Grayson Rodriguez

Giancarlo Stanton, Clayton Kershaw and Grayson Rodriguez will be some of the biggest difference-makers in the second half.

Rodriguez did give up a pair of walks, but he allowed only three hits throughout the contest in a very strong outing after the break for the 24-year-old right-hander. It's nice to see after his homer-prone outing against the Yankees last week, but there has been far more good for Rodriguez in his first full season than bad. The Orioles haven't announced their rotation for the coming series, but he likely gets the ball again with a 3.83 ERA against the Padres next weekend.

Fresh off a scoreless start earlier this week for the American League during the Midsummer Classic, Burnes will take the ball for the Orioles' second-half opener at Globe Life Field. It'll be Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer taking the ball over the weekend down in Texas.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles are interested in trading for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, sources told Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci.Skubal has been one of baseball's best starting pitchers so far this season. The 27-year-old is 10-3 with a 2.41 ERA, a 2.57 FIP, and 10.86 K/9 across 116 innings in 2024.Skubal is in the top five among all starting pitchers in fWAR (3.5), ERA, and WHIP.Dodgers starters have been decimated by injuries, with Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Clayton Kershaw all currently on the injured list. Los Angeles optioned right-hander Bobby Miller to the minors after he posted an ERA over eight across seven starts this season.The Orioles have been forced to navigate season-ending injuries to Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells. Baltimore is currently utilizing a four-man rotation of All-Star Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer, and Albert Su rez.Skubal is arbitration-eligible for another two seasons. He's scheduled to hit free agency at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He struck out seven while issuing one walk. The problem for Rodriguez was the long ball, as he gave up a three-run homer in the first to Austin Wells, and two more solo shots to Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in the fifth. It's a disappointing end to what has been a pretty strong first half for the 24-year-old in his first full year of action with a 3.88 ERA and 112/31 K/BB over his 17 starts and 99 2/3 innings.