The Orioles pulled right-hander Grayson Rodriguez from his scheduled start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night due to “right lat/teres discomfort,” announcing the change just minutes before the game began. Rodriguez had already gone out to warm up when he was replaced by Albert Suárez, who managed to pitch five scoreless innings despite the late notice in a 5-2 loss. During the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network’s broadcast, Rodriguez was seen stopping his warm-up to speak with pitching coach Drew French about 20 minutes before his start, reportedly telling French, “I don’t feel right,” before heading to the clubhouse.

Rodriguez, 24, has been a key pitcher for Baltimore this season, boasting a 3.86 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 20 starts. His 13 wins tie him with All-Stars Seth Lugo and Chris Sale for the major league lead. This season, he has already been on the injured list once, missing two and a half weeks in May due to right shoulder inflammation, and has previously dealt with a lat injury that delayed his MLB debut in June 2022.

Rodriguez’s extended absence would be a major setback for the Orioles, who recently traded for starters Zach Eflin and Trevor Rogers to bolster their rotation depth. Suárez, who has a 3.89 ERA in 22 appearances (14 starts), was moved to the bullpen with these additions. He completed five innings on 73 pitches, his most recent appearance after throwing just 45 pitches over the previous eight days, lowering his ERA to 3.66.

Suárez’s effort kept the bullpen from being overtaxed, though the game shifted in the sixth inning. After Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt held the Orioles hitless for five innings, Jackson Holliday hit a 410-foot solo home run to break the silence. Holliday, along with Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jackson Churio, is one of the only players under 20 to have multiple 400-foot homers this season.

The game took a turn when the Orioles’ bullpen struggled in the sixth inning. Burch Smith retired the first two batters before allowing a single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Manager Brandon Hyde then brought in Gregory Soto, who allowed five consecutive Blue Jays batters to reach base. A three-run homer by Alejandro Kirk and a two-run double by Addison Barger sealed the game for Toronto, despite the Orioles’ attempt to rally in the eighth.

The Orioles finally got to Bassitt by loading the bases for Holliday, but a pitching change brought in lefty Génesis Cabrera. Hyde countered by pinch-hitting Austin Slater, who walked to drive in a run. However, the Orioles’ offense stalled as Ramón Urías struck out, Coby Mayo, still without a hit in his MLB career, struck out as well, and Anthony Santander grounded out to end the inning. Mayo’s strikeout ended his 17-game hitting streak. The Orioles, now 9-9 since the All-Star break, will seek to move back over .500 in their next game when Trevor Rogers makes his second start for Baltimore against Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis.