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ARLINGTON, Texas – Jordan Westburg isn’t going to let a sore finger keep him from playing.
He’s got time for the pain.
The chance to be 100 percent starts to fade as a season gains momentum. For Westburg, the usual aches are accompanied by a sprained left index finger that flared again Friday night after he dived into second base and jammed it on a first-inning double.
Westburg’s day-to-day status has stretched to three missed games, and he could remain on the bench tonight. He didn’t pinch-hit last night despite the craziness of losing the designated hitter. He’s going to hit in the cage before interim manager Tony Mansolino makes a decision.
There’s no chance that it completely heals as long as Westburg is swinging a bat and making starts at second and third base, but there’s no alternative. He isn’t shutting down. What the hand needs will be ignored.
“I think the only thing that gives it time to rest is time, and the middle of the season, you don’t get that a lot,” Westburg said.
“In my mind, I’m just trying to be good enough, trying to feel confident that I can get on the field and play close to the best of my abilities, help the team and get to the All-Star break. Maybe have a few days off and let things settle down. But for now, just focus on trying to get back out there.”
The injured list actually shrank to nine players, but it’s up to 12 again because of Zach Eflin’s lower back tightness. He can’t return before July 14. And catcher Chadwick Tromp will make it 13 after straining his lower back.
Jorge Mateo seemed to be nearing a return from left elbow inflammation, but he’s shut down with a hamstring injury. Cade Povich wasn’t a candidate to replace Eflin and now he’s pulled from his rehab assignment with recurring soreness in his left hip. Maverick Handley will remain on the concussion injury, having already moved past yesterday’s eligibility to return.
“Have you ever seen anything like this?” a member of the organization asked yesterday.
I went all the way back to last season. He insisted that this year is worse.
* Phase 2 voting for the All-Star Game began yesterday and runs until noon Wednesday, with designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and second baseman Jackson Holliday trying to earn starting nods.
Holliday could become the first Orioles second baseman to start in the Midsummer Classic since Brian Roberts in 2005. He singled, walked and scored twice last night.
“I mean, I called it last year,” Westburg said. “I don’t want to toot my own horn, but when he was struggling and that was kind of the story, I think I told somebody, ‘He’s gonna be OK.’ I’m sure you could go back and look at interviews and I’m probably quoted saying that.
“I kind of saw that last year, just in the makeup. Everybody knows the talent’s there, everybody knows the tools were there, but the makeup is different, the maturity is different. It’s something I … you see it in Gunnar (Henderson) and you see it in Jackson, and I can’t really recall any other ballplayers I played with where the maturity is just like that, off the chart. So he was gonna figure it out.
“It’s been cool to see him figure it out, too, because he’s carried this team on his shoulders at times. Him and Gunnar and Ced (Mullins) and O’Hearn, some of these dudes are pulling their weight, plus more, so it’s been really cool to see. I’m really happy for him. I hope he makes it. He deserves it, more than anybody. Maybe not O’Hearn. That guy got snubbed last year, but they both deserve it. I’m happy for them.”
Holliday produced his 10th career game Saturday with at least three hits, tying him with Hall of Famer Eddie Murray for third-most among Orioles age 21 or younger, per STATS.
This is quite a list.
Manny Machado is first with 19 and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson is second with 12. Boog Powell is fifth with nine.
Holliday has four games with three or more hits in June, trailing only Machado (seven in May 2013) for the most by an Oriole 21 or younger in a single month.
* Left-hander Trevor Rogers is pitching like he did during his 2021 All-Star season with the Marlins. He carried a shutout into the sixth last night before Marcus Semien’s two-run homer, and he’s sporting a 2.05 ERA.
The homer was unusual for Rogers since the Orioles traded for him. He had allowed only two in 35 2/3 innings before last night, an average of 0.50 per nine innings that tied for fifth lowest since 2000 among pitchers in their first seven career starts with the team, per STATS.
Albert Súarez is first at 0.26, followed by Rich Hill at 0.27 and Willis Roberts and Pat Rapp at 0.45. Rogers tied with former first-round draft pick Adam Loewen.
* Colton Cowser’s 113.7 mph home run in the 10th inning was the hardest hit ball of his career.
* Baseball America’s 5.0 mock draft still has the Orioles taking Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, a 6 foot 6, 230-pound left-handed hitter from Pensacola, Fla., with the 19th-overall pick.
LaViolette batted .285/.432/.651 with 35 doubles, five triples, 68 home runs and 202 RBIs in 188 games in three college seasons. He drew 169 walks and struck out 222 times.
