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SAN DIEGO – A couple of injured Orioles are nearing their returns to the active roster this month. The injured list holds 10 players and can get down to single digits.
Consider it an accomplishment in 2025.
Infielder Jordan Westburg (ankle) is doing full baseball activities and should go on a rehab assignment next week.
Westburg hasn’t played since Aug. 18 in Boston.
“Everything is getting closer and closer,” said interim manager Tony Mansolino.
Outfielder Tyler O’Neill made his third trip to the injured list, this time with right wrist inflammation, and hasn’t played since Aug. 5 in Philadelphia. He’s going to take batting practice in Baltimore and could begin his rehab assignment next weekend.
Trevor Rogers was named American League Pitcher of the Month for August after he went 4-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in six starts and opponents batted .199.
No one on the team is surprised.
“Not with the numbers that he’s put up,” Mansolino said.
“I just love his story, and we were kind of able to share this story with the team yesterday because we do have some guys here who are maybe not having the years they want in some ways and need to bounce back in a lot of ways next year. But just kind of thinking about and telling them about the Trevor Rogers story and about everything this guy went through. In 2021 he was an All-Star, electric arm, electric results, injuries. Just whole career in a lot of ways one foot on the cliff and one foot off, right?
“He comes here and a lot of negative publicity for him in Baltimore. The fans weren’t happy. The Baltimore Orioles, I mean, it was a big deal for us. We needed him to perform. He just wasn’t quite himself. He goes out, he gets himself fixed this winter, gets hurt again, comes back. Comes to Boston and throws (6 1/3) scoreless, it was incredible, and then goes back to the minor leagues for like four or five weeks. It was a long time in the minor leagues. And to see him kind of come out on top of all the adversity that he had, it’s awesome for Trevor and it’s a great lesson to learn for a lot of our guys who maybe aren’t doing what they want to do right now.”
Rogers talked earlier today about the importance of the award to him, the journey that he’s been on and where it’s taken him.
“Just all the self-doubt and questioning things,” he said. “Finally, just that full-circle moment of getting back to deep down where I knew I could be, and just being consistent every five days, and finally showed this past month. Very honored for the award, but we’ve still got another month of baseball left, so just trying to continue that and continue just to give my team a chance every time I’m out there.”
The local attention gradually grew for Rogers, but the award is proof that he’s gotten noticed nationally.
“I’m just glad to be consistent for this team,” he said. “Had a down year this year, we didn’t meet expectations, but we’ve still got to go out there, play hard and play for each other and continue just to play the game the right way.”
Rogers could land on some of the five-man Cy Young Award ballots. He might have to settle for a spot behind Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet, but another strong month really thrusts him in the discussion despite making only 14 starts.
“I haven’t put a whole lot of thought into it,” he said. “I try to keep my focus very short. Just stuff that I can control. Then again, with the season that I’ve had and not being up here the whole year and just being in consideration for those types of things is an honor. Thankful for the fans who put me on those situations. But I’ve got four more starts. Focus on today and the five-hour flight tonight. I’m really excited about that. But yeah, I’m just trying to focus on day-to-day and honored that the fans would put my name into that consideration.”
The Orioles optioned Rogers on Aug. 22, 2024 after four bad starts following the trade with the Marlins that cost them prospects Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby. Rogers said it was 80 percent “no” and 20 percent “yes” whether he would have believed that he’d rise to this level a year later.
“Deep down I always had that belief that I could get back to where I knew I could be, but at that time it didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon, so I’m just thankful for this organization, the plan they had in place for me at that time,” he said. “They knew probably more than I did that the plan that they had in place and getting me back to where I needed to be.”
The 80 percent is a combination of inner doubts and outside noise that he said, “definitely didn’t help.”
“I’ve learned just not to look at that or pay attention to it,” he said. “It’s easier said than done, but it’s something I’ve done a lot better this year.”
Rogers makes his next start Saturday night against the Dodgers at Camden Yards, when the Orioles celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak. Rogers can go for back-to-back monthly honors.
“Yeah, that’s a good one,” he said. “That’s the hardest part is consistency, right?”
Gunnar Henderson, Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers are on the bench today, as the Orioles go for the sweep against the Padres.
For the Orioles
Jackson Holliday 2B
Jeremiah Jackson RF
Ryan Mountcastle DH
Emmanuel Rivera 3B
Dylan Carlson LF
Colton Cowser CF
Coby Mayo 1B
Alex Jackson C
Luis Vázquez SS
Cade Povich LHP
For the Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. RF
Luis Arraez 1B
Manny Machado 3B
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ramón Laureano LF
Jackson Merrill CF
Jake Cronenworth 2B
Jose Iglesias SS
Elias Díaz C
Nestor Cortes LHP
The Orioles are starting Dean Kremer, Rogers and Tomoyuki Sugano in the three-game series against the Dodgers.
