:BB through six starts this season.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday, his first time throwing off a mound since landing on the 15-day injured list last week with right-shoulder inflammation. Rodriguez mixed in all of his pitches on Wednesday and felt good after the session. It remains to be seen if the Orioles will send the 24-year-old out on a minor-league rehab assignment, but in any case, it's looking like he won't have to miss much time. It's great news for his fantasy baseball managers. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 should remain rostered in all fantasy formats. Rodriguez has started the season going 4-1 with a 3.71 ERA (3.56 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP while walking 12 and striking out 37 in 34 innings over his six starts.

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) said his right shoulder feels much better. He's been playing catch and is hoping to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list when he's eligible to return on May 15. The move to place Rodriguez on the IL was more of a precautionary move since he had been battling through shoulder inflammation recently, so the 24-year-old might not need a lengthy stay on the sidelines. It's great news for the O's and fantasy managers. As long as he avoids any setbacks, Rodriguez may only be required to make one minor-league rehab start before returning to Baltimore. Before his injury, he had gone 4-1 with a 3.71 ERA in his six starts. Rodriguez deserves to be kept in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues while he rehabs.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) played catch on Sunday to begin his throwing program after being placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right shoulder last week, pitching coach Drew French said. Rodriguez threw from 60 to 75 feet, and the plan is to soon ramp him up to bullpen sessions. Whether or not he needs to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining Baltimore's rotation has yet to be determined, but the O's and fantasy managers could get the 24-year-old former top prospect back sometime in May if all goes well in the hurler's recovery. Despite a shaky 3.71 ERA (3.57 FIP), 1.41 WHIP, 37:12 K:BB over 34 innings (six starts) this year, Rodriguez needs to be stashed in all leagues. In the meantime, Dean Kremer and Cole Irvin will serve as streaming options in favorable matchups.