1:56PM: Hyde told Roch Kubatko and other reporters that Bradish is undergoing further tests and will visit multiple doctors before determining his next course of action, whether it’s surgery or another attempt at a non-surgical recovery.
12:20PM: Bradish has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right UCL sprain, the Orioles announced. In the best case scenario, this would represent 2.5 months on the shelf for Bradish, replicating his absence in the early part of the season. However, the pretty quick decision to return Bradish to the IL after last night’s game is an ominous sign towards a longer-term absence. Left-hander Nick Vespi was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding roster move.
10:35AM: Kyle Bradish left yesterday’s game after five innings due to soreness in his right elbow, and Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko) that more will be known once Bradish undergoes examination. Bradish had allowed two earned runs over five innings and 74 pitches against the Phillies, but “he came to us and said his elbow was bothering him, so we’re going to get further tests on that….He had to come out of the game after that inning,” Hyde said.
Any type of elbow injury is cause for concern, though Bradish’s situation is particularly troublesome since he was already sidelined with a sprained UCL earlier this year. That past injury developed early in Spring Training, so Bradish’s season debut was delayed until May 2 since he had to both get healthy and then start his spring ramp-up work from scratch.
Considering that there were initial concerns that Bradish might need a Tommy John surgery, an early-May return was a huge relief for both the right-hander and the Orioles, and Bradish’s strong performance on the mound further allayed any fears prior to last night. Bradish has a 2.75 ERA over eight starts and 39 1/3 innings, and is among the league’s elite in such key categories as strikeout rate (32.5%), hard-hit ball rate (28.6%) and grounder rate (56%). While his walk rate had dropped below average, Bradish looked like he was continuing the front-of-the-rotation form that he displayed during his 2023 breakout season.
It could be that Bradish has again dodged a bullet if his elbow is simply sore, and some discomfort might’ve been inevitable given the circumstances behind his start to the season. That said, the O’s have taken a conservative approach to Bradish’s deployment — he has received the traditional four days of rest between starts only once, and otherwise had five or more days of rest between all of his other starts. Before yesterday, Bradish’s previous start was on June 8, so he had five full days to rest before taking on the Phillies.
Even if the tests come back clean, the Orioles might consider placing Bradish on the 15-day injured list anyway simply as a precautionary measure. Baltimore has an off-day on Monday, but then enters a stretch of 13 games in as many days, so Bradish’s absence would further stretch a rotation that has already been thinned by injuries. John Means (Tommy John surgery) and Tyler Wells (UCL surgery) have both been lost for the season, while Dean Kremer has been on the IL for about four weeks with a strained triceps. Kremer is set to begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Sunday, so he could be an option to return to the rotation in the next week or two.
Even amidst all of these injuries, the Orioles have still fielded one of the sport’s better rotations, and have even had enough depth to use a six-man rotation to help manage everyone’s innings. If Bradish will miss time, Baltimore still has a starting five of Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Cole Irvin, Albert Suarez, and Cade Povich, plus some extra depth in the upper minors. (The team added to that depth with its acquisition of Levi Stoudt two days ago.)
Of course, losing Bradish for even a short amount of time is a blow to a Baltimore team that is fighting the Yankees for first place in the AL East, and a longer-term injury will hamper the Orioles’ World Series aspirations. The O’s were already expected to be looking for both rotation and bullpen help at the trade deadline, and a greater need for starters might result in more of prospect cost in deals.
This was so inevitable. I said all along they’d be good enough to reach the postseason without him and that they should’ve let him rehab the whole year and saved him for October.
Thanks for that Miss Cleo. Clearly everyone should have listened to you.
is there room in the car for me Mr. Ripken? asks Jackson . My elbow hurts too, he says. Maybe I can meet this Tommy John fella as well.
Wow such insight and wisdom by you. You were smarter than the Orioles who actually know their pitchers and a little something about baseball. Please provide more of your valuable knowledge.
Can you give me the winning mega million numbers to?
Are all of you trolling me saying you DIDN’T know this was coming? Yeah it’s tongue-in-cheek, but why was the club not proceeding with more caution? Clearly they knew it could happen again and yet the 8 starts he ended up making could have come at the end of September and October, not May and June. And this isn’t “hindsight is 20/20,” this had some foresight.
Extremely concerning for him for sure. You literally can never have too much depth, most especially for pitching.
Breaking news: all mlb pitchers have prepatory TJ!
Oh stop being chicken little
One means nothing anymore, they can still get re-injured the very next year it seems like. Getting three TJ/arm surgeries is now the new 2 surgery.
Their rotation is better than most teams even without him. But they could use a veteran for the staff. A Verlander or Scherzer type.
This is the first sane comment on the issue.
Or maybe a Burnes
O’s better make some moves. Pitching has gone south.
Steve Stone once said. “Pitchers that get injured in season will require double the time off then position players “
Trade – Hayes and Westberg to White Sox for Fede and Flexton.
O’s got to go it. Going no where in playoffs with that rotation.
Westburg for fedde is complete overpay
Someone younger than Westburg for crochet? Now we are talking
Well said!
Why would a serious playoff contending team trade their starting 3B with 6 years of team control for one decent starter with less than 2 years control and a shtty one with an addtional year? This is a stupid trade suggestion.
He has the right idea, but Westburg is an overpay.
They wouldn’t.
Why would the White Sox want Hays? Makes 6.3 million and will be a free agent after 2025. That’s even assuming he gets tendered a contract. White Sox want prospects with years of team control preferably pitchers. Which unfortunately is one area where the Orioles aren’t as strong with prospects. But really Hays? Be serious
Flexon is hot garbage.. No thanks.
Yea trade Westburg that’s the plan – where do people come up w these things
Westburg?. They aren’t trading him!!!
Definitely not now, the only way west burg gets out is if 2B gets covered by Holliday and 3rd gets taken by mayo or norby and they outperform westy
I wouldn’t trade Westburg for Fedde and Flexen even if you also threw in Kopech and Brebbia.
Wondering if all those Orioles fans who argued against giving up any of their star minor league hitters for Cease before the year are finally coming around to the idea that having 12 great offensive players doesn’t really help when your starters are all injured.
The Sox suck but now have 2 great options for you. I’d rather give u Fedde than Crochet, but let’s talk.
I wouldn’t trust Fedde or Crochet in October.
The Orioles still have a lot of good pitching. Yes another starter would help but they aren’t desperate.
Not sure what this means. Do you trust Rodriguez, who got pounded last year? Kremer, who gave up 6 runs in 1 postseason inning? Irvin? Who’s never pitched in the post season? You have Burnes and a bunch of questions. At least Crochet pitched well in relief in 20 and 21 for the Sox, and throws 99 to the corner and is leading the league in Ks?
If you had said, “I’m worried about Crochet’s potential innings limit this year”, I would get that. But being worried about the post season performance when u have a staff of guys who haven’t done it before is odd.
And btw, I hope the Sox keep Crochet (but trade Fedde). He’s super fun to watch and will be a Cy young contender for years if he stays healthy. Adding the cutter in late April has made him basically unhittable.
He will be at his innings limit. That’s why I wouldn’t trust him in October.
Ok – that’s smart judge a guy by his first playoff start as a rookie – another genius heard from
Not what I was doing. My point was that Rodriguez and Kremer aren’t anymore proven in October than Crochet (even less so)… and that isn’t a good reason to be concerned. But feel free to interpret however you’d like.
They aren’t more proven but Crochet is going to be on an innings limit. No responsible team is going to trade for him and run him into the ground. If the White Sox trade Crochet they might as well trade him in the offseason.
Big Skirt!
“Wondering if all those Orioles fans who argued against giving up any of their star minor league hitters for Cease before the year”
This is a total strawman, but you do you, bro.
Yeah let’s cool it with the I told you so stuff when it comes to injuries.
The Orioles don’t NEED to do anything. But they can and I think they should. Particularly now with all the injuries they have had.
Not a strawman at all. At least 3 or 4 mlbtr threads with Os fans desperately wanting to keep Mayo and Kjerstad and Cowser, and me saying u need to give at least one of them to get Cease. Everyone was fine, and I assume you all are still good with current situation.
Listen, the Os are just good enough that they could possibly win it anyway, and be really strong for years with their farm system, i just think I’d rather go all in when I have a shot.
The O’s farm is deep enough they didn’t have to give any of those options for an SP. And at the time of those threads, they didn’t. They went Hall and Ortiz for Corbin Burnes. I’m assuming most O’s fans are happy with that trade.
This O’s fan would happily trade any and all of those guys for the arms needed for a WS run. I’m just assuming they do something with Miami over the White Sox, I feel that makes more sense on paper, and I don’t think the Sox asking price is where the O’s want to be at. But none of us know, until we know, right?
BH- I repeatedly posted hypothetical offers here centered around Westburg and/or Cowser during the offseason, and was repeatedly told by various CWS fans that they weren’t good enough of a return for Cease. With the benefit of hindsight, I am glad we held onto both in the end.
BITA- I agree that some kind of external addition is necessary, both for the bullpen and rotation now, but I don’t think Mike Elias will break the bank for a Crochet/Luzardo or a Miller/Bednar.
They made a great deal for 1 year of Burnes. They would have had to go a bit deeper for 2 years of Cease and they chose not to. Again, everything is easier in hindsight, but I would think the Os would be better off with both, but part of that is because I try not to fall in love with prospects. As a Sox fan, I know the ‘windows’ don’t always stay open as long as you think lol.
I hear you King, I must not have seen those posts. As for breaking the bank, I get it on the other 3 (think the Marlins should have dealt Luzardo in the off-season, his market has definitely dropped), but I do wonder what Crochet’s market looks like. I mean, he has next level stuff, was a first round draft choice, and a top 5 starter since the end of April.
But as we said earlier, he’s actually already hit his max innings for a season, including college. He’s only 24 and is controllable for another 2 years, so he may be worth the risk (risk = one of the big offensive prospects not named Holliday).
I suspect they go less aggressive and talk Fedde for someone much less interesting.
I’d like to see BAL trade for a SP (maybe 2) and a RP. Hopefully the new owners will be aggressive. I don’t trust Kimbrel in the playoffs. They probably need to trade one of their better prospects to get a difference maker(s).
Crochet, Fedde. OAK Blackburn, Sears.LAA SPs?
Would BAL be interested in Severino? MIA pitchers are talented but erratic/inconsistent.
Depends on the cost
Those names do nothing for me. If the Orioles are going to make a trade for a SP, go get a difference maker. You have plenty of prospects.
@scottbour, trouble is with the 2nd WC in the NL sitting about .500, there might be a tight market.
Houston might want to move Verlander, but he has an NTC and already has a ring.
Why can’t we have nice things?
The Curse Of Curt Schilling maybe?
Please remind me where “It’s over” appears in the national anthem
It’s literally the city where the song you referenced was written.
Not that you’d know. By your name, I’d guess you’re 12 years old.
Ye its not the clock or the rules or the encouragement to throw harder & faster. Nope its just a coincidence that 80% of pitchers are experiencing elbow soreness & inflammation & go down with TJ or similar these days. Its just bad luck. Kinda like ohtani. He just happened to be robbed of $17 million right under his nose over several yrs & never noticed and knows nothing and is as innocent as a newborn baby. These are all just coincidences
Clown comment
They are not “7.5 out of a wild card,” they hold the top wild card spot by 7.5 games.
Fletcher just enjoy your month and do what you like to do, play catcher.
The quality of trolling here has really fallen off in recent years. Sad!
You should worry about “your braves” and “your middle school graduation “ about equally then.
Fletcher please notify your mother that you need to up your meds…
Watch out, that stuff causes major constipation…I would UP your fiber intake substantially. Metamucil is your friend.
Hello Baltimore….this ain’t the Jack Flaherty you had last year…
Honestly I think the Tigers should try to resign Flaherty. Trade him at the deadline if they are out of it, but make sure he’s back in a Tigers uni in the offseason They should have done the same with Lorenzen this past offseason. Two pitchers who were clearly comfortable and pitching well in Detroit. Taking a look at their minor league starting pitchers so far this year only Jobe and Hamm seem to be doing really well.
Thanks, I hate it.
But maybe lol.
The Orioles have 93 games left. Assuming a 5 man rotation and days off/All Star break a starting pitcher would pitch at most 20 games. So worst case scenario to Bradish you still have 73 games where he wouldn’t be a factor anyway. And you can say that about any starting pitcher. Blake Snell last year got 9 outs after the 6th inning. And he won the Cy Young. So the Orioles and any other contender for that matter your top priority is the bullpen. That affects every game not just 1 in 5
R&R rarely works.
It’s only June this will continue to go south as the season goes along
Have the surgery, Kyle. An internal brace means he’ll be back at the start of 2025.
Possibly, but they don’t seem to really know the type of surgery until they go inside and examine the condition of the ligament.
The O’s FO is among the smartest in MLB…..and very possibly the smartest.
They had contingency plans for this long ago (as well as for other possibilities).
One of the 2 best teams in MLB. They’ll be fine. I’d be surprised if they didn’t make the WS this year.
P.S. It’s not as if the other contenders won’t have key players going down.
At least the Orioles seem to have an ownership that will agree on doing something.
They still have a boatload of position prospects to go get someone.
3 Tommy John’s and probably a fourth in under a year for Orioles. And our top middle reliever has sore elbow. Starting to wonder what’s happening within the organization. Spin rate emphasis? Just wondering.
Guess we’ll be in the market for a SP after all.
Ugh.
If the damage isn’t too big already get that “internal brace” surgery now.that way he could be available again for opening day 2025.
Of course only if the damage isn’t too big and he needs full TJ,then it likely would be 2026.
Birds will be ok. Need 1 sp and relief pitcher.. Even if wild card, Yanks will be taken down in ALCS.. looking for O’s / Phil’s WS..
Owie mcdowie
Let’s not lose our heads. Losing Bradish is definitely a blow. But the rotation without Bradish is still pretty solid. It’s better than last year’s. Also, if the Os go .500 from here on out, they’re a 90+win team.
All is not lost. A championship club isn’t the one who reaches October with the team you started with in April. This is the test this year’s Orioles must battle to become champs. It was never going to be easy.
I think the orioles could and should make a big trade for a pitcher with multiple years of control. Basallo, holliday and mayo are untouchable but everyone else pretty much could be available in a trade and still could get them an excellent young pitcher
BAD TILTS kill arms.
Which pitches have that?
Cutter
Morphed Cutter
The RB Football Slider is safe but many throw it wrong.