Outfielder Tyler O’Neill was reinstated from the injured list yesterday and Zach Eflin should follow on Sunday to start the final game of the road trip. Reliever Andrew Kittredge made his second rehab appearance on Thursday. Infielder Ramón Urías is trending toward a return perhaps by Tuesday or Wednesday after the latest break in the schedule.

Unable to get on a roll that moves them out of last place, the Orioles are implementing a new tactic this month - subtracting from the IL instead of adding to it.

Can’t hurt to try it.

Fifteen different Orioles have gone on the IL this season, only two fewer than in 2024. That’s the most in the American League and second in the majors to the Dodgers’ 17.

The White Sox and Reds have 15 different players, and the Marlins and Mets have 14.

The Orioles want to get into a pennant race and try to make the playoffs for the third year in a row. They also are in a race to get much healthier before it’s too late.

Only 12 players remain on the injured list. I remember when it was 14. Chayce McDermott was reinstated and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, which was important for pitching depth but didn’t feel impactful for the Orioles. Much bigger was O’Neill’s reinstatement yesterday because he could go on a tear when healthy. He’s done it already.

O’Neill was trying to play through the neck pain that restricted how much he could turn his head to the left. Don’t try it at home. It won’t work and you won’t hit major league pitching. Easy to forget because it was so long ago, but O’Neill went 8-for-14 with a double, home run, five RBIs, two walks and five runs scored in March. His neck was fine.

“I went through about a week stretch there where it was a really tough time, just moving around, everyday lifestyle,” he told media yesterday in Anaheim, adding that he’s now “pain-free.” He talked again, as he did on the last road trip, about trying to compensate by changing his stance and stride at the plate. His hitting mechanics were a wreck.

The Orioles signed O’Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract because they expected the same player who hit 31 home runs with the Red Sox last season and has won two Gold Gloves. He’s made 15 trips to the injured list, with 12 different body parts, but usually returns at or near the eligibility date.

For an offense that has shown a tendency to break down more than your dad’s Pinto and ranked last yesterday in average with runners in scoring position at .190, O’Neill’s bat returns at an ideal time in the season. The Orioles desperately need it to be hot.

Eflin’s importance doesn’t need to be explained, but here we go: He was the Opening Day starter and had a 3.00 ERA with three quality starts in three outings before the lat injury. The description of “mild” wasn’t exaggerated or wishful thinking. He was eligible to return April 23 but needed bullpen sessions and a very brief rehab assignment at High-A Aberdeen. He also said in Minnesota that he wanted the Orioles to wait a few days before deciding on the IL stint because he thought that he might be able to avoid it.

Sounds pretty “mild” to me. And that’s rarely the case with lats.

The rotation was supposed to be led by Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez, with Charlie Morton the No. 3. Rodriguez hasn’t pitched this season due to issues with his elbow, triceps and lat. Morton is expected to leave the rotation again after a brief return and pitch in long relief. Tomoyuki Sugano became the ace in Eflin’s absence, but Kremer has allowed two runs in 14 innings in his last two starts and apparently just needed to get out of April.

To have Eflin back in his usual form will be a game-changer for the Orioles. He can get deep into starts and give them a chance to win. Of course, Kremer is doing the same thing but the offense needs to start providing support or it’s just wasted.

This is where Urías can be a huge addition to the roster. Though overlooked as usual, he was batting .292/.354/.403 in 22 games and his 0.5 fWAR ranked third on the club. Ramón Laureano moved past him at 0.6 going into last night’s game.

Jordan Westburg was expected to beat Urías to the active roster, but Hyde told the media yesterday that the infielder is behind schedule because of lingering soreness in the hamstring. So much for a couple workout days and entrance in Norfolk’s lineup.

“The hammy is still bothering him a little bit, so we had to push him back a couple of days,” Hyde said. “Westy is going to be a few days behind (Urías).”

The Orioles really miss Westburg, too, which might sound odd since he’s hitting .217/.265/.391, but anyone who pays attention knows that he’s better than those numbers and he was 9-for-29 in his last seven games before the injury. He also was “banged up” from the opening series in Toronto. A completely healthy Jordan Westburg is going to be a much bigger threat in the lineup.

Making room for Kittredge in the bullpen will be interesting if there isn’t an injury that creates a spot. Matt Bowman was designated for assignment on Thursday. Colin Selby replaced him and probably will be optioned to make room for Eflin. Then again, I also assumed that Dylan Carlson would be optioned for O’Neill and it turned out to be infielder Coby Mayo.

The bullpen also includes Félix Bautista, Yennier Cano, Seranthony Domínguez, Bryan Baker, Cionel Pérez, Gregory Soto and Keegan Akin. Lots can happen before Kittredge is ready. If nothing changes, the Orioles will be left with one of their most interesting decisions of the season.

That’s the price paid for improved health.

Turns out, Colton Cowser made the trip to Anaheim and did some light work on the field to keep his legs in shape. He’s still “a ways away,” according to Hyde.