The Baltimore Orioles have had playoff berths in the last two seasons. Nonetheless, the team was ultimately sent home earlier than they would have liked. In a stacked American League East division, the Orioles are counting on their young talent to take key steps forward in 2025.
One of those players with an important impending season is right-handed pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. The 25-year-old has added a new pitch — a two-seam fastball — and even tweaked his delivery in hopes of warding off injury.
Pitching line for Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez following his first spring start:
1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB, 1 HPB, 25 pitches (15 strikes)
Here was his final out of the day, a fly ball to RF: pic.twitter.com/hX2UI357dT
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) February 27, 2025
The Orioles drafted Rodriguez with their first-round pick in the 2018 MLB draft out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas. The right-hander made his Major League debut in 2023. His career, thus far, has featured multiple injury stints, including lat and shoulder strains.
In 43 games and starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Rodriguez is 20-8 with a 3.80 FIP. The young righty has racked up 259 strikeouts in 238 2/3 innings. Rodriguez’s pitch arsenal features a changeup, slider, and curveball. His go-to pitch is his four-seam fastball. Rodriguez relies heavily on his four-seamer. Last season, he threw his heater 47.7% of the time, but opponents batted .342 against the pitch.
His recent addition of a two-seam fastball would give him a pitch with more horizontal movement. This, in theory, should hinder the success of opposing batters. Rodriguez has also altered his pitch delivery to take some pressure off his shoulder which has been very cranky at times.
At just 25 years old, Rodriguez is the youngest pitcher slated to be in Baltimore’s starting rotation. At 35 years old, Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano signed with the Orioles over the winter. Sugano is expecting great things in Baltimore. The Orioles acquired 30-year-old Zach Eflin from the Tampa Bay Rays last summer, and 41-year-old Charlie Morton signed with Baltimore back in January. For Morton, this will be his sixth team in 17 MLB seasons.
The Orioles will open up the 2025 regular season north of the border, as they take on the Blue Jays on Thursday, March 27.
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