Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish exited Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers early after taking a line drive off his right foot.

Bradish left his 2023 debut after a 104 mph line drive from Rangers catcher Jonah Heim struck Bradish’s foot. The Orioles announced a few innings later that Bradish suffered a contusion and the preliminary X-ray was negative for a fracture.

The 26-year-old right-hander attempted to walk it off as manager Brandon Hyde and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel visited the mound. But Bradish was quickly pulled after throwing one warmup pitch and limped off the field.

Bradish retired the side in order in the first inning, averaging 96 mph on his fastball and striking out two batters on his slider. He allowed an infield single and a walk in the second before the comebacker, which resulted in an out after the ball ricocheted to first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.

Left-hander Danny Coulombe, whom the Orioles acquired from the Minnesota Twins last week, relieved Bradish and struck out Rangers designated hitter Brad Miller to end the inning. Bradish ended his first start of the season with no runs and one hit allowed in 1 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.

Bradish’s exit complicates an already-taxed Orioles bullpen, which combined for 13 2/3 innings of relief in the three-game series against the Boston Red Sox this past weekend.

Last season, Bradish missed a month with inflammation in his right shoulder. He had a 7.38 ERA at the time of the injury in late June, but in his 13 starts after returning, he posted a 3.28 ERA and was perhaps the club’s best starter down the stretch.

It’s unclear whether Bradish will need to miss time, but the Orioles have several options if he does.

Austin Voth, who spent spring training building up to be a starter, is in Baltimore’s bullpen and could be a spot starter if needed. The Orioles also have several starters in Triple-A with either major league experience or top prospect pedigrees. Spenser Watkins and Bruce Zimmermann combined to start 33 games for the Orioles in 2022. Left-hander DL Hall, the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect, started one game and relieved 10 others in the majors last season, but he’s still building up to be a starter after a slow start to camp with a lower back injury. Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, the club’s top pitching prospect, is also in Triple-A after not making the Orioles’ starting rotation out of camp.

Rodriguez, Watkins and Zimmermann started for Norfolk this past weekend, while Hall and Drew Rom are expected to start Tuesday and Wednesday.

This story will be updated.

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