Injuries & Moves: Westburg (hand/wrist) returns to lineup
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June 1: INF Jordan Westburg (right hand/wrist soreness) returns to lineup
After missing the previous two games, Westburg returned to the Orioles' lineup on Saturday, batting seventh and starting at third base vs. the Rays at Camden Yards. The 25-year-old hadn't played since Tuesday, when he was hit by a pitch in the right hand/wrist area in the sixth inning of an 8-3 loss to the Red Sox.
X-rays were negative for Westburg, who was wearing a soft brace on his right wrist prior to Saturday's game.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
LHP John Means (left forearm strain)
Expected return: 2025
Means is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery to repair the UCL in his left elbow, general manager Mike Elias announced on May 31. It is not yet known whether the 31-year-old left-hander will have Tommy John surgery: That will be determined when he goes in for his procedure. Means previously underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2022.
On May 22, Means experienced discomfort in his left elbow during a start in St. Louis. The Orioles placed him on the IL the next morning, and the lefty flew back to Baltimore for additional testing. He later received a second opinion, which resulted in the decision to end his season.
Means has made only 10 big league starts since the start of the 2022 season. He made four in September and then missed the postseason due to a flareup in his elbow, which also caused him to open the '24 campaign on the IL. He made just four starts again this season. (Last updated: May 31)
RHP Tyler Wells (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: 2025
General manager Mike Elias announced on May 31 that Wells will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow. Whether the 29-year-old might avoid a second Tommy John surgery will be determined during his procedure. He previously underwent Tommy John in May 2019.
Throughout May, Wells had been rehabbing at the Orioles' facilities in Sarasota, Fla. He began to play catch late in the month, but he continued to experience discomfort, according to Elias.
Wells didn't bounce back from his April 6 start at Pittsburgh the way he had hoped and said he felt discomfort during his April 12 outing vs. Milwaukee. He was placed on the IL on April 16. (Last updated: May 31)
RHP Dean Kremer (right triceps strain)
Expected return: Potentially June
Kremer's injury is not a long-term concern, according to general manager Mike Elias, who said on May 31 that the 28-year-old right-hander could return before the end of June. However, Kremer might need to go on a Minor League rehab assignment before he rejoins the Orioles' rotation.
"This is not something that we’re worried about, and he’s coming along," Elias said.
Kremer was placed on the 15-day IL on May 24 (retroactive to May 21), becoming the fifth O's starter to spend time on the injured list this season. According to manager Brandon Hyde, Kremer reported soreness in his triceps after the fourth inning of his start against the Cardinals on May 20. (Last updated: May 31)
INF Coby Mayo (fractured rib; No. 3 on Orioles' Top 30 Prospects list)
Expected return: Likely mid-June
Mayo, who is MLB Pipeline's No. 20 overall prospect, was placed on the seven-day injured list by Triple-A Norfolk on May 17, one day after he collided with the third-base dugout in the fifth inning of the Tides' 8-6 loss to Lehigh Valley. The 22-year-old third baseman initially stayed in the game, but he was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the frame.
X-rays revealed a fractured rib for Mayo. On May 31, general manager Mike Elias said Mayo's return timeline would be best measured in "weeks rather than anything beyond that."
Mayo was raking during the start of his first full season in Triple-A. Through 42 games, he slashed .291/.359/.605 with 11 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs and 37 RBIs. (Last updated: May 31)
60-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Félix Bautista (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
Bautista began playing catch in Sarasota, Fla., in late April and was continuing to do so as of May 17. The All-Star closer had Tommy John surgery last October, then underwent right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition on Feb. 9 in Dallas. Dr. Keith Meister performed both the Tommy John surgery and the additional procedures.
The secondary procedures (both common after Tommy John surgery) cleaned up scar tissue in Bautista’s right elbow and moved the nerve to free it up from compression. His reconstructed right UCL continues to heal well, and his recovery timeline won’t be affected. The Orioles still expect Bautista -- who was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 14 -- to return for the start of the 2025 season. (Last updated: May 17)