Orioles pitchers Grayson Rodriguez, Andrew Kittredge to start year on IL

LAKELAND, Fla. — Grayson Rodriguez and Andrew Kittredge will begin the season on the injured list, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Friday, two injury developments that diminish Baltimore’s pitching staff before a meaningful pitch has been thrown.

Kittredge, a high-leverage reliever signed this offseason, will undergo arthroscopic surgery to address an issue with the cartilage in his left knee, and Hyde said the right-hander will miss multiple months.

Rodriguez has discomfort on the back of his right elbow. Although Hyde said it wasn’t a ligament issue, Rodriguez will miss time into the regular season and will seek multiple opinions before deciding on a treatment path.

The news comes amid a flurry of recent injuries for the Orioles, although the others are far less serious. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill’s sore ribcage shouldn’t hold him out of the lineup for more than a few games. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson is recovering from his intercostal muscle strain. Infielder Jorge Mateo is hitting and fielding fully now after last season’s elbow surgery, and infielder Jordan Westburg has returned from back spasms.

With uncertainty around Henderson’s availability for opening day, Hyde added that Jackson Holliday would receive reps at shortstop. So, too, will Westburg.

Losing Kittredge and Rodriguez for any meaningful time is a major blow. Rodriguez was expected to handle a large role in the rotation after the departure of Corbin Burnes, but the right-hander will be shelved for “some time” into the year.

“We’re getting the results. We’re talking to multiple people about what the treatment, et cetera, is, as of right now,” Hyde said. “The timeline, we’re not sure of it. But it’s not the ligament.”

On Wednesday Rodriguez felt “sluggish” in his second spring training start, and his velocity was down by 3 mph or so on his fastball. The next day Rodriguez reported to the club that he felt triceps soreness, and that has expanded to the back of the arm, where the triceps muscle meets the elbow.

Without Rodriguez to open the year, Hyde said that “realistically” the competition for Baltimore’s fifth starting spot is between right-hander Albert Suárez and left-hander Cade Povich.

“That’s why you have to have as much starting pitching depth as possible,” Hyde said. “It’s unfortunate with Grayson. We’re going to be hoping for the best. But, like I’ve said a lot, we’re going to need more than five starters all year. ... We’re going to need guys to step up. And we definitely have experience in the rotation, and I think that’s important.”

Povich has impressed this spring. He struck out six batters in three innings during his last start, and he threw a four-inning simulated game Thursday that looked “really good,” Hyde said.

“Povich is throwing really good right now,” Hyde said. “And I love the way he ended the season. He’s pitching with a lot of confidence right now.”

Rodriguez has dealt with his share of injuries the last few years. In 2022, a lat muscle strain forced him to miss time while in the minors. And last season he was sidelined first with right shoulder inflammation, then a lat/teres strain that ended his season early.

Even with those two absences, Rodriguez impressed with a 3.86 ERA in 116 2/3 innings.

Kittredge has felt knee soreness since last week, when he canceled an appearance after feeling discomfort in his warmup. Kittredge was signed to handle back-end innings, and his absence could open a path for right-hander Bryan Baker to make the opening day roster.

Asked whether the Orioles would look externally to add pitching help, Hyde said roster construction questions were better suited for general manager Mike Elias.

Still, Hyde said, “I do know that Mike is constantly looking to upgrade our team.”