Something was missing for Grayson Rodriguez when he faced Orioles

BALTIMORE—It wasn’t the homecoming Grayson Rodriguez envisioned. The former Oriole starting pitcher, who was traded to the Los Angeles Angels last November for outfielder Taylor Ward, didn’t see many of his former teammates.

When Rodriguez started on Tuesday night, he’d played with just three of the nine Oriole starters — shortstop Gunnar Henderson, second baseman Jackson Holliday and centerfielder Colton Cowser.

Another, designated hitter Coby Mayo, didn’t debut until a few days after Rodriguez made his last start for the Orioles on July 31^st, 2024.

The biggest surprise to Rodriguez was that his longtime catcher, Adley Rutschman, wasn’t there, either. Rutschman had been traded to Boston the day before.

“That was a big surprise to me,” Rodriguez said. “Just seeing what goes on at the trade deadline … It was surprising, but it was kind of weird not seeing him here.”

The player for whom he was traded, Ward, also wasn’t there because he was traded to Seattle just a couple of hours before the Rutschman deal.

Rodriguez had missed his first chance to pitch against the Orioles in June when his old team came to Anaheim. A lower back injury sidelined him, but he’s healthy now and pitched one of his better games, allowing two runs on three hits in seven innings in a 3-1 loss to the Orioles.

The Angels didn’t help him offensively. Though they outhit the Orioles 11-4, they were just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Overall, it’s been a year of ups and downs for Rodriguez, who’s 3-4 with a 7.24 ERA. Last year, he didn’t pitch at all. In spring training, Rodriguez was shut down, and after saying in June he was going to pitch in the second half of 2025, had surgery to remove bone chips in August.

“It’s been great. Obviously being back out there is the main thing,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve got some nicks and bruises after being out for so long. Pitching on a five-day rotation is tough. I’m able to be out there right now, and that’s thew main thing.

“I’ve been working on a lot of stuff, on bullpens and whatnot, a lot of deliveries and mechanical stuff. My pitches haven’t really been where I wanted them to be. In terms of how they’re playing, location, different stuff like that, but I feel like I made big strides with them here over the last week or two.”

It was a surprise when president of baseball operations Mike Elias called Rodriguez to tell him of the move.

“I think anytime you get traded you’re a little surprised,” Rodriguez said. “Got a call at 10:30 from the GM one night. I knew something had happened. I guess anytime you get traded it’s a little surprising, but it’s just part of the game. It happens all the time. It happens to guys you know. It’s only a matter of time before it happens to you.”

The 26-year-old right-hander was the Orioles’ No. 1 draft pick in 2018, the last time the team selected a pitcher in the first round.

It took him until 2023 to make the big leagues, and he was 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 23 starts. That year was interrupted when Rodriguez was sent to Triple-A Norfolk for seven weeks in late May and concluded with a disappointing start in the Orioles’ loss in the American League Division Series to Texas.

That team won 101 games, winning the East. Rodriguez is now pitching on a team that had the worst record in baseball when it faced the Orioles.

In 2024, Rodriguez was 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA when a lat injury prevented him from starting after July 31st.

Even though Rodriguez’s return didn’t get the attention it deserved because it came a day after the Rutschman trade,  it was still special.

“I had it circled on my calendar,” Rodriguez said. “Excited more than anything. I think just being in a familiar place. Obviously know that mound well.”

His return to Oriole Park had him feeling nostalgic.

“Winning the division in ’23,” he said. “Getting to throw against Gunnar, Holliday, Cowser, those were the favorite three. It’s kind of weird pitching against an Oriole lineup where I played with a handful of guys. It was kind of odd, but it was a lot of fun.”

Now, it’s back to the grind.

“I also don’t really look at it as in trading away,” he said. “The Angels traded for me is kind of how I’ve been looking at it. They needed some help in the rotation. I’m not too sour about it. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been able to get healthy again, be out there and throw, and that’s a big thing for me.”

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com