Healthy G-Rod back on MLB’s doorstep
LAKELAND, Fla. — Grayson Rodriguez was on the doorstep of the Majors final June. Nine months later, he’s lastly taking the final steps towards his debut.
“We worked on some things this offseason and so far into Spring Training,” Rodriguez mentioned Thursday after pitching two scoreless innings towards Detroit. “Right now, my stuff’s better than it was last year. When we get a little bigger of a sample size, I can’t wait to use it in a game.”
Adley Rutschman, who caught most of Rodriguez’s begins at Triple-A Norfolk in 2021 and some extra final spring earlier than being known as as much as Baltimore, can be desirous to see what Rodriguez can do.
“I think he’s always had great stuff,” Rutschman mentioned Thursday after hitting his first residence run of the spring. “So if he says he’s got better stuff, then I’m really excited.”
A 6-foot-5, 23-year-old right-hander who was the Orioles’ first-round Draft decide in 2018, Rodriguez was all set for his first promotion to the Majors when he was sidelined by a lat pressure on June 1, 2022. The damage derailed his prospects for reaching the large leagues in 2022, though he got here again for 19 2/3 Minor League innings in September.
Now there’s one other open beginning job in Baltimore.
“There’s no doubt he has Major League starter stuff,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “Now it’s just about command and seeing more Major League hitters.”
Rodriguez threw solely 20 pitches Thursday and reached 98 mph along with his fastball. He gave up a stroll to Austin Meadows main off the second, however that was erased by a double play.
“I wish I would have thrown a little more first-pitch strikes, but other than that, everything was pretty good,” he mentioned. “I tried to treat it like any other start. I just tried to spin four seams in the zone and see how it plays.”
He needed to “basically simulate a third inning” within the bullpen simply to achieve a passable workload.
“I haven’t seen him pitch very much. Obviously what he has shown, and what he has done in his Minor League career, has put him in the position of having an opportunity to break with us,” Hyde mentioned. “I just want to see him throw a bunch of strikes. That’s the biggest thing to me — command of his pitches. He’s obviously got the stuff. Now it’s about seeing what he looks like against big league hitters.”
Coming again for six outings in September was essential to assist Rodriguez get again up to now, he mentioned. He was added to the 40-man roster in November.
“Being able to get to Triple-A and throw before the season ends, that was huge. Being able to have a healthy offseason and come onto Spring Training just like normal,” Rodriguez mentioned.
In complete in 2022, he began 17 video games and struck out 109 in 75 2/3 innings. But there was nonetheless a way of disappointment over lacking massive league innings.
“Everyone had sympathy for him,” Rutschman mentioned. “I know what it’s like to go through an injury, and a lot of guys in baseball unfortunately do. It was really unfortunate and I know it’s tough when you have a guy that you are so excited for, to see that happen. But he looks great to me and I’m very excited to see what he does.”
