Will the Orioles have their young ace for the start of the season?

The Baltimore Orioles have high expectations coming into the 2025 season.

They have not won a playoff game since 2014, let alone a series, and lost key pieces this offseason.

Corbin Burnes is on the Arizona Diamondbacks so a new ace needs to take hold. 25-year-old Grayson Rodriguez could be that guy, but the Orioles youngster is dealing with an injury. Manager Brandon Hyde told the Associated Press about the injury on Sunday.

“Having some discomfort in the back of his elbow, so we are still getting multiple opinions,” Hyde said. “It’s not a ligament issue, so we’re not concerned about that. But it’s going to result in some missed time. We’re getting the results, we’re talking to multiple people about what the treatment, etc. is as of right now. The timeline, we’re not sure on it.”

This is a change from what Hyde said on Friday, which was that Rodriguez would miss the start of the season. This update is much better and the Orioles hope it comes to fruition.

Rodriguez has been part of the Orioles rotation since 2023 when he was just 23 years old. In those two years, he has made 43 starts and posted a 4.11 ERA and a 95 ERA+. While those are not ace numbers, he improved dramatically in his sophomore season before a shoulder injury ended his year.

The Orioles are struggling for pitching depth

The Orioles still have five MLB-caliber pitchers who should be able to start the season without Grayson Rodriguez. They traded for Zach Eflin at last summer’s trade deadline and he could be their Opening Day starter.

Veteran Charlie Morton is followed by two young members of the Baby Birds prospect group, Dean Kremer and Cade Povich. They also signed Tomoyuki Sugano, a 35-year-old playing in his first MLB season.

Without the top-end talent that Corbin Burnes provided, the Orioles are a step behind in the AL East. The Blue Jays brought in Max Scherzer, who could turn back the clock.

Even if Gerrit Cole is out for a while, Max Fried is a bona fide ace. And the Red Sox just traded for Garrett Crochet. Baltimore’s lineup will have a tough test most nights while their rotation lags behind.

That is why Rodriguez is so important to the Orioles. They need an ace and ended free agency without an ace. Rodriguez has to be that guy but may start the season with an injury.