Mike Elias may have provided hint to Orioles’ future plans for Grayson Rodriguez

Given that the worst-kept secret in baseball is that the Baltimore Orioles need more from their starting rotation, the future of Grayson Rodriguez is a hot topic. When he is right, Rodriguez is a special arm talent, but the guy simply has not been able to stay on the field, and 2025 was a lost season for him after elbow surgery and a series of setbacks in his recovery.

In an ideal world, Rodriguez's surgery and various health issues would be completely resolved this offseason, and he could slot right into the Orioles' starting five. However, Rodriguez did not pitch at all last year, and we don't truly know what his stuff or command will look like once he is under a normal starter's workload.

This possibility appears to have crossed Mike Elias' mind as well. In recent comments to the media, Elias talked about Rodriguez's recovery. While he was very bullish on his progress thus far, Elias also refused to commit to Rodriguez being in the 2026 rotation, and that could point to a future in the bullpen.

Mike Elias sure did seem to indicate the Orioles could start Grayson Rodriguez off in the bullpen upon his return

With all of Rodriguez's issues, the lack of confidence in him is pretty fair, especially when it comes to starting until he proves he can hold up for an entire season. Rodriguez's health issues in the big leagues go back to the end of the 2024 season, and he also had some injury issues in the minors that delayed his big league debut.

If the Orioles were to move him to the bullpen, at least initially, it would allow the team to manage his innings in 2026, put him in a position to succeed even if his command is sketchy upon his return, and also free up a rotation spot for a safer option going forward. They will always have the option to move Rodriguez back to the rotation down the line, but this could be the arrangement that makes the most sense if Baltimore's goal is to field the best team possible next season.

It won't take long for the Orioles to provide their next clue as to their confidence level in Rodriguez. If the team wants their pick of the available free agent starters, they may need to be aggressive on the market early on. An early push to sign starters could make pushing Rodriguez to a relief role more likely. If they sit on their hands and fail to address their rotation again, they may be forced to give Rodriguez a shot at starting straight away again.