TORONTO (AP) — Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez will return to Baltimore for imaging after being scratched from Tuesday’s start at Toronto because of pain in his upper back and shoulder, manager Brandon Hyde said.
“I hope everything works out OK,” Hyde said after the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 5-2.
Rodriguez was scratched minutes before first pitch because of discomfort in his right latissimus dorsi and teres major, the Orioles said. The two muscles help move the upper arm.
Rodriguez was on the injured list April 30-May 18 because of right shoulder inflammation, but Hyde said Tuesday’s pain was “all new” for the 24-year-old.
“He’s been feeling fine, threw a really good bullpen in Cleveland,” Hyde said. “It just came up tonight while he was warming up.”
Rodriguez is 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 20 starts for the AL East-leading Orioles, tied with Atlanta’s Chris Sale and Kansas City’s Julio Lugo for the major league lead in victories.
Baltimore’s first-round pick in the 2018 draft, Rodriguez has won five of his last six decisions. He went 7-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 23 starts as a rookie last season.
Right-handed reliever Albert Suárez got the start in place of Rodriguez and struck out six in five shutout innings. He walked two and allowed two hits, both singles.
“To give us five innings in that kind of spot, that’s unbelievable,” a grateful Hyde said.
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