BALTIMORE—Ramón Urías became the 14th Oriole on the team’s injured list on Saturday. Urías has a right hamstring strain, and the Orioles recalled infielder Coby Mayo from Triple-A Norfolk.
Urías, who was batting .292 with two home runs and nine RBIs, was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Thursday. The 30-year-old infielder will be eligible to return on May 11th.
“I think it’s a minor hamstring strain,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He’s going to have to have a few days off, go through a running progression. I think he’s going to continue most baseball activities once he’s feeling a little bit better. I don’t think it’s going to be very long.”
Mayo was batting .252 with six home runs and 22 RBIs at Norfolk. He has started 13 games at both first and third base.
“Sounds like he’s swinging the bat well,” Hyde said. “Playing a couple of spots in the infield and improving. I noticed that the defense was improving in spring training and sounds like it’s improving. I think he was pressing in spring training and trying way too hard.”
Last year, Mayo was just 4-for-41 (.098) with 22 strikeouts in two stints with the Orioles. He was disappointed in March when he was optioned to Norfolk, calling the move a “lose-lose” situation.
Nine pitchers and five position players are on the injured list. Urías joins outfielders Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, catcher Gary Sánchez and infielder Jordan Westburg. The pitchers are: Kyle Bradish, Zach Eflin, Andrew Kittredge, Chayce McDermott, Cody Poteet, Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Albert Suárez and Tyler Wells.
Cowser, Bradish, Rodriguez, Suárez and Wells are on the 60-day injured list. ,
The Orioles have the most players in the majors on the injured list.
“It’s a lot of guys,” Hyde said. “You’ve got to worry about the 26 guys right now you have on the roster, do everything we can to play well, which we’ve done three of the last four nights, continue to play that kind of baseball. I don’t see anybody hanging their head. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to put one foot in front of the other and play like we have been three of the last four nights.”
Eflin gets ready for first rehab start
Eflin, who’s been on the IL since April 8th because of a right lat strain, will start for High-A Aberdeen on Sunday. Kittredge, who had cartilage removed from his left knee and hasn’t pitched this season, will begin his rehab assignment on Sunday, too.
“I’m going to go a day at a time, but I’m not expecting to there long,” Elfin said. “Didn’t necessarily want to do something like this, but it gives both sides what we want and what we need, and that’s for me to get back out there as soon as possible. I’m looking forward to competing tomorrow and go from there.”
Eflin isn’t sure how long his outing will be.
“I don’t know if anything has been set in stone. I’ve been told maybe 60 pitches, maybe four or five innings,” he said. “It’s all going to depend on how I feel, how I progress in the game tomorrow.”
Eflin said the injury hasn’t been bothering him.
“I feel like I’ve been past it, honestly,’ he said. “I’ve felt good now for a week-and-a-half, two weeks, getting on stuff in bullpens, going a little crazy, but ready to get out there ASAP.”
Eflin is hoping he’ll need only one rehab start.
“That’s where my mind’s at, but I think we’re going to have to reconvene after the game tomorrow,” he said. “I’m trying to get back ASAP.”
Minor league notes: McDermott, who’s rehabbing a right lat strain, allowed one hit in four scoreless innings in his first start for Triple-A Norfolk. McDermott walked one and struck out three, throwing 57 pitches.
Thaddeus Ward struck out seven in four spotless innings in Norfolk’s 11-1 win over Charlotte. Luis Vázquez and Vimael Machin homered for the Tides.
Right-hander Alex Pham will miss his Saturday start for Double-A Chesapeake and is on the 7-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.