Orioles get John Means back but send Grayson Rodriguez to injured list

The Orioles face another alteration to their starting rotation because of an injury, this time with right-hander Grayson Rodriguez heading to the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, the team announced Wednesday.

In Rodriguez's place comes left-hander John Means, who finished his 30-day rehab assignment with a strong outing Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk in which he threw seven shutout innings with one hit and eight strikeouts.

"I felt really good," Means said. "I felt healthy, which is the main thing. Last outing really clicked, so I'm ready to go."

Means underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery in 2022, and he was shut down again late in 2023 and left off the postseason roster with elbow soreness. The Orioles allotted Means additional recovery time this offseason, leading to his slower buildup. He will be added to the rotation, but the team has not set a date.

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The Orioles' Thursday starter, along with their pitchers for this weekend's Reds series, is up in the air. The team will need to make another roster move to reinstate Kyle Bradish, who is also expected to make his first start of the season this week.

Both will be reinforcements for a rotation that is losing one of its top arms. Rodriguez pitched 5 2/3 innings in a win against the New York Yankees on Monday. He allowed no runs but conceded five hits and three walks.

He woke up Tuesday with more shoulder soreness than normal and underwent tests. The team does not know the severity of the injury, but the Orioles want to give him a few weeks to allow Rodriguez to recover.

"I'm staying optimistic. We are definitely doing this to be precautionary," manager Brandon Hyde said. "He's a big part of our rotation. We need him this year."

For the most part, Rodriguez has been a steady presence since returning from a stint in the minor leagues in July 2023. He finished his rookie year with a 2.58 ERA in his final 13 outings.

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Baltimore's rotation has been in flux since the spring. Means and Bradish began the season on the injured list, with Bradish facing a UCL sprain. Meanwhile, right-handler Tyler Wells recently landed on the injured list because of elbow inflammation.

With Means and Bradish returning, the Orioles will still have six starters available — Means, Bradish, Corbin Burnes, Dean Kremer, Cole Irvin and Albert Suárez. They could move one, likely Irvin or Suárez, to the bullpen or go with a six-man rotation.