The injury bug continues to bite Jordan Westburg and the Orioles.
The talented, yet oft-injured third baseman has been diagnosed with a partial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear in his right elbow, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias told reporters Friday.
He is set to receive a platelet-rich plasma (PR) injection Friday, but will miss all of April with the injury and his timeline is uncertain, according to MLB.com.
This injury is a tough blow for both the player and the team, and it’s possible the situation could worsen should the PRP injections not work and Westerburg has to undergo surgery.
The 2020 first-round pick is productive when healthy, but staying on the field has been an issue.
He appeared in just 68 games in his rookie season in 2023, 107 in his second season in 2024 after suffering a fractured right hand and 85 this past season while battling multiple injuries during a disaster campaign for the Orioles that resulted in a last-place 75-87 finish.
Westburg had been dealing with a tweaked right oblique in camp he suffered in January, which left him “physically unable to participate” in camp before this reveal.
“Right now, he’s physically unable to participate,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Thursday, according to MLB.com. “He’s getting evaluated by a medical team, and also outside people, to make sure we have a plan in place and see what’s going on with Jordan and get him going.”
Westburg, when healthy, has slashed .264/.312/.456 with 38 homers and 127 RBIs in his career, producing 18 long balls and 63 RBIs in his 107-game season in 2024.
This injury now leaves the Orioles without half of their projected starting infield, with Jackson Holliday already sidelined with a broken right hamate bone.
Coby Mayo stands to potentially benefit from Westburg’s absence, per MLB.com.
The Orioles had an aggressive offseason to rebound from their 2025 flop, adding Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward and Chris Bassitt, among other moves.
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