MORE INSIDE
But 15-day DL stint might not be enough
O’Day injury update, spotlight, minor league report, week in review, next five
Orioles reliever Darren O’Day dealt with the right hamstring strain that landed him on the disabled list for over a week before aggravating it Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox and said Saturday that he isn’t sure how long his recovery will take.
The All-Star reliever, who signed a four-year, $31 million deal in the offseason to stay with the Orioles, said it’s a high hamstring strain, which takes longer to heal than a typical strain. And it bothers him when he bends over at the beginning of his delivery.
“It wasn’t very good after I hurt it,” O’Day said.
He first felt it while warming up before the game May 24 in Houston. In three outings since, he allowed two home runs and his ERA rose from 2.60 to 3.15.
O’Day said the hamstring improved with treatment during the road trip to the point he jogged in from the bullpen Wednesday.
But the first batter he faced, center fielder Chris Young, turned on a hanging slider that raised manager Buck Showalter’s eyebrows.
“It really hit me the other day, the flat breaking ball to [Young], who hit the home run off Darren, 0-2 — that was about as flat — usually he sweeps that ball right out of the zone,” Showalter said. “You look at [pitching coach Dave Wallace] going, ‘Hmm, I haven’t seen that pitch.’ ”
O’Day said he felt a pop while covering the bag on a grounder to first base. The fact no one is suggesting a short timeline for a return indicates the strain could be severe.
“I did something similar to my left hamstring when I was in A-ball, and I came back relatively quick,” O’Day said. “Nobody will put a timeline on it. I don’t think it’ll have to be surgery.
“There’s nobody that’s going to say, ‘I’ll bet my life it’s going to be 15 days.’ But I’m going to do whatever I can to get back as fast as I can.”
Showalter doesn’t seem to be operating under the assumption the injury will require only 15 days on the disabled list.
“It could be longer,” he said. “I’m hoping that he comes in in three days and says, ‘You guys screwed this up. I’m ready.’ After seeing the MRI, I don’t think so.”
Wright back and burning: Righthander Mike Wright, whose fiery demeanor on the mound matches the heat he brings with his mid-90s fastball, is still burning about how last week played out.
On Wednesday, he allowed six runs on seven hits — including four home runs — without making it out of the third inning against the Red Sox. On Thursday, he was sent to Triple-A Norfolk to refocus and find consistency. But on Friday, the Orioles added him to the roster in place of O’Day.
“I still got sent down,” Wright said. “Still lights a little bit of a fire inside of me. … You don’t want to get sent down. This is where I belong. That’s how I feel, but when you’re not performing, that’s what this game is all about. We’re not here to throw Home Run Derby.”
Wright had a 2-3 record and a 5.88 ERA in 10 appearances (nine starts) at the time of his demotion, with just three quality starts. He attacked his post-start routine harder than usual to fix it.
“It’s been, just, eye-opening,” he said. “This is obviously the big leagues. You’ve got to perform. I was doing everything I can [to fix it], just like I’ve been doing all year . ... You’ve just got to keep working.”
Around the horn: Vance Worley pitched out of the bullpen Saturday night after initially being a candidate to start Monday. Wright and T.J. McFarland, who pitched an inning of relief Friday night, are potential options to start for the Orioles on Monday against the Kansas City Royals. … New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (Mount Saint Joseph), who left Friday’s series opener in the third inning, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a cartilage tear in his right knee. The club called up former Oriole Chris Parmelee to replace him. … Orioles vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson was on the field two hours before the game playing catch with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra music director Marin Alsop, who is taking seriously the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday at Oriole Park. Anderson worked with Alsop on her throwing mechanics as a videographer filmed the session.