New Los Angeles Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez faces an early setback with arm soreness. Opening Day status hangs in the balance as the team navigates pitching challenges.
The Los Angeles Angels got to work early this offseason by making a trade.
The Angels sent outfielder Taylor Ward to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez in an odd one-for-one swap of players.
The last MLB start for Rodriguez came in the 2024 season, and he missed all of last year due to injuries and setbacks.
Still, Rodriguez said he felt good and admitted he was "pretty excited" for a new chapter and a new opportunity with the Angels.
On Thursday, a worrisome update dropped regarding Rodriguez. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki revealed that he is dealing with arm soreness in what Suzuki labeled as dead arm. And, he could open the year on the Injured List, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.
Rodriguez is 28 years old, and he made 43 starts in two seasons for the Orioles before an injury-riddled 2025 year.
In 2024, he started 20 games, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, and any form of that player will be a breath of fresh air for the Angels.
The projected rotation for the Angels figures to be left-handers Yusei Kikuchi and Reid Detmers, and right-handers Jose Soriano and Alek Manoah with Rodriguez in there as well.
However, this latest update likely means he isn't ready for Opening Day, although things can change quickly.
The ex-Orioles pitcher was also labeled as an x-factor for the rotation in Anaheim, and they had high hopes for him after seeing what he did in a brief run with Baltimore before the injuries.
Rodriguez underwent elbow debridement surgery in August of last year, so having dead arm and suffering a setback right now isn't positive news.
A Glimmer of Hope
However, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reported that the Angels aren't very concerned, and Rodriguez was able to play catch on Thursday.
The Angels can backdate his IL stint a little bit once Opening Day begins, so even if he misses the start of the season, this doesn't sound like a major issue for the pitcher.
But, the Angels' pitching options are limited as it is, and the American League West is one of the best divisions in baseball, so getting off to a poor start will not be pleasing to the fans or the front office.
The Los Angeles Angels begin the regular season on the road against the Houston Astros on March 26.