As spring training camps commence, teams typically share updates on player health statuses. Today, Orioles general manager Mike Elias informed the media, including Matt Weyrich from the Baltimore Sun and Roch Kubatko from MASNsports.com, that both left-handed pitcher Trevor Rogers and infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo are expected to be unavailable for Opening Day.
Mateo’s situation is not particularly surprising, as he underwent significant surgery on his left elbow in August to repair his ulnar collateral ligament and add an internal brace, alongside repairing the flexor tendon. Although the procedure was on his non-throwing arm, the anticipated recovery period was still several months. The Orioles have mentioned that Mateo might be ready for a full season in 2025, but it now appears his recovery will extend into the current season.
Rogers’s news is unexpected since he did not spend time on the injured list last year. According to Elias, he suffered a right kneecap subluxation in January, though details on how the injury occurred are unclear. Rogers himself told Kubatko that the kneecap dislocated briefly. Although he downplayed the injury’s seriousness, stating he has already begun playing catch, he is reportedly several weeks behind in his recovery.
While this development is not catastrophic, it adds to the ongoing challenges Rogers has faced since joining Baltimore. Acquired from the Marlins last season, he struggled in his first four starts with the Orioles, allowing 15 earned runs in 19 innings before being sent to Triple-A. He finished the year with a 5.65 ERA over five starts for Norfolk.
Heading into 2025, Rogers was likely not positioned to secure a spot in the starting rotation. In addition to his struggles at the end of 2024, the Orioles added veterans Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano on one-year contracts, joining Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer in the rotation.
Rogers remains optionable, and had he been healthy, he might have started the season in Norfolk. An injury to any of the top five starters could have created an opportunity for him, but he would be competing with Albert Suárez, Chayce McDermott, and Cade Povich for the sixth spot in the depth chart.
The Orioles hope Rogers can return to his 2021 form when he made 25 starts for the Marlins, achieving a 2.64 ERA, a 28.5% strikeout rate, and an 8.4% walk rate. However, his ERA increased to 5.47 in the following season, and he spent most of 2023 on the injured list. Although he showed some improvement last year with a 4.53 ERA before the trade, he faced difficulties after joining the Orioles. As a result, the team will have less pitching depth at the start of the season, although they have other options available. For Rogers, this injury delays his path to recovery.
Ideally, Mateo would provide the Orioles with versatile depth off the bench, having played every position except for catcher and first base throughout his career. While not a power hitter, he poses a threat on the basepaths, having stolen 30 bases in a season twice, and is recognized for his defensive skills in various positions. RosterResource currently projects the team’s bench to include catcher Gary Sánchez and infielder Ramón UrÃas, with Ramón Laureano and Heston Kjerstad as outfield backups. Kjerstad is the only player among them who can be optioned to the minors, making him vulnerable to being sent down when Mateo is healthy unless another player is placed on the injured list.