SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles leave Florida in less than two weeks and injuries have disrupted the calmness that comes with a set roster. One that went from concrete to crumbling.
Grayson Rodriguez is out of the rotation with inflammation behind his right elbow. Andrew Kittredge is out of the bullpen after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on the cartilage in his left knee. Gunnar Henderson hasn’t played since Feb. 27 due to a strained right intercostal.
Rodriguez is shut down for a week-to-10 days after receiving a cortisone injection. Kittredge is expected to miss at least two months of the season. Henderson is running out of time to play on Opening Day because he’s accumulated only six at-bats. He could get more in simulated games on the back fields, as well as in the Grapefruit League, but he’s still restricted to getting treatments.
“Things like Grayson’s situation comes up, and so you’re holding your breath every day right now,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “You’re trying to get your team as prepared as possible to play in Toronto. At the same time, you’re trying to keep these guys as healthy as possible.
“You’re going to start seeing more back-to-backs. Like the split-squad (yesterday), a lot of guys are gonna play back-to-back either yesterday and today or today and tomorrow so you’re increasing volume of their game activity and their at-bats.”