Will Jordan Westburg’s return impact Baltimore’s woeful performance with runners in scoring position?
There’s an inseverable link between Baltimore’s long list of injuries and their disappointing performance this season. The Orioles are not guaranteed to improve as the year progresses, but they do appear to be getting healthy.
Jordan Westburg and Cedric Mullins rejoined the team yesterday, and Gary Sánchez and Tyler O’Neill are expected back soon. The Birds recently lost Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo, but Colton Cowser and Ramón Laureano found their way back to the active roster.
If the O’s are going to turn things around, at least one thing needs to happen. The injury saga must remain a first-half story compared to a full-season narrative.
A healthy Westburg should certainly help the cause. Last week, I asked what the Orioles should expect from Colton Cowser. The Birds have a decent understanding of what Mullins will deliver on a daily basis, but what about the 26-year-old infielder?
Westburg entered 2025 looking to build on an All-Star campaign from his sophomore season. The Mississippi State product slashed .264/.312/.481 while splitting time between second and third base in 2024. He posted a 128 OPS+ while quickly honing a reputation for strong plate discipline.
Westburg put up monster numbers in the first half, but the injury bug came early. Westburg missed significant time down the stretch with a broken hand, and Baltimore’s offense suffered.
A healthy Westburg wouldn’t have single-handedly stopped the slide last year, and the former first-rounder cannot play savior this season. That being said, adding an All-Star should help a struggling lineup, right?
Westburg plays two positions that Baltimore has actually received solid production from this year. Jackson Holliday has broken out as Baltimore’s leadoff second baseman, and Ramón Urías has quietly posted solid numbers through 43 games. Urías holds a .273/.331/.354 line while delivering respectable defense at the hot corner.
Baltimore’s struggling offense has pushed Urías up the batting order. The former waiver claim deserves credit for posting league-average numbers (99 OPS+), but the stats look inflated next to guys like Mateo, Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo, and Maverick Handley. With Holliday set to play almost everyday, Westburg will take a majority of the hot corner at bats while relegating Urías back to a bench role.
ZiPS projected Westburg to slash .256/.317/.437 over 123 games, but you guys weren’t buying it. A whopping 95% of Camden Chat voters declared that Westburg would exceed a .754 OPS. The ZiPS number would still represent a significant improvement over Urías’ .685 this season. Exceeding the number would provide a significant lift to the lineup.
Westburg, similar to Cowser, has the pop to deliver somewhere between 20 and 30 homers over a full season. The Orioles desperately need more power production at the plate. The team entered last night’s game 13th in baseball with 70 homers after finishing second in long balls last season. Westburg smacked 18 over 104 games last year, and he showed off his power in the ninth inning last night.
Camden Chat’s John Beers wondered yesterday if getting healthy would help the O’s against left-handed pitching. Our fearless leader Mark Brown threw a little cold water on the idea by pointing out that Westburg has a .657 OPS against lefties so far. Westburg should improve his numbers against southpaws throughout his career, but he shouldn’t be counted as a quick fix there.
Westburg still brings plenty to the table. Cowser, Mullins and Westburg should all force struggling hitters down in the lineup while knocking the weakest links out altogether. Tony Mansolino has expressed a desire to ease the injured players back into the lineup, but Laureano’s days in the cleanup spot could be numbered. Westburg and/or Cowser could eventually push a struggling Adley Rutschman out of the two hole as well.
Baltimore’s performance against lefties has been abysmal, but the lineup has struggled to hit with runners in scoring position against both types of pitchers. Fortunately, Westburg should provide a boost there. The 26-year-old is a career .265/.327/.497 hitter with runners in scoring position. His .824 OPS with RISP is good for a 118 tOPS+. That means Westburg is actually 18 points better with runners in scoring position compared to his numbers as whole.
Westburg had been out since April 28 with a hamstring injury. He nearly hit .400 during an extended rehab stint, but he’s bound to show some rust at some point. Either way, Westburg should deliver consistent production at third base (if healthy) moving forward.