More Mike Elias on Rodriguez, DL Hall and other topics

When O’s executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias updated reporters Sunday about baseball’s top pitching prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, he noted that the right-hander is not doing anything with his mechanics that made him more likely to develop the lat issue that has now sidelined him.

But Elias did note one thing Rodriguez does that might make him more likely to have such an issue.

“I don’t think that he is doing anything particularly wrong mechanically that would have contributed to this. But, it is kind of a verified thing that very hard throwers like him have more lat recruitment, generally, in their deliveries," Elias said. "So, you do see this injury more with guys that throw in the upper 90s across baseball. If you recall, (Triple-A Norfolk lefty) DL Hall had something similar in 2019, and he’s another guy that throws hard. So, not a surprise.”

Elias confirmed Sunday that Rodriguez does have a Grade 2 lat strain but mentioned he hopes Rodriguez might return by September, although the Orioles still can’t exactly pinpoint his return. It could be sooner, but it also could be later. One thing that is all but set: Elias expects Rodriguez to begin the 2023 season in the Baltimore rotation.  

He could even pitch in the big leagues later this year if the rehab goes well.

“Definitely not ruling that out,” Elias said Sunday in the Orioles dugout.

Injuries to key pitchers - and the O’s have had a few this year and other years - accentuate the need for depth at the higher levels on the farm.

“We lost John Means for the season and we have this injury,” said Elias. “That is two really good starting options that we were hoping to see this year. It highlights the fact that you need the depth on the 40-man roster. So, very excited that Dean (Kremer) is back healthy in that regard. That was a tough development in the opening series. But you can’t ever have the expectation in this business that you will have all of your pitchers healthy at one time. It just never happens, so I think (Jordan) Lyles has been fantastic for us in that regard. Really, all these guys, and we’re going to get Spenser Watkins back here pretty soon and he’ll help us cover innings here again. It’s kind of that next man up kind of thing.”

Elias continues to monitor the pitching at Triple-A, where Hall allowed two runs in five innings Sunday on 72 pitches. He got the win for the Tides and is 1-1 with a 4.57 ERA in six games with Norfolk.

“We are keeping an eye on that group and seeing who is performing and covering innings," Elias said. "You do that in Triple-A, you’re putting yourself on the map. I think that DL Hall, in particular, on the 40-man roster and the talent that he is, we want to see him build up and cover innings and get his pitch counts into a more efficient space, so that he is able to work into the fourth, fifth and beyond. He knows that. He’s doing that.

“I think that the flashes of what he is showing in Triple-A is very exciting, but that the level and experienced hitters that he is facing there is teaching him a lot about how to pitch at that level. But overall, very pleased with where he is at.”

On Friday, the Orioles announced a promotion for Eve Rosenbaum of their front office.

She has been promoted to the club’s assistant general manager, baseball operations. Rosenbaum will oversee roster management, transactions, financial planning, and major league operations and administration, while continuing to play a key role in player evaluation and acquisition across the pro and amateur markets. She will also advise and assist Elias and Sig Mejdal, the club's vice president and assistant general manager, analytics, in all baseball operations decisions and departmental management.

“Very excited about that,” Elias said. “She is one of the bright, young baseball minds in the league today. Very big asset for us in the front office. She has experience across basically every department. She started in international scouting in her baseball career, but she knows the draft, she knows player development very well, she knows analytics very well and kind of the intersection of all those areas.

“Looking ahead, we thought it would be a good time for her to kind of shift gears and primarily focusing on helping me run the day-to-day operations of the major league team. But also continuing to work hard-in-hand with every acquisition decision that we make in all the different markets. So I think it’s going to broaden what has already been a big impact for her in kind of our upper-level decision-making group, and just going to put more responsibilities on her plate.”