NEW YORK — Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman likely will be sidelined until after the All-Star break because of a strained left oblique, and infielder Jordan Westburg will be out for at least a few days because of a sprained left index finger sustained even though he wore a sliding mitt.
Rutschman felt pain during batting practice on Friday and was scratched. He had an MRI on Saturday.
“He feels something small right there. We all know abdominal and oblique injuries, if you push those things, you can get really ugly. Instead of being three, four weeks, it could be three months,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said Sunday.
“He’s kind of going stir crazy. I think the fact that it is mild in nature probably makes it a little harder for him,” Mansolino added. “They went and got an MRI. They checked it out, which validated that. In his mind, he probably thinks he can possibly go out there, but obviously we know medically that’s not the smart thing to do for him right now.”
On the injured list for the first time in his big league career, Rutschman is hitting .227 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in 68 games.
Westburg injured the finger while stealing second base in Saturday’s 9-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
“Actually the sliding mitt that’s supposed to protect his hand, that’s the one that he did it,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said Sunday. “Doesn’t know how he did it. It’s been the same mitt that he’s used for a couple years, talking about it this morning. Kind of crazy that he hurt his finger. That’s what those things are for.”
Westburg missed more than a month with a left hamstring strain before returning on June 10. The 26-year-old is hitting .229 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games this season. He had 10 hits in his first 25 at-bats before going hitless in his next 14.
“It’s sore this morning. We’re hoping it’s two to three days. If it gets to be longer, then it’ll be another conversation at that point,” Mansolino said. “The X-rays were negative, so it’s not fractured. That’s the positive. So nothing catastrophic by any means.”
Westburg hit .264 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs last year, becoming a first-time All-Star.
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle (strained right hamstring) also is on the injured list along with outfielders Tyler O’Neill (left shoulder impingement) and Jorge Mateo (left shoulder inflammation).
Right-hander Yannier Cano was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after striking out the side in the seventh inning Saturday, and right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo was recalled from the Tides on Sunday.
“It starts ultimately with the amount of innings that we’ve had covered here recently with the bullpen,” Mansolino said. “We need a fresh arm. You have limited amount of bullpen guys that have options.”
