Spring training games have barely started, and the Baltimore Orioles are already dealing with two significant injuries. A little more than a week after the team announced Jackson Holliday would miss time due to a hamate injury, the Orioles announced Friday that promising infielder Jordan Westburg will miss all of April due to a partially torn UCL.
It’s yet another disappointing injury for Westburg, who has missed significant chunks of time the past two seasons.
When healthy, the 27-year-old Westburg has flashed strong skills. He hits the ball relatively hard and showed promising power last season, hitting 17 home runs in 85 games.
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But injuries have plagued the infielder since his encouraging rookie season, in which he slashed .260/.311/.404 in 68 games in 2023. Westburg missed a chunk of time in 2024 due to a hand injury. He was limited by hamstring and ankle issues last season and slashed .265/.313/.457 when he was on the field.
The Orioles expect Westburg to miss all of April due to his partially torn UCL but did not offer a timetable after that. Westburg will receive a PRP injection in hopes that clears up the issue and gets him back on the field. If he’s able to return, it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to play the field. While hitters have played through UCL injuries, they’ve typically been used as designated hitters. That could be Westburg’s fate if the PRP injections work.
Both injuries put the Orioles in a difficult spot heading into the 2026 season. Baltimore is expected to bounce back after going 75-87 last season. But while the Orioles should improve, the team will need all the help it can get in a tough American League East.
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Injuries to both Holliday and Westburg make that task much harder, which is not what Orioles fans want to hear before their team has even taken the field.