Grayson Rodriguez will hopefully be again with the Orioles quickly, supervisor Brandon Hyde stated Saturday. And the membership nonetheless expects the 23-year-old to ultimately be a top-tier MLB beginning pitcher.
But for now, he’s headed again to the minor leagues. After 10 huge league begins — about half good and half unhealthy — Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. In a corresponding transfer, the Orioles referred to as up left-handed aid pitcher Keegan Akin.
“We think he’s going to be a really, really good starting pitcher in this league,” Hyde stated. “It’s just a little bit of, go back down and work on some things and hopefully come back up here soon.”
Rodriguez has been a prized prospect for the reason that Orioles picked him No. 11 general within the 2018 MLB draft. Fans hoped he’d make his MLB debut after dominating Triple-A a yr in the past, however a lat muscle pressure in June sidelined him. They hoped he’d open this season with the Orioles, however he started the yr in Norfolk.
He was rapidly promoted, nonetheless, making his long-awaited debut in opposition to the Texas Rangers on April 5, permitting two runs in 5 innings. He’s since yo-yoed between productive and poor outings, posting a 7.35 ERA in his 10 appearances.
After two tough performances not too long ago, the Orioles’ pitching division recognized methods Rodriguez was tipping his pitches. The 6-foot-5 fireballer altered his stance with runners on base and lowered his glove, a “minor mechanical adjustment,” he stated, “just to help me conceal the baseball more.”
Against the Toronto Blue Jays final week, it proved to be efficient, however he was hit exhausting once more Friday. Facing the Rangers once more, he allowed three residence runs — together with a grand slam by Corey Seager on a pitch Rodriguez left in the midst of the plate — as he gave up eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, taking the loss whereas the Orioles fell, 12-2.
It marked his third May begin giving up at the least six runs in fewer than 4 innings. He posted a 4.07 ERA in April, however that determine ballooned to 11.14 in 5 May outings.
“Obviously, got some guys on, didn’t make good pitches and had to pay for it,” Rodriguez stated of his efficiency Friday.
Hyde stated that Rodriguez’s high precedence in Norfolk is enhancing his fastball location.
“Grayson’s got huge stuff and throws really hard and flashes good secondary, but it’s tough to pitch in this league if you don’t have really good fastball command as a starter,” he stated.
Rodriguez has been famend for his electrical stuff, together with a four-seam fastball he has thrown a median of 96.7 mph this season. Hyde praised Rodriguez’s pitches, however stated he’ll want to enhance his command and his consistency earlier than he can blossom into the highest beginning pitcher the Orioles nonetheless count on him to be.
“You gotta be able to work to both sides of the plate, you gotta be able to put a guy away with two strikes, you gotta be able to go deep in a game. Those are all things that all starting pitches have to do and the good ones do it consistently for a long time and get paid a lot of money because of it,” Hyde stated.
“He’s going to be that type of guy, just right now, we feel like the right thing to do for him is to go work on those things and come back up here and be ready to help.”
Rodriguez was anticipated to start out Wednesday in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians and it’s unclear who will take the mound in his stead. Asked if Austin Voth, who began 17 video games for the Orioles final yr and pitched 3 2/3 innings Friday, could be an choice or if a pitcher at present in Triple-A would get referred to as as much as make the beginning, Hyde stated: “We’re discussing all options.”
“Voth going 3 2/3 last night, that was helpful and him being in the rotation last year and doing a really nice job for us last year [is] definitely something that we’ll consider,” Hyde stated.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com