ATLANTA – Two big bats are back for the O’s brigade. 

After scoring just two total runs in their last two games, notably against Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, it’s an offense that could use a boost of momentum. Tonight in Atlanta, the Orioles are hoping to get it. 

For the first time in a week, Jordan Westburg gets the start at third base. Westburg had missed the last five games with an injury to his left index finger, the same injury that kept him out for a short stretch two weeks ago. 

“Obviously, we kind of had to sit on that for the week,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said before the game. “Is he at 100 percent? Probably not, but I think it’s probably close.”

Westburg could bring some new habits upon returning, too. 

“Hopefully he slides on his butt,” Mansolino said. “We’ve had that conversation a couple times, jokingly and seriously. He’s gotta take care of himself.” 

Joining Westburg is another right-handed power bat in the form of Tyler O’Neill, who has sustained  injuries to his neck and shoulder and last played in the majors on May 15. 

“I feel a lot better, physically,” O’Neill said today. “I recovered well through every game, starting to find the barrel again. So I’m just really looking forward to joining these guys again, playing some baseball every day.”

O’Neill began his rehab assignment back on June 7, played three games, and suffered a setback that kept him out until June 22. Since then, the right fielder has appeared in seven total rehab games and just one at Triple-A Norfolk. 

The slugger says he received a cortisone shot initially, before he was shut down on his rehab assignment, and then received a platelet-rich plasma shot that he “noticed good effects” from. 

“It’s been frustrating, for sure,” O’Neill added. “Obviously, just trying to focus on rehab and just crushing what I can do on a day-to-day basis.”

The season hasn’t gotten off to the start that either O'Neill or Westburg had hoped for. The duo has combined to appear in just 60 games with nine home runs with 24 runs driven in. On the other hand, a small sample size could indicate that both players could get back to their old selves. 

Westburg’s season in particular has been difficult to evaluate. The infielder notably fought through some injuries early on in the season until his eventual shutdown in late April, and has been doing the same for the last few weeks. From his return on June 10 to his first finger injury on June 21, Westburg’s OPS was up at .879. It’s hard to say just how often he’s been at full strength. 

O’Neill has yet to really find his stride at the dish this year, with a .188 batting average and two home runs in 24 games. As with Westburg, it’s hard to find your rhythm without much consistent playing time. 

O'Neill will look to find his groove in a lineup that just got a lot more crowded. Ramón Laureano’s impressive season has left the O’s with four outfielders capable of playing every day, and the DH spot is muddied with Ryan O’Hearn, Gary Sánchez, Coby Mayo and now O’Neill as potential options. 

“We do have a lot of everyday players here,” Mansolino said. “We don’t have a lot of platoon-type guys, but, you know, where we’ve got to get the right matchup in the game we’ll certainly do it.” 

Westburg and O’Neill don’t exactly return at the easiest time, with one of the best right-handers in the game on the opposing mound in Spencer Strider. After the Orioles faced deGrom and Eovaldi, that’s quite the three-game stretch. 

But the O’s are hoping for some more good news out of right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Rodriguez threw a 25-pitch bullpen session today, mixing in other pitches along with the fastball. 

“Focus on building up, making sure I can get my workload in,” Rodriguez said today. “Making sure we can start to handle the higher velocities and things like that. Try to start some rehab outings when we progress and the body starts feeling good to go.”

There’s no timetable for his return quite yet, but the signs are encouraging. 

Breadcrumbs from the skipper 

“That’s a guy we have sorely missed here,” Mansolino said of Rodriguez. 

“Super thrilled that it’s going as good as it’s going and, you know, just kind of keep the fingers crossed that it continues in that direction.”