Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez shut down with elbow issue; Rutschman could go on rehab Tuesday

TAMPA—Grayson Rodriguez, who has yet to pitch in 2025, has been shut down again, according to Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino.

“We had to pull back a little bit on Grayson,” Mansolino said. “There’s a little bit of elbow discomfort from the issue he had in spring training, same spot, so we’re going to pull back. We’re going to reevaluate. We’ll probably have more information on that in the next week or so.”

Rodriguez hasn’t pitched this season because of injuries to his right elbow, shoulder and lat.

“I think that the fact that there was a preexisting thing that caused a little bit of inflammation and got a shot in spring training, I’d gravitate more towards that,” Mansolino said.

Rodriguez missed the last two months of last season with a right lat injury and hasn’t pitched since last July 31st. Mansolino didn’t rule him out for the rest of this season.

“I’m not a doctor. I don’t know the medicals,” he said. “In a week or so, once we go through the right channels, we’ll have a better idea of that. That’s not for me to speculate on.

“Grayson’s a great competitor. He’s fierce. He’s tough. This is hard for him. This is hard for his teammates. This is hard for the Orioles, so hopefully we get better news in the next week or so, and we see where he’s at.”

Injury updates: Catcher Adley Rutschman, who’s on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique muscle, is taking live batting practice this weekend in Sarasota.

Rutschman is scheduled to catch Kyle Bradish, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, on Saturday for two innings in a simulated game. If that goes well, Rutschman will move to Triple-A Norfolk to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday.

Rutschman might be joined by first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who’s with the Orioles in Tampa on Friday. Mountcastle will go to Sarasota for live batting practice on Saturday. He’s rehabbing a strained right hamstring, and is on the 60-day injured list. He’s eligible to return on July 30th.

If Bradish’s simulated game goes well, he could go on a rehab assignment soon.

Cade Povich, who’s on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation, is scheduled to throw for Norfolk on Saturday.

Zach Eflin threw three hitless innings for the Florida Complex League Orioles, then allowed five unearned runs in the fourth inning against the FCL Pirates. Eflin allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 68 pitches.

Catcher Chadwick Tromp is beginning a rehab assignment with Single-A Delmarva.

O’Hearn thrilled with All-Star experience: Ryan O’Hearn is back from the All-Star Game, where he was hitless in two at-bats on Tuesday as the American League’s starting designated hitter.

“It was good. It was a great experience,” he said. “Just being in that room with the best players in the world, getting to see them as normal people, not the persona they may have on the field. Getting to be in that room with those guys and getting to call myself an All-Star.”

The player who stood out to O’Hearn was Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ slugger.

“Awesome guy,” O’Hearn said.

Bodine signs: Earlier in the day, the Orioles signed their first-round pick, catcher Ike Irish, the 19th overall pick. They’ve also signed Caden Bodine, the 30th overall pick.

Now there are two Hollidays: Second baseman Jackson Holliday was thrilled to see that his younger brother Ethan was the fourth overall pick in Sunday’s draft. Ethan Holliday was drafted by Colorado, the team that drafted his father Matt in 1998.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Jackson said. “It’s really, really fun to watch him do his thing and now get drafted by the Rockies, where my dad played for a good while. It’s really exciting.”

Martin returns: The Orioles re-signed right-hander Corbin Martin to a one-year contract. Martin replaces reliever Scott Blewett on the roster. Blewett is on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow injury. Martin declined the Orioles’ outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk so he could become a free agent and re-sign with the Orioles. He was designated for assignment last Sunday.

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