Grayson

Rodriguez

Encouraging is that Rodriguez averaged 96.1 mph with his fastball and topped out at 98.6 mph today. That’s right where he was when last seen in the majors in 2024, though about 1.5 mph off from where he debuted at in 2023. We’re not confident that Rodriguez will prove useful in fantasy leagues this season after experiencing shoulder, lat and elbow problems the last two years, but we wouldn’t at all mind being wrong about that.

That Detmers was returning to starting was clear, but it’s still interesting that he’s not even going to have to win a job this spring. Grayson Rodriguez, Alek Manoah, Jack Kochanowicz, Mitch Farris and Caden Dana are currently in the mix for the last two spots, with Rodriguez clearly in line to secure a place if he shows he’s healthy. Chase Silseth, who is out of options, is expected to be limited to relief work.

Rodriguez, who was acquired by the Angels from the Orioles for Taylor Ward last night, had surgery in August to remove a bone spur from his elbow. “That was something that’s kind of lingered with me for about three or four years now,” he said Wednesday. “I’ve had them for a while and kind of just got to the point where I couldn’t really pitch through it. Pretty sure that’s kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries.” Rodriguez said he’d be good to go this spring. If so, he’ll almost certainly be a part of the Angels rotation.

Rodriguez has some obvious red flags from a durability standpoint, but it’s a lot harder to get a pitcher with his talent than it is a 30-homer outfielder with questionable on-base skills. Plus, Rodriguez is making the minimum and is under control for four more years, whereas Ward is due in the neighborhood of $13 million in his final season before free agency. The 26-year-old reached the majors in 2023 as one of the game’s very best pitching prospects, but he missed much of 2024 and then all of 2025 with shoulder and elbow issues. Coming off surgery to remove a bone spur, he is expected to be ready for spring training. Overall, Rodriguez is 20-8 with a 4.11 ERA and a 259/78 K/BB in 238 2/3 innings as a major leaguer. If healthy, he’ll join Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano and likely Reid Detmers in an Angels rotation that still needs at least one more starter.

Rodriguez had surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow back on August 11th. He will begin a throwing program in October, and Elias feels confident that Rodriguez will be ready for spring training. However, it is curious that Elias also said the team is looking to add a “top of the rotation” starter to pair with Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers, but did not mention Rodriguez. Perhaps it was just a slip, or perhaps Rodriguez has work to do to show the organization that he can be counted on as a crucial starter for them.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. The Orioles are hopeful once again that he’ll be ready for the start of spring training in 2026. He could wind up being an intriguing option for fantasy purposes if he can just find a way to stay on the mound.

The door is officially slammed shut on Rodriguez pitching this season for the Orioles, which means he can be safely dropped in re-draft formats where he’s still rostered. The 25-year-old right-hander’s status for next season won’t be clear until after next week’s debridement procedure on his elbow. He wound up missing the entire 2025 campaign due to shoulder and elbow issues, which makes it extremely challenging to forecast his future from a dynasty perspective. At this point, fantasy managers need to see him stay healthy and perform at something close to previous levels before rostering him again in any format.

It’d be good news is that is Rodriguez’s main problem, as that kind of surgery wouldn’t affect his 2026 season. Rodriguez still hasn’t been ruled out for the rest of 2025, but with the Orioles having written off the season, there doesn’t seem to be much point of him aiming to return in September.

Rodriguez was shutdown yet again in his rehab last week and was sent from imaging to determine the extent of the damage in his elbow. While there have been no further updates from the Orioles the fact that he is now seeking multiple opinion on that imaging is not good news. If he were to have to undergo surgery, it would likely put the entirety of his 2026 season in jeopardy considering how late in the year it is.

It feels extremely unlikely that Rodriguez will throw a pitch this season for the Orioles after being shut down last week with renewed elbow soreness. The bigger question is whether he’ll require a surgical procedure, which would put his 2026 campaign in serious jeopardy. There should be an update on the 25-year-old former top prospect’s status at some point later this week.