O’s prized prospect Grayson Rodriguez K, 5 in his MLB debut sports

ARLINGTON, Texas — Top baltimore orioles launch leaflet grayson rodriguez he struck out five in five innings and left his major league debut Wednesday with a tied score against the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner. jacob degrom and the Texas Rangers.

Rodríguez calmed down after needing 30 pitches to get through the first inning, when he allowed back-to-back RBIs. adolis garcia and jose jung when Texas took a 2-0 lead. The right-hander retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced and struck out the All-Star shortstop corey seager twice.

The Orioles recalled the 23-year-old Rodriguez after kyle gibsonhis scheduled starter for the series finale, was moved up a day to pitch on Tuesday instead of tyler wellswho ended up having to pitch in long relief on Monday.

Rodriguez was the 11th overall pick by the Orioles in the 2018 draft out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, which is about 175 miles from Globe Life Field. Several family members and friends, including some wearing Blue Devils jerseys representing the school, attended the game.

He got his first major league strikeout against ezekiel duran to end the second inning. He struck out Seager in the third and again to finish the fifth on the last of 83 pitches from him. Rodríguez threw 53 strikes and walked just one batter.

DeGrom, making his second start for Texas since a $185 million, five-year deal in free agency, retired the first 12 batters he faced before the Orioles tied the score 2-2 in the top of the fifth with a simple producer by adam frazier.

DeGrom earned his first victory with Texas, however, as the Rangers prevailed 5-2.

After posting a 7.04 ERA in five spring training starts for the Orioles, Rodriguez began this season at Triple-A Norfolk. He allowed 14 runs (11 earned) in 10⅔ innings in his last three Grapefruit League games. In Norfolk’s season opener on Friday, he allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings against Durham.

He is 25-9 with a 2.49 ERA in 70 minor league games since his professional debut in 2018, with 421 strikeouts in 296 innings. He missed three months last season with a right-back strain.

Gibson pitched seven innings in the Orioles’ 7-2 victory Tuesday after his scheduled start was pushed back a day. Wells was ready to start that game, but he pitched five no-hitter innings in relief Monday night after the starter kyle bradish He came out in the second inning of the series opener with a bruised right foot after being hit by a line drive.

Bradish was placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Associated Press contributed to this report.