The Orioles managed to escape a Giants sweep with a much-needed walk-off victory on Wednesday afternoon, but they are still four games behind the Yankees in the division and are having difficulty keeping up with the Royals for the AL’s top Wild Card slot.
The O’s have three tough series left after going 3-8 in their previous 11 games. This weekend, they will host the hot Tigers before going on a six-game road trip to play the Twins and Yankees. The Orioles’ next week and a half will not be easy since those three teams are vying for a first-round bye or a postseason position.
Ahead of their last playoff push, the Orioles have fortunately received some encouraging news regarding injuries. Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias both made starts for the Triple-A Tides on Wednesday, perhaps indicating a return before the end of next week.
It is anticipated that Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias will return by the end of September.
The most noticeable absence has been from Westburg, the 2024 All Star who was playing well until getting struck by a pitch on July 31 and breaking his hand. In 101 games, Westburg hit.269,.317, and.497 with 6 steals, 18 home runs, and solid second and third base defense.
It was necessary for the Orioles to bring top prospect Jackson Holliday back to Baltimore for his second major league stint because of Westburg’s injury, but Holliday hasn’t performed up to par, so it will be a comfort to get Westburg’s bat back in the lineup before the postseason.
Urias, who shown excellent plate discipline and posted a career-best.252/.327/.427, has also been a vital contributor. Urias has been with the Orioles since 2020 and is regarded by many as a solid clubhouse figure, even if he’ll probably fill a utility position when he does return. Since Coby Mayo hasn’t been able to make an impact at the plate, he’ll probably be cut when Urias gets back.
When he gets back, Grayson Rodriguez might use the bullpen to pitch.
Righty Grayson Rodriguez may find himself in a bullpen position when he is able to return to Baltimore, Mike Elias told reporters on Tuesday. Early in August, Rodriguez had a shoulder injury that has prevented him from playing since then.
Elias voiced some confidence over Rodriguez’s availability in the near future, but that could change over the course of the next week. Even though Rodriguez’s stamina has probably been somewhat diminished by the injury, he may fill in as a reliever while he recovers to full strength.
Given that Craig Kimbrel was recently designated for assignment, the O’s need all the bullpen support they can get. Rodriguez’s return would be a huge help to the Orioles, who are in dire need of relief pitching. He could pitch a couple of quality innings.
Leave a Reply