Harvey stalled again with injury trouble
Pitching prospect shut down because of more elbow soreness
Orioles pitching prospect Hunter Harvey was shut down again Tuesday after feeling soreness in his right elbow.
The Orioles hoped that Harvey, who hadn’t pitched in a game since June 1, would be able to pitch in the instructional league this month in Sarasota, Fla., and potentially in the fall league to somewhat salvage another injury-riddled season.
But instead, he’s heading to see a specialist to get further examination on the root of his lingering discomfort issues, according to an industry source.
The soreness comes about a month after Harvey was shut down while was progressing through a throwing program in Sarasota. He visited hand specialist Dr. Brian Schofield, received tests that revealed no structural damage, and he was diagnosed with tendinitis and cleared to resume throwing two weeks later. Harvey will see a doctor in the coming days. After that, it’s unclear again what the next step is with Harvey, who continues to struggle to get back on a mound. Harvey’s lingering elbow issues continue to be a concern throughout the organization, especially considering he’s already had elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2016.
The Orioles’ first-round pick in 2013, Harvey has pitch just 51 innings since having Tommy John surgery and still has yet to pitch a full minor league season.
Harvey made just nine starts this past minor league season. He was 1-2 with a 5.57 ERA at Double-A Bowie before he went on the disabled list in early June with a dislocated shoulder he suffered from dodging a foul ball that went into the dugout.
A litany of injuries have prevented Harvey from pitching more than 19 innings in any one year since his first full pro season in 2014. Only two of his nine starts with Bowie this season were more than four innings, and he logged just 321⁄ innings. Hunter Harvey Rotation matters: Before Tuesday’s game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said that he has yet to decide who will fill the open rotation spot for tonight’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’ll see how we do tonight,” Showalter said. “It will be predicated on how we get through the night. I’m sure it will be a similar ilk to last night. So certainly an extended outing from [Tuesday’s starter] Dylan [ Bundy] would help.”
Right-hander Alex Cobb threw off a mound Tuesday, testing the cut on his right middle finger, but there’s no timetable for when he can return. Showalter said earlier that he wouldn’t pitch any earlier than Friday’s series opener in New York.
“It sounds like that went pretty good, but there’s no concrete day that he would come back and pitch if he does,” Showalter said.
Rookie Luis Ortiz, who won’t be ready for another two weeks because of a hamstring injury, will be shelved for the rest of the season. It’s still unclear whether right-hander Andrew Cashner, whose sore left knee is feeling better, will be able to return this season.
Right-hander Dillon Tate and lefty John Means continue to throw in Sarasota, but they won’t be potential possibilities for the big league roster until after Thursday’s day off. Showalter wins Oriole Way award: Showalter was honored before Tuesday’s game for winning this year’s Oriole Way award, an annual honor given by the Orioles Advocates to recognize a member of the organization that has “made significant contributions on and off the field and who has demonstrated a sincere desire to serve the community.”
Showalter and his wife, Angela, have been long involved with KidsPeace and the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, and other philanthropic causes.
“I think it means a lot to my wife, too,” Showalter said. “I think it’s kind of reflection on her. I follow her lead on a lot of things. She’ll be here tonight. It means a lot, as much as anything I’ve had, because you’re just trying to use the some of the things you’ve been allowed to do to maybe make somebody else’s path a little easier. There’s so many good causes out there. But it’s more than just KidsPeace. It should be everything you do in life quite frankly. And every one of us — I’d like to think — has done something like that. You may not get an award for it, but you’re just doing the right thing. I don’t know what else you could do.” Around the horn: The Orioles held National Federation of the Blind Night on Tuesday, which included wearing uniforms that had the Orioles script and players’ names in Braille lettering, as well as Braille rosters in the press box. … Utility man Steve Wilkerson, who hadn’t played a big league game since July 1, returned to the Orioles’ starting lineup Tuesday, starting at third and batting eighth. The Orioles plan to play Wilkerson around the infield over the final two weeks.