Rodriguez has struggled with injuries for most of his career. He missed the entire 2025 campaign due to shoulder and lat problems. He was sidelined for part of the 2024 season due to a shoulder injury. A lat strain limited Rodriguez to 17 starts in 2022, likely delaying his MLB debut by a season.
According to Rodriguez, the bone spurs have been a problem for some time. “They’ve been there for three or four years. This is something I’ve been dealing with for a while, since I was in Double-A, Triple-A.” The judge added that the bone spurs appeared to have led to the recurring problems with the bar, as the muscle worked harder to slow his arm after releasing each throw.
Los Angeles is betting on better health for Rodriguez. The Angels acquired the talented right-hander in an outright trade for an outfielder Taylor district earlier this week. Ward is coming off a career-best 36 home run season. He has been a mainstay in LA’s lineup for the past four seasons. Ward will be a free agent after 2026, while Rodriguez is under team control until 2029. The trade helped the Angels free up some capital, as Ward is expected to make $13.7 million in his final year of arbitration.
Rodriguez said he was caught off guard by the move, but is “pumped‘to go to his new team.’I didn’t think the Orioles would trade me. But obviously the Angels really wanted me, and it’s a pretty cool feeling.”
If the removal of the bone spurs gets Rodriguez back on track from a health perspective, Los Angeles could have the ace of the future. The 26-year-old is just a few years removed from the top pitching position in the league. After getting his first taste of big league action, he put together a string of 13 starts with a 2.58 ERA to conclude his rookie season. Rodriguez was on his way to a breakout season in 2024 before the shoulder injury cut his season short. The righty improved his strikeout rate to 26.5%, while lowering his hard hit rate by 4%. His xFIP (3.57) and SIERA (3.61) supported his 3.86 ERA.
Rodriguez’s health update is consistent with the information relayed by Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias in September. The director told reporters that Rodriguez was on track for 2026 Spring Training.
If the right-hander is indeed ready for the spring, it will be the first time he has pitched competitively since July 2024. Rodriguez’s speed will be important to keep an eye on once he returns to the mound. He averaged 90 mph on his fastball in his rookie season, but that number dropped to 90 mph in 2024. Rodriguez’s arsenal will also be something to keep an eye on. He threw six different pitches in 2023, but cut that to four pitches the following season. Rodriguez ditched the cutter and sweeper in 2024, throwing the curveball a little harder and the slider a little softer.
Rodriguez finds out Yusei Kikuchi And Jose Soriano for the Angels. While Rodriguez’s health will be the focus, there are many more questions that need to be answered during the rotation. Reid Detmers It appears he will get another chance as a starter after putting together a strong season out of the bullpen. Caden Dana And Mitch Farris ended 2025 in the rotation and are candidates for spots, although both had ERAs above 6.00 last year. Outlook George Classes And Samuel Aldegheriacquired from the Phillies in the Carlos Estevez trade, could also play a role in the equation.
Photo courtesy of Tommy Gilligan, Imagn Images
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