Rodriguez suffers another setback (right elbow discomfort) 

TAMPA -- As everything with Grayson Rodriguez's rehab from a right lat strain appeared to be on a positive trajectory, another setback has occurred for the 25-year-old right-hander.

Prior to the Orioles' 11-1 loss in Friday’s series opener vs. the Rays in Tampa, Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino announced the club will “pull back” on Rodriguez’s rehab after he felt discomfort in his right elbow. It’s the same type of irritation the former top prospect felt near the back of his right elbow/triceps area during Spring Training in mid-March that caused him to go on the injured list.

Rodriguez strained his right lat in mid-April while recovering from the initial elbow discomfort.

“We had to pull back a little bit on Grayson,” Mansolino said. “We’re going to pull back, we’re going to reevaluate, and we’ll probably have more information on that in the next week or so.”

Here’s the timeline of Rodriguez’s injury issues over the past year:

Aug. 6: Scratched from start in Toronto due to right lat/teres discomfort

Aug. 7: Placed on 15-day IL with right lat/teres strain

Sept. 25: Shut down, ruled out for postseason

March 5: Velocity down during Grapefruit League start vs. Twins in Fort Myers

March 6: Reports soreness in his right triceps

March 7: Ruled out for Opening Day roster, announced he will open season on IL

March 9: Right elbow soreness/inflammation leads to cortisone shot

April 17: Bullpen session scratched due to soreness in right shoulder

April 18: O’s seek second opinion on shoulder/lat after getting MRI results

April 23: Diagnosed with mild lat strain, shut down

April 28: Transferred to 60-day IL

June 13: Talks to media for first time since March, says elbow is no longer a concern, only lat

June-July: Routine bullpen sessions to rehab lat injury

July 18: Rehab is pulled back when right elbow discomfort returns

“It’s unfortunate,” Mansolino said. “Grayson’s a great competitor. He’s fierce and he’s tough, and this is really hard for him. It’s hard for his teammates. It’s hard for the Orioles. Hopefully, we get better news in the next week or so and kind of see where he’s at.”

Baltimore’s disappointing 2025 season has been marred by injuries, and the team has felt the loss of key starters such as Rodriguez and righty Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery). The O’s 5.24 rotation ERA ranks 29th in MLB, ahead of only the Rockies (6.19 entering Friday).

The staff likely would have performed better with Rodriguez, the Orioles’ first-round Draft pick in 2018. The Nacogdoches, Texas, native was on the rise before he got hurt in ‘24, recording a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 116 2/3 innings over 20 starts during his sophomore campaign.

“My confidence was really high, and I think that’s one thing that I’ve struggled having to deal with is knowing that I’m where I want to be right now, but not being able to go out there and pitch every five days,” Rodriguez said on June 13. “Really just kills me.”

Now, Rodriguez is nearing the one-year mark of his most recent pitch in a regular-season game. His final outing of last season came July 31 vs. the Blue Jays. He then made only two appearances in Spring Training, the second Grapefruit outing being the one in which his 2025 injury troubles began.

There’s been continued optimism from everybody in Baltimore’s organization that Rodriguez will join the staff before the 2025 season is over. But with the second half underway, time is running out -- especially if this latest setback causes him to be shut down for an extended period.

Does Mansolino think it’s possible Rodriguez may not pitch again until 2026?

“I don’t know the medicals, I’m not a doctor,” Mansolino said. “So again, I think in a week or so, once we kind of go through the right channels, I think we’ll have a better idea. But that’s not for me to speculate on.”