Will Grayson Rodriguez be ready to pitch for Orioles in 2026? | MAILBAG

Question: Do you think Grayson Rodriguez will be ready to pitch anytime during the 2026 season? From: Marty Okun

Answer: Marty, the Orioles would like to know the answer to that. They say they’re confident the 25-year-old right-hander will be ready to pitch in time for spring training. I think the best strategy for the Orioles is to build a strong starting staff that doesn’t include Rodriguez, which would mean Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells and another starter from among Cade Povich or Brandon Young.

They should add an accomplished free-agent starter or two and hope that Rodriguez is a contributor.

Question: Do you think Samuel Basallo could benefit from catching half a season in winter ball in the Caribbean? From: Kevin McLaughlin

Answer: Kevin, even though Basallo was injured for some of the season, I think there’s no reason to stretch his year. Next year, he’ll catch and play first base. He’s probably caught more than expected because Adley Rutschman has been on the injured list for nearly the entire time Basallo has been with the Orioles.

The 21-year-old left-handed hitter still played in a combined 103 games between the minors and majors, and after the final week of the season is done, I think the Orioles will congratulate him on an excellent season and tell him they’ll see him in Sarasota in February.

Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.