Former Orioles left-hander and 1983 World Series champion Scott McGregor is ready to see the Orioles do well in 2025, even recently supporting the team as a guest instructor during spring training.
“I really enjoy the camaraderie. I really enjoy staying in touch,” McGregor said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 27. “It’s three years now I’ve been doing it, since [GM Mike Elias] transformed the system and it’s doing very well. I just need to stay in touch and try to understand the analytics along with what we see and see how we can combine them and make these guys the best they can be.”
McGregor spent all 13 years of his career with the Orioles (1976-1988). He pitched a total of 356 games (309 starts) for the Orioles, posting a 3.99 ERA and striking out 904 batters during his time in Baltimore.
McGregor, 71, was the pitching rehab coordinator for the Orioles from 2012-2019 and now reconnects with the team every spring.
“This group of kids that are there now … are the ones that I coached,” McGregor said. “So it’s just really neat to see these guys and we have a special relationship whenever I come to town.”
One pitcher McGregor was interested in watching during spring training is veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, who signed a one-year, $15 million deal with Baltimore in January. Morton, entering his 18th season, has made 382 starts throughout his career. Most recently, he posted a 4.19 ERA in 30 starts with Atlanta in 2024.
Morton and fellow veteran Zach Eflin are expected to the lead the rotation.
“They both have a tremendous amount of postseason experience,” McGregor said. “That’s invaluable. … It really is a good thing to have. Charlie seems to be healthy and he looks good. He and Eflin both threw the ball well when I was there.”
McGregor was also interested in chatting with Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez after getting to know the right-hander the past couple of years. Rodriguez recorded a 3.86 ERA and struck out 130 hitters in 116.2 innings a year ago, but his season was cut short due to a right lat/teres strain.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde announced March 9 that Rodriguez received a cortisone shot and is being shut down for seven to ten days with inflammation in his throwing elbow, but McGregor believes Rodriguez can eventually take a step forward.
“I think all of it is confidence and self-confidence,” McGregor said. “Like I tell them, when you’re on the mound, you’ve got to say, ‘Hey I’m the baddest in town.’ You don’t have to wear it outside, but inside you better believe that there’s nobody that can get you. You’ve got to be so confident and focused.”
Despite setbacks that Rodriguez may face, McGregor believed Rodriguez was ready to become the ace after seeing him in spring training.
“I think he’s ready to become that guy, and the battles never stop. Getting there is hard, but staying there is even harder,” McGregor said.
While Orioles fans have concerns heading into the 2025 season after losing ace Corbin Burnes, McGregor states that the Orioles still have the talent to compete on the mound.
“The bullpen looks really good,” McGregor said. “… You’ve got a good bullpen. Once again, you have to have people in Norfolk ready when guys get hurt or just need a break. That’s just the name of the game nowadays, so the staff I think looks OK.”
For more from McGregor, listen to the full interview here:
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