The Orioles placed infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo on the 7-day concussion injured list and selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Connor Norby from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday before starting an eight-game road trip against Toronto and Tampa Bay. They also recalled left-hander Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk and designated right-hander Thyago Vieira for assignment.
Norby will bat ninth and play second base in Monday night’s game against the Blue Jays.
Mateo was injured in Sunday’s game when Cedric Mullins accidentally hit him on the back of his batting helmet with a swing when Mateo was in the on-deck circle. Mateo is hitting .246 with three home runs and 13 RBIs and a .741 OPS. He has stolen 10 bases in 11 attempts.
Norby has been added to the 40-man roster, which currently has 39 players. He was hitting .286 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 51 games at Norfolk. He’s started 12 games at second, 18 in left field and 15 in right field as well as four at designated hitter.
Vespi has one scoreless inning with the Orioles this season and is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 13 games with Norfolk.
Vieira did not retire any of the five batters he faced, walking four and allowing a hit, in his only appearance with the Orioles on May 27th.