Rodriguez "sluggish" in second spring start (and other Orioles notes)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Grayson Rodriguez didn’t make it through the second inning for the second time this spring.

Just trust the process.

Rodriguez came out of today’s game against the Twins after hitting Austin Martin with one out. He threw 33 pitches, 20 strikes, with a noticeable drop in velocity.

The four-seam fastball averaged 93.2 mph, topping out at 95.3 on Ryan Jeffers’ strikeout in the first. Christian Vazquez led off the second with a double into left-center field on an 89.5 mph fastball.

That wasn’t the issue, according to Rodriguez.

“Kind of felt like I was fighting myself today,” he said. “Felt pretty sluggish. Yeah, just kind of sluggish.

“I just don’t think I could really get behind the ball today and spin it how I wanted to. Everything kind of felt flat, like during the bullpen today. I don’t know. I wasn’t able to spin the ball well today. The command obviously wasn’t there, hit Martin in the second.”

Rodriguez didn’t blame anything that was physical or mechanical in nature.

“I just know some days are a little harder than others,” he said. “Today was a little difficult just trying to get in the strike zone. Mentally, was a little sped up. But other than that, I don’t really know what else there was.”

Rodriguez threw 23 pitches, 14 for strikes, in the first inning. His four-seamer stayed in the 92-94 mph range until the Jeffers strikeout. Royce Lewis had an RBI single on a 93.5 mph fastball. Carlos Correa singled and Byron Buxton walked with one out.

In his spring debut, Rodriguez retired five of his six batters before exiting. The only baserunner came on a hit-by-pitch.

Rodriguez’s fastball averaged 96.1 mph last season. His other pitches today also were down, though it’s important to note that radar gun readings aren’t usually a priority in early March.

That is especially true with Rodriguez.

“The intent was still down,” he said. “Still not going out there trying to throw it 95, 100 percent. Really just trying to make sure that I’m in a spot in my pitch buildup, my program. Obviously, coming up we’re going to start letting it eat, but right now, yeah, just trying to make sure that I’m under control, making sure that we’re working on getting the scap (scapula) loaded and stuff. Just trying to sync everything up together.

“Obviously today, I wasn’t worried about velo.”

How Rodriguez handled a start like this one might differ in the regular season rather than on a windy Florida afternoon.

“Obviously, it’s still really early,” he said. “You want to make sure that everything’s going good. Obviously, you don’t want to have days like today, but if they’re going to happen, spring training is kind of where they need to happen. Just trying to iron out the kinks.

“I think in a regular season game I’d worry about saving the bullpen. You’re not going to have a choice but to work through it. But it’s something in spring training, it’s my second start, just really kind of making sure we take it slow. We were following the buildup and when they come out to get me, they come out to get me. There’s a part of me that wants to stay in the ballgame, but also it’s spring training. There’s really not much you can do.”

* A vehicle crash between two semis caused a significant hydraulic oil leak this morning and closed southbound I-75. Manager Brandon Hyde drove and didn’t make it by first pitch, walking into the clubhouse around 2 p.m.

New bench coach Robinson Chirinos was holding the lineup card in the dugout.

The trip from Sarasota to the Twins complex lasts about 90 minutes in normal traffic. Managers usually drive separately – Buck Showalter used to ride with a couple of his coaches – and Hyde’s home is on the way back. He wasn’t returning to the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

* Albert Suárez was much better today in his third appearance, tossing three scoreless innings before returning for a fourth and surrendering a run.

The final line shows Suárez with one run, four hits, one walk and two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He threw 55 pitches, 34 for strikes.

This is a marked improvement from his first two outings, when he allowed a combined seven runs and nine hits with four walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Nate Webb replaced Suárez and stranded the runner with one pitch. Webb came over from minor league camp.

* Liván Soto and Colton Cowser had RBI singles in the third inning to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead. Soto began the day 4-for-12, and he singled again in the fifth and seventh innings. … Adley Rutschman lined an RBI single into left field in the fifth and Emmanuel Rivera hit a solo home run to center field in the sixth. … Rutschman had two hits today. He left the game with Suárez, giving the right-hander a hug and receiving high fives in the dugout, and Samuel Basallo handled the rest of the catching. … Jackson Holliday led off the top of the first inning by getting ahead 3-0 and lining out to deep left field at 99.1 mph. Austin Martin made a nice running catch and slammed into the fence. … Holliday turned the tables by leaping to catch Harrison Bader’s line drive leading off the bottom of the first. … Heston Kjerstad went to the opposite field again today with a line drive single into left leading off the second.

This story will be updated.