Orioles injury updates on Rutschman, Rodriguez and Webb

Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman is trending in a direction that moves him further away from the injured list.

Rutschman was scratched from last night’s lineup with lower back discomfort that flared as he hit in the cage. He’s receiving treatment and remains on the active roster.

“He’s a little better,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “Hoping in the next day or two he can get back in there, and he should be available off the bench tonight, too, in a big spot. Definitely improved from last night. Back feels a little bit better.”

Triple-A Norfolk catcher Blake Hunt is at Camden Yards as the taxi squad catcher. The Orioles might have recalled him if Rutschman’s condition worsened.

“I think we were waiting to see what he was like today,” Hyde said. “If it went backward, I think that was definitely a possibility. That’s one position you can’t be short.  We felt like it was probably going to improve by this afternoon, and it has.”

Rutschman has avoided the injured list in the majors.

Grayson Rodriguez, who’s on the 15-day IL with right lat/teres discomfort, threw on flat ground today for the first time since the Orioles scratched him from an Aug. 6 start in Toronto.

“Right now just taking it easy,” he said. “So far so good. Everything feels good.”

Rodriguez was warming in the outfield at Rogers Centre when he alerted pitching coach Drew French of the discomfort.

“Knew something didn’t feel right, kind of shut it down,” he said. “I really want to be here for the back half of the season. Thankfully we were able to kind of catch it before it turned into anything serious.

“There really wasn’t anything leading up to it. I didn’t really feel much before that moment.”

A realistic goal for Rodriguez is a return to the rotation next month. Knowing the exact timing isn’t possible after one day of playing catch.

“To me, honestly, be back as soon as possible. When that is, I’m really not sure,” said Rodriguez, who's 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts.

“I don’t think we really have a day in mind. I think it’s going to go off how I feel day to day. Obviously the organization, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure when I come back, I stay back and we’re healthy.”

Rodriguez missed three months of the 2022 Triple-A season with a lat/teres strain, but the pain that he felt in Toronto wasn't in the same location.

“This is way more mild. Pretty good news there,” he said.

“I want to be here for the postseason, I want to be here for that back half of September, the month of September. So making sure that we do everything we can to just make sure it stays healthy and in a good spot.”

Rodriguez’s optimism spreads to the rest of the organization, but it’s the cautious variety.

“I’m hoping for the best,” Hyde said. “I think you never know as guys go through their throwing progression, and hopefully he doesn’t have any setbacks. We don’t have that much time left, so we’re staying optimistic with it and we feel good about where he is right now.”

The Orioles are expecting to have Rodriguez, reliever Danny Coulombe and infielder Jordan Westburg on the roster by late September and could get reliever Jacob Webb back a little earlier. Webb played catch today for the first time since his placement on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation.

The urgency to upgrade from within is countered by the wisdom in refusing to rush the process.

“I think our medical team does a great job with that,” Hyde said. “They keep us involved in the process of where these guys are at and project what August and September look like in their schedules, and then we make adjustments from there. I’m not really worried about that because I think our guys, they communicate really well and we’re always looking out for the player and what the right thing to do is for the player.

“I’m just hoping none of these guys have setbacks, and I think if they don’t, then hopefully we’ll be adding them in September at some point.”

Albert Suárez starts Sunday on an extra day of rest. Rookie left-hander Cade Povich takes his turn tonight.

For the Red Sox

Jarren Duran CF
Rob Refsnyder RF
Tyler O’Neill LF
Rafael Devers 3B
Danny Jansen C
Romy Gonzalez 2B
Triston Casas 1B
Connor Wong DH
Ceddanne Rafaela SS

Brayan Bello RHP