Grayson Rodriguez DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was working on his new pitch, a sweeper, during Thursday's practice. This sweeper is different from the slider that he relied on 15.8 percent of the time last season (third-most used pitch). Last season, Rodriguez logged 116 2/3 innings and saw his season cut short due to a lat injury in August. However, before the injury, the former top prospect held a 3.86 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 130 punchouts and served up walks at a solid 7.3 percent rate. He also generated a 3.72 xERA and a .231 xBA, which suggests that he could see some minor positive regression during the 2025 campaign. Last season, his slider was ineffective, as it generated a high .270 xBA and a .513 xSLG. A new sweeper could not only strengthen his repertoire but could also increase the success of his slider. Fantasy managers should expect the 25-year-old to be the rotation's ace during the 2025 season.

According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (lat) will be a "full-go" for spring training. The 25-year-old missed the final two months of the 2024 season with a lat injury. Over 116 2/3 innings of work last summer, the right-hander held a 3.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a 13-4 record. Under the hood, the former top prospect generated a strong 30.0% whiff rate and 26.5% strikeout rate. In addition, he also generated a solid 3.72 xERA and .231 xBA, which were both above the average marks. This was a nice improvement compared to the 4.35 ERA and 1.34 WHIP he held during his rookie campaign in 2023. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during spring training, as the former 11th overall selection could operate as the Baltimore ace during the entire 2025 season.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias is optimistic that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat) will have a normal, full spring training in 2025. Rodriguez's 2024 campaign ended early due to a right-lat issue, but it's no longer a concern. Specifically, the 24-year-old starter missed the final two months of the regular season for the O's, but he resumed throwing off a mound in September and should be full-go for spring training, barring a setback this winter. The former 11th overall pick in 2018 improved in his second big-league season, going 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA (3.66 FIP), a 1.24 WHIP, a career-high 130 strikeouts and only 36 walks in 116 2/3 innings over his 20 starts before injuring his lat. The rising young pitcher should once again be a coveted early-round target as a high-end fantasy starting pitcher now that he shouldn't have any injury question marks going into 2025.