The Orioles have more players on the injured list than wins in August.
Ryan Mountcastle joined 11 of his teammates on the shelf Monday when Baltimore placed him on the 10-day IL with a sprained left wrist.
The first baseman’s IL stint is retroactive to Friday, meaning the earliest he could be activated is next Monday, although it’s unclear what the timeline for Mountcastle is. Utility playerLivan Soto was recalled from Triple-A to provide infield depth until Mountcastle returns.
Injuries have hampered Baltimore all season — a turn of poor fortune after the Orioles had the fifth-fewest days on the IL in 2023. They’ve been difficult to overcome as the team has played .500 ball over the past 10 weeks. The Orioles are 11-12 in August.
Mountcastle suffered the injury while sliding headfirst into second base on a double against the Houston Astros on Thursday. The two-bagger was one of three hits the Orioles collected that night as the offense’s inconsistency hit a peak last week.
The Orioles spent the final three contests of the Astros series, which they split after winning a pair of thrilling games, with a short bench, hoping Mountcastle’s wrist would heal quickly enough to avoid an IL stint. It got even more difficult for manager Brandon Hyde’s maneuvering when center fielder Cedric Mullins injured his left quadriceps Friday and missed the next two games.
Hyde said after Sunday’s loss that he hoped both Mountcastle and Mullins would be healthy by Tuesday’s series opener against the National League West-leading Dodgers (78-53). It’s unclear what Mullins’ status is after Triple-A Norfolk outfielder Daniel Johnson was added to the Orioles’ taxi squad but wasn’t activated Sunday.
Mountcastle’s injury will perhaps provide more playing time for left-handed slugger Ryan O’Hearn, trade acquisition Eloy Jiménez and newcomer Emmanuel Rivera. O’Hearn will likely start at first base against right-handed starters, potentially moving Jiménez into more of an everyday role as Baltimore’s designated hitter. Rivera, whom the Orioles claimed off waivers last week, is a right-handed hitter and started at both third and first base this weekend against left-handed starters.
Mountcastle began the season hot at the plate but cooled off in the second half. The 27-year-old posted a .697 OPS in July and a .567 OPS in August, slugging only one long ball since the All-Star break. On the season, Mountcastle is slashing .265/.305/.425 — good for a slightly above league average .730 OPS — with a team-high 29 doubles and 61 RBIs.
He joins fellow position players Jordan Westburg (fractured right hand), Heston Kjerstad (concussion) and Jorge Mateo (dislocated left elbow) on the IL. Mateo’s status is uncertain and Kjerstad has yet to begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment. Westburg is still in a cast but the club hopes he can return by the end of the regular season.
Relievers Danny Coulombe (elbow surgery) and Jacob Webb (elbow inflammation) are also on the IL with hopes of returning in 2024 to bolster a beleaguered bullpen. Starters Zach Eflin (shoulder inflammation) and Grayson Rodriguez (teres major muscle discomfort) are also on the shelf. Eflin is expected to return in early September, while Rodriguez hopes to return in mid-to-late September in time to ramp up for the postseason.
Félix Bautista, Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells are on the 60-day IL and are out for the rest of the season after undergoing elbow surgery.