Rolled ankle might cost Bundy a start
Starter injures himself running bases; Wright’s velocity back up
Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy was able to joke Saturday about how he had a lot to learn about running the bases after he singled and spent 15 minutes on the base path in a win over the Atlanta Braves.
Now the fallout from his first major league hit might have stopped being funny.
Manager Buck Showalter said Monday that Bundy rolled his ankle on the bases and that his next start, scheduled for Thursday against the visiting Seattle Mariners, is in jeopardy.
“He’s still scheduled to pitch on Thursday, but it’s something we’re going to have to see and prepare [for] in case he can’t,” Showalter said.
Showalter said it was possible that the injury could land Bundy on the 10-day disabled list. The Orioles would have to make such a move by Tuesday in order to backdate it to Sunday and get Bundy back sooner.
“We’d probably do that, but don’t hold me to it,” Showatler said. “If it’s just a couple-day thing, I would wait. We could, but probably, because if we go back to seven pitchers in the ’pen today, we’re going to have to make sure we’re covered there.”
On Monday, the Orioles did indeed go to a seven-man bullpen when they optioned Donnie Hart to Triple-A Norfolk to activate infielder Tim Beckham off the DL.
Bundy has been the Orioles’ most consistent pitcher this year, posting 10 quality starts in16 tries and a 3.75 ERA. In his past eight starts, his ERA is 2.60. Dylan Bundy Wright’s velocity back: Nearly three months into a season in which he’s clung to a roster spot, right-hander Mike Wright Jr. has gotten used to the discomfort of living on the edge.
Having his stuff back helps. With five shutout innings over two appearances this past weekend in Atlanta, Wright has a 1.69 ERA in his past 12 appearances (211⁄ innings), and even if it’s rarely been smooth, with a 1.79 WHIP in that span, his stuff is giving him a chance to get out of whatever jam he gets into.
“I would say the biggest difference is, I finally got my velo back, and my stuff just seems to be back to where I want it to be,” Wright said. “I’m not exactly sure why I wasn’t there at the beginning of the year, but I’m glad it’s here now.
“At the beginning of the year, my arm felt great. As far as my mechanics go, everything felt the same. The only way I can explain it is that people say dead arm is a thing. That’s kind of what I felt like I was going through. Anytime I’ve ever reached back and tried to get some velo, it’s always been there. But at the beginning of the year, it was, like, 89 [mph]. That was just weird. But nothing was hurt. I don’t know if it was still carryover from my shoulder issue last year, and finally something broke up. Hopefully, it just continues to be like it has been the last couple of times.” Sardiñas to 60-day DL: In order to bring Beckham off the 60-day DL and make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Luis Sardiñas was added to the 60-day DL with an ankle sprain.
Sardiñas initially went on the DL on May 1 with a lower-back strain. He suffered an ankle injury while on a rehabilitation assignment at Norfolk. Hays to see specialist: Outfielder Austin Hays will see a specialist Tuesday to have his ankle examined. Soreness from the bone bruise and tendinitis that have sidelined him for nearly a month has not subsided.
“He’s seeing a specialist on what direction they want to go with that,” Showalter said. “I know they’re concerned with it.”
Hays, the organization’s top prospect, has had a down year at Double-A Bowie, batting .224 with a .633 OPS and six home runs. Around the horn: Right-hander Pedro Araujo, on the DL with a right shoulder injury, is throwing on flat ground but had his rehab halted by the birth of his son. ... Right-hander Hunter Harvey (shoulder) will see a specialist as well to make sure his recovery is on track. ... Right-hander Dariel Álvarez, the outfielder turned pitcher who had Tommy John surgery early in his transition last spring, appeared in a game for the first time since the change, posting a scoreless inning for the Gulf Coast League Orioles.