The Orioles are awaiting a second opinion on the state of left-hander John Means’ elbow, however there’s uncertainty surrounding whether or not the ace will return in any respect this season.
Means left his Wednesday begin towards the Milwaukee Brewers after throwing solely 51 pitches in 4 innings, and the preliminary prognosis was left forearm tightness. After the sport, Means performed down his concern for the harm, hoping he’d be throwing once more within the subsequent few days after what he believed to be a muscle-related subject settled down.
Instead, Means landed on the 10-day injured record Friday with a left elbow pressure. On Saturday, forward of Baltimore’s second sport towards the New York Yankees, supervisor Brandon Hyde provided a bleaker outlook — though he emphasised how Means and the Orioles are nonetheless ready for added testing earlier than making a definitive announcement on his long-term availability.
“It’s going to be a while,” Hyde mentioned, earlier than including: “It’ll be a while for some results to come back, but I wouldn’t expect him to pitch any time soon.”
When requested if he anticipated Means to return this season, Hyde was once more uncertain.
“I don’t know that,” Hyde mentioned. “That’s a question mark right now.”
The potential lack of Means for an prolonged size of time would go away Baltimore’s beginning rotation with a gaping gap. There are few skilled choices as it’s, with right-hander Jordan Lyles the one present starter to have pitched a full season.
On Friday, Hyde described Means’ ailment as a forearm muscle pressure based mostly on an MRI the pitcher underwent Thursday. Wednesday’s preliminary description of forearm tightness generally is a precursor to numerous elbow accidents, with Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgical procedure on probably the most extreme finish of that spectrum.
Means, 28, posted a 3.62 ERA throughout 146 2/3 innings final season for the Orioles. He entered this season with the hopes of pitching upward of 200 innings, however that plan has been sidetracked — if not derailed completely.
“It’s frustrating, for sure,” Means mentioned Wednesday. “Wanted to get rolling and wanted to start the season strong. It’s a long season and get this out of the way, get going, still confident I’m able to go.”
The preliminary take a look at outcomes may need shaken that confidence, nevertheless. Hyde mentioned Saturday that Means will “see some specialists” and the group doesn’t anticipate outcomes from these visits for “a while.”
“He’s not going to be on the mound for a while,” Hyde mentioned.
Without Means, Baltimore will lean on a number of inexperienced starters, akin to right-hander Tyler Wells, left-hander Bruce Zimmermann and right-hander Spenser Watkins — the scheduled starters for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, respectively. Hyde mentioned he had “some ideas” for who would possibly take the mound Tuesday towards the Oakland Athletics, though he opted towards tipping his hand.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com