Kittredge had his left knee debrided on Friday, the Orioles told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The team described the treatment as “successful.”
Today, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde updated the media on the status of numerous injured players. Most notably, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez will begin the season on the injured list owing to soreness in his elbow/triceps area, while Hyde stressed that there is no fear about the righty’s ligament. Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner was among those who shared the information. Additionally, righty Andrew Kittredge will have arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss several months, according to Kostka.
Rodriguez’s velocity dropped in his most recent start, and he later told reporters that he felt “sluggish” and “flat” during the game. Hyde eventually reported that Rodriguez was experiencing triceps pain. The team appears to be still working on finalizing the diagnosis, but it has enough information to conclude that Rodriguez will not be ready for opening day. “It’s not a ligament issue, so we’re not concerned,” Hyde told Kostka. However, there will be some missing time. Right now, we’re still gathering opinions.”
The long-term picture will be revealed over time, but in the immediate term, the Orioles will need to pivot their rotation. Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Dean Kremer will fill four rotation positions in Rodriguez’s absence. According to Kostka, Hyde stated today that the final rotation position will most likely be decided between Albert Suárez and Cade Povich.
Suárez, 35, spent the 2019-2023 seasons pitching in Asia. Last year, he returned to affiliated baseball with the Orioles and performed well in a swing role. He made 24 starts and eight relief appearances, pitching 133 2/3 innings for a 3.70 earned run average. He only struck out 19.1% of batters he faced, but walked only 7.6%. He expected to be in a long-term relief role to begin the year. If he joins the rotation, Roansy Contreras may take over as the long man because the Orioles are stretching him out.
Povich, who turned 25 in April, was a top 100 prospect entering 2024 but struggled in his first major league appearance. He made 16 starts last year, recording a 5.20 ERA, 19.6% strikeout rate, and 9.6% walk rate. However, his minor league statistics were stronger, as he pitched 77 2/3 Triple-A innings last year with a 3.48 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate, and 8.5% walk rate. He still has options and may be in the Triple-A rotation if not the majors.
Ideally, one of those arms will cover the rotation spot for a few revolutions while Rodriguez recovers. However, if it is determined that he will be absent for an extended period of time, the club may seek external assistance. Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, Spencer Turnbull, and others remain available as free agents. Pitchers like Jordan Montgomery and Taijuan Walker are likely available for trade.
Kittredge’s departure is a disappointment given that the Orioles made a significant investment in him just over two months ago. Baltimore signed Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract in mid-January, anticipating that he would play an important role in the club’s bullpen. However, he lately developed some stiffness in his left knee and was sent for testing, which indicated the need for this surgery.
This is not the first time an injury has hampered the right-hander’s career. Kittredge posted a 1.88 ERA in 71 2/3 innings for the Rays in 2021, but Tommy John surgery cost him most of the next two seasons. He remained healthy after being dealt to the Cardinals last year, pitching 70 2/3 innings with a 2.80 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate, and 45.2% ground ball rate. That prompted the Orioles to sign him to an eight-figure contract, but it now appears that they will have to wait several months to see any return on their investment.
Despite losing Kittredge, the Orioles still have good relief options such as Félix Bautista, Yennier Cano, Keegan Akin, Seranthony DomÃnguez, and Gregory Soto. If Kittredge’s injury forces them to look for outside help, players like David Robertson, Phil Maton, and Joe Kelly are unsigned.
Hyde said shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who has an intercostal strain, is still being treated. According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, Hyde stated that Jackson Holliday and potentially Jordan Westburg will be given some shortstop reps, with the Orioles attempting to develop contingency plans in case Henderson misses time. According to Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball, Liván Soto and Luis Vázquez are also possible candidates.
Both Holliday and Westburg played a lot of shortstop in the minors and should be OK shifting over there to cover for a while, though they will leave voids elsewhere. Holliday is projected to be the regular second baseman, while Westburg will play third base. If Westburg is at short, Coby Mayo or Ramón UrÃas might cover third. However, Hyde may favor Holliday, resulting in a keystone hole. UrÃas has extensive experience at second base, but has spent approximately 25% of his time at third.
Neither Soto nor Vázquez are currently on the 40-man roster. They both have extensive minor league experience at second, third, and shortstop, but they have only played 46 major league games combined.
