The Baltimore Orioles’ plans for the upcoming season took a rough turn with news of certain key players grappling with injuries. Most notably, right-hander Kyle Bradish will commence the season hampered by a sprained UCL in his pitching elbow, as revealed by Orioles’ general manager, Mike Elias. This announcement was accompanied by further injury updates, including star infielder Gunnar Henderson’s oblique issue and left-hander John Means’ delayed readiness for Opening Day.
Elias expressed optimism regarding Bradish’s recovery trajectory, citing positive indicators following an injection in his elbow. While a definitive timeline for Bradish’s return remains undisclosed, Elias remains hopeful for his contribution during the 2024 season. Bradish was a breakout star for the O’s last season. The right-handed hurler made 30 starts in ’24 and registered a 2.83 ERA for the AL East champions. Bradish finished fourth in Cy Young voting despite pitching fewer innings than any other top-10 finalist.
Means’ situation presents a more challenging scenario, with his offseason regimen impeded by a lingering elbow injury. Manager Brandon Hyde anticipates Means’ placement on the injured list at the season’s onset, given the setback. The southpaw has been severely limited over the past two seasons. Since ’22, Means has registered just 31.2 IP during the regular season. A former All-Star, the Orioles are hoping Means can eventually return and become a stalwart within the staff.
The news concerning the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year was more positive. Henderson is set to miss the next couple of weeks with an oblique strain. Elias was not all that concerned when asked about it. As of now, Henderson is expected to be ready for Opening Day. The 22-year-old slugged 28 HR and compiled a 6.3 WAR in just 150 games last year.
With Bradish and Means both on the mend, Elias remains open to bolstering the team’s pitching rotation ahead of the season. Two spots to begin the season have opened up behind Baltimore’s top-3 of Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer, and the recently acquired Corbin Burnes. Tyler Wells — who has had success in the past as a starter — could fill in for now, but we wouldn’t be all that surprised to see Baltimore snag another veteran to bridge the gap.
