Orioles’ Bradish will miss start of season with elbow sprain
It didn’t take long for spring training to provide its first injury reports.
On the day they held their first official workout, the Baltimore Orioles announced pitcher Kyle Bradish will open the season on the injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. Bradish’s unavailability for the opening day is an obstacle to the Orioles’ bid to repeat their AL East title.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Bradish received a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat the injury.
“The early returns are very encouraging, and everything is in a really good spot right now,” Elias told reporters. “He’s going to start his throwing progression tomorrow, but that progression is going to be something that takes some time. Everything is pointed in the right direction and going well right now at this time, but I’m not at a point where I want to start putting a timeline on when we’re going to see him in major league action.”
Bradish, 27, had a breakthrough season last year, going 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA in 30 starts.
The announcement of Bradish’s injury came one day after Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander said he was a couple of weeks behind schedule due to offseason shoulder inflammation that could prevent him from being ready for opening day.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who turns 41 next week, called the injury “a little hiccup’’ while noting he will be “really cautious on how I’m building up.’’ Verlander threw 20 pitches off a mound Thursday.
Bradish’s injury is particularly notable because the Orioles already are unsure about lefthander John Means’ status for the start of the season. Means is recovering from an elbow injury that kept him out of last year’s postseason.
The Orioles did fortify their rotation last month by acquiring 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner and three-time All-Star Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Orioles third baseman and 2023 AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson also is dealing with a mild oblique aggravation, though Elias described it as a “really typical” early spring injury.