SARASOTA, Fla. -- Orioles catcher Matt Wieters left Saturday afternoon's 8-1 win over the Twins with right elbow soreness, but the club is hopeful that the issue is nothing serious.
Complicating the situation is the fact that Wieters underwent Tommy John surgery on the elbow in 2014, returning to action last June.
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"I think everybody gets alarmed, rightfully so, with the surgery there," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "But you know, hopefully it'll manage, and he'll be OK."
Saturday was Wieters' sixth Grapefruit League game this spring. In the top of the first, when Minnesota's Eduardo Nunez hit a one-out single and stole second, Wieters felt discomfort while unleashing a high throw.
According to Showalter, bench coach John Russell noticed right away that Wieters didn't look comfortable. Not wanting to take a chance, the Orioles pulled the 29-year-old from the game at the end of that half-inning.
Wieters, who was not available for comment, was examined by an orthopedic specialist and underwent X-rays, which were negative. The Orioles don't currently have plans to administer an MRI.
"It's one of those things, if it doesn't start managing better, they'll go to the little more involved step, but so far so good," Showalter said.
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Wieters, who returned to action last June 5, played in 75 games and started 55 behind the plate, batting .267/.319/.422 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs. A free agent at season's end, he accepted the Orioles $15.8 million qualifying offer rather than test the market.
For now, Showalter is staying positive about the health of his catcher.
"It's always a concern because of the history with it," Showalter said of the elbow. "But I'm thinking good things."