Kyle Bradish Injury Update: Orioles pitcher set to start the season on IL with tear in UCL, per MLB insider

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to have a great season, but the news of Kyle Bradish's injury may hurt that optimism. Bradish sprained his UCL, which landed him on the injury list.

After an impressive performance last season, experts and fans had high hopes for the 27-year-old right-handed starter. However, Bradish received a PRP shot and plans to continue throwing despite his injury, as reported by MLB insider Jeff Passan.

“Tough news out of Orioles camp: Right-hander Kyle Bradish, who had the best second-half ERA in the American League among starters at 2.34, is hitting the injured list with a tear in his UCL. Bradish had a PRP shot, plans to continue throwing and will try to pitch through it,” Passan tweeted.

In 2023, Bradish pitched 168.2 innings in 30 games, achieving a 2.83 ERA, which was just behind Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole and finalist Sonny Gray. He also played his first postseason, facing the Texas Rangers in the ALDS, where he had a 3.86 ERA in 4.2 innings.

In just two years, he threw over 280 innings with an average of 3.68 ERA, making him a reliable ace for the Orioles.

How important Kyle Bradish is for the Orioles?

In 2023, the Baltimore Orioles won 101 games, and Kyle Bradish played a significant role in that achievement. He led the Orioles' rotation for 30 games while the others were expensive throughout the season.

Grayson Rodriguez started 23 games, but he had an ERA of 4.35 in 122 innings. Dean Kremer also had a 4.12 ERA in 172.2 innings in 32 games. Meanwhile, Bradish was the only ace with an ERA under 3.00.

This year, Bradish could play an important role by pairing with the 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, the Orioles' latest addition. Burnes will start his first season in Baltimore, and Bradish could be a great partner in leading the rotation in 2024 if he manages to recover soon.