The Orioles lost one of their most versatile players and productive hitters in the latest injury to strike the club.

Ramón Urías is on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain that manager Brandon Hyde described today as “mild.” The move is retroactive to Thursday, making Urías eligible to return on May 11.

Coby Mayo, the No. 2 prospect in the system and 12^th in baseball per MLB Pipeline, was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk as the corresponding move.

Urías played Wednesday night and went 2-for-4 with a home run. He reached on an infield single in the eighth inning.

The Orioles had Urías starting at third base yesterday but he was scratched due to the sore hamstring. Emmanuel Rivera replaced him, had an RBI single in the seventh inning and is at third base again tonight.

Urías is batting .292/.354/.403 with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs in 22 games. He can move around the infield but has made 20 starts at third base, his playing time increased by Jordan Westburg’s hamstring injury.

“It’s a minor hamstring strain but it’s gonna keep him out,” Hyde said of Urías. “He’s gonna have to have a few days off and then go on a running progression. But I think he’s gonna be able to continue most baseball activities once he gets feeling a little bit better. So I don’t think it’s gonna be that long.”

Urías missed almost a month last season with a sprained ankle that he suffered Aug. 31 in Colorado.

Mayo is batting .255/.353/.539 with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs and 21 RBIs in 28 games with Norfolk. He got into 17 games with the Orioles last summer and went 4-for-41 with four walks and 22 strikeouts.

Mayo, who was en route to Baltimore earlier today, has made 13 starts at third base and 13 at first with the Tides.

The Orioles optioned Mayo to Norfolk in spring training after he went 8-for-42 (.190) in 17 games. He was 7-for-19 (.368) in his last eight games.

“It sounds like he’s swinging the bat well,” Hyde said. “He’s playing a couple spots in the infield and I noticed the defense was improving in spring training, and it sounds like it’s continued there. But the at-bats, I think he was really pressing in spring training and trying way too hard and it sounds like he’s hitting the ball hard down there.”

The Orioles lead the majors with 14 players on the injured list.

“That’s a lot of guys,” Hyde said. “You’ve got to worry about the 26 guys right now that we have on the roster and do everything we can to play well, which we’ve done three out of the last four nights. Continue to play that kind of baseball. I don’t see anybody hanging their head or feeling sorry for us. The other teams aren’t going to feel sorry for us.

“We’ve got to put one foot in front of the other and continue to play like we have been three out of the last four nights.”

The news is better with pitcher Zach Eflin (right lat), who starts Sunday at High-A Aberdeen on an injury rehab assignment. Reliever Andrew Kittredge also will pitch.

Eflin doesn’t know whether he’ll make a second start with an affiliate.

“I’d say, go a day at a time, but I’m not expecting to be there long,” he said. “Didn’t necessarily want to do something like this, but I think it kind of gets both sides what we need and what we want, which is for me to get back out there as soon as possible. I’m looking forward to competing again tomorrow and then kind of going from there.”

Eflin was the Opening Day starter and he’s allowed six runs in 18 innings, completing the sixth in all three outings. He hasn’t pitched since April 7 in Arizona, which explains his rehab assignment.

The veteran right-hander said he could throw around 60 pitches in four or five innings.

“I think it’s all depending on how I feel, how I progress throughout the game tomorrow,” he said.

“I’ve felt good now for a week and a half, two weeks. Just really going a little crazy but ready to get out there ASAP.”

And get out of the minors quickly.

“That’s where my mind’s at,” he said. “I think we’re gonna have to reconvene after the game tomorrow, but like I said, I’m trying to get back ASAP.”

Double-A Chesapeake's Alex Pham, the No. 29 prospect in the organization, will miss tonight's start and go on the seven-day injured list with right forearm inflammation.

Pham made five appearances (four starts) and posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.183 WHIP in 23 2/3 innings. He struck out 35 batters.

For the Royals

Jonathan India LF
Bobby Witt Jr. SS
Vinnie Pasquantino 1B
Maikel Garcia 3B
Michael Massey 2B
Hunter Renfroe RF
Cavan Biggio DH
Freddy Fermin C
Kyle Isbel CF

Kris Bubic LHP