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Orioles reveal troubling Kyle Bradish injury on first day of spring training

The Orioles rotation was dealt a massive blow in the form of an injury to their ace

ByMichael Najarian|
Oct 7, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (39) throws a pitch during a playoff game against the Texas Rangers
Oct 7, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (39) throws a pitch during a playoff game against the Texas Rangers | Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

With Spring Training officially underway for the Orioles, they were dealt a massive blow to their rotation. Orioles GM Mike Elias announced on Thursday that Kyle Bradish will miss the start of the season with a UCL sprain in his right arm.

At the moment, Bradish will not undergo the dreaded Tommy John Surgery that would keep him out for the whole season and the start of 2025 as well. The plan right now is rest and rehab, with Bradish having recently received a PRP injection. He is set to begin a throwing program on Friday.

Orioles rotation dealt blow with Kyle Bradish UCL injury

The injury to Bradish opens up a spot in the Orioles rotation, giving both Cole Irvin and Tyler Wells more of a shot to land a rotation spot to start the season. This also makes the Corbin Burnes acquisition much more important for the Orioles, as they have an ace at the top of the rotation to help pick up the slack.

It is unclear how much time Bradish will have to miss as a result of the injury, although it is encouraging that both Elias and Brandon Hyde expect that he will pitch this year. Nevertheless, it's a big loss for the Orioles, as Bradish emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball last season.

Bradish had a fantastic 2023 season, ending the year with a 2.83 ERA thanks to a dominating second half. He posted a 2.34 ERA down the stretch, the second-best mark in the AL. He was largely healthy, making 30 starts and throwing 168 2/3 innings.

Hyde also announced that John Means, working his way back from a late-season injury in 2023 that kept him off the playoff roster, is likely to open the season on the IL due to his delayed start. That would open up two spots in the Orioles rotation, testing the team's depth right away.

Assuming Means joins Bradish on the IL to start the season, the Orioles rotation now has Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer locked in, with both established big leaguers and prospects in the mix for the final two spots in camp.

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