BALTIMORE—Jordan Westburg isn’t in the Orioles’ lineup, a day after he reinjured his left index finger on a headfirst slide into second base while attempting to elude a tag. Westburg missed three games after jamming that finger stealing second on a headfirst slide a week ago.
“Very day-to-day, not nearly as bad as last time,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said before the Orioles-Tampa Bay Rays game on Saturday. “Probably a couple of days would be my guess.”
Mansolino said the finger was X-rayed during the game, and that Westburg was not a candidate for the injured list.
“Even last night, they were really optimistic about it,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s quick.”
To protect against a short-handed infield, the Orioles selected the contract of infielder Emmanuel Rivera from Triple-A Norfolk. Rivera hit .232 with three RBIs in 25 games earlier this season.
“The way things were situated, it kind of made sense,” Mansolino said.
Outfielder Dylan Carlson, who hit .241 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 40 games, was optioned to Norfolk.
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Tyler was designated for assignment. Tyler, who was claimed off waivers on June 15th from Philadelphia, had a 2.25 ERA in two games for Norfolk.
Sliding feet first is preferred: Westburg has twice injured his finger by diving headfirst. Outfielder Colton Cowser missed two months after fracturing his left thumb with a headfirst dive into first on March 30th in Toronto.
Mansolino is not an advocate of the headfirst slide.
“It was absolutely a discussion at noon,” he said. “It’s in his DNA. It’s hard to clarify that. We talked about the exact scenario, but Westy plays so hard. Even that ball right there, if the guy makes a good throw to second base, he’s probably out by a couple of steps. You can’t change that about the guy. He is who he is.
“When he does come back, going through this, hopefully he is able to get on his butt for the next slide because it’s going pop up again, but it’s tough. It’s just Westy. That’s what makes him such a good player.”
Suárez progressing: Albert Suárez has been on the 60-day injured list with a right rotator cuff injury and has pitched only once this season.
He visited orthopedic specialist, Dr. Keith Meister in Texas this week and is optimistic he’ll pitch in the second half of the season.
“It feels good,” Suárez said. “Eighty percent healed, not 100 percent. As of now, I’m throwing 90 [feet], and next week it will be 105 feet. Hopefully, in two or three weeks, I can do it on the mound.”
The 35-year-old right-hander Suárez could help the Orioles, whether it’s starting or in the bullpen.
“I just think about being patient because the most important thing is to be healthy,” he said. “That’s a muscle that needs to be healed.”
Suárez wants to pitch after August 1st.
“Hopefully, I’m going to get another MRI. If it’s completed healed, I’ll be good to go, live [batting practice] and games,” Suárez said.
Mansolino on position players pitching: Since Mansolino took over six weeks ago, he’s used two position players to pitch, Rivera, who gave up eight runs at Boston on May 23rd, and infielder Luis Vázquez, who pitched a scoreless inning in New York on June 21st.
Earlier in the season, Brandon Hyde used Jorge Mateo and Gary Sánchez in the final two innings of a 24-2 loss to Cincinnati. Mateo allowed four runs and Sánchez five.
On Friday night, Rays shortstop José Caballero allowed the final six runs in an Orioles 22-8 win. In the same game that Rivera pitched, Boston infielder Abraham Toro gave up two runs in a 19-8 Orioles loss.
“It’s not in a vacuum. As you look at that problem, it all goes back to starting pitching,” Mansolino said. “Whatever’s causing pitchers to throw five innings … [Once], if you came out in the fifth inning, that was a bad day, now it’s pitchers come out in the fifth inning, and in some ways, we might celebrate it.”
With the Orioles playing 16 games in as many days, pitchers are overused, especially the bullpen.
“We were limping to the finish line,” Mansolino said. “There were multiple conversations in those 16 about us having to use a position player.”
The April 20th appearance for Sánchez was his first in his major league career.
“I wanted to do it at least once before I retired,” Sánchez said through a team translator. “I was looking forward to it, but honestly, I didn’t like it too much.”
Sánchez also doesn’t enjoy batting against position players.
“I don’t like facing them,” he said. “When you see them out there throwing really soft, it just feels weird.”
Vázquez had a much easier time than Sánchez. He threw a hitless inning, walking one and facing only three hitters thanks to a double play.
“I think I was able to enjoy it,” Vázquez said through a team translator. “Pitching at Yankee Stadium was pretty memorable. I never expected to pitch at Yankee Stadium.”
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