What seemed all but inevitable when the Orioles shut down Jordan Westburg earlier this month became reality for the 2024 All-Star infielder this week.
Speaking to reporters prior to the start of a three-game set in Washington, president of baseball operations Mike Elias confirmed Westburg underwent season-ending surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. With the recovery from Tommy John surgery generally being shorter for a position player than a pitcher, it’s hardly out of the question that Westburg could be ready to return as a full-time infielder for the start of the 2027 season.
The 27-year-old had been sidelined since the start of spring training and received a platelet-rich plasma injection in late February in hopes of avoiding surgery and being able to play in 2026. However, the club recently halted his throwing progression in Sarasota when he began experiencing elbow discomfort. That prompted Westburg to travel to Los Angeles earlier this week for a followup visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the procedure.
Friday’s news continued what’s been a brutal two-year run of injuries for the 2020 first-round pick that began with him being hit on the right hand by a 95-mph fastball on July 31, 2024. A fracture from that hit by pitch cost Westburg nearly two full months of action, and back, hamstring, finger, and ankle ailments limited him to just 85 games last season.
Westburg was already recovering from a strained oblique muscle at the start of spring training before the club revealed he was dealing with a partial UCL tear that was described at the time as a chronic issue that had gotten worse rather than an acute injury.
“It sucks. I feel for him. I feel for all of our guys that get hurt,” manager Craig Albernaz said Wednesday. “You see the work they put in every day during the season, spring training, the offseason work they put in. In Jordan’s case, it’s the oblique. It was the arm, rehabbing the arm. It’s a lot, especially for him. We talk with him, and he’s hanging in there the best he could. But also, it weighs on you. You want to be out here competing, being with the boys, playing the game he loves, and he’s just hamstrung by this right now.”
The Orioles have sorely missed Westburg’s right-handed bat and defense this season with Baltimore third basemen ranking last in the majors in wins above average (minus-1.0) and wins above replacement (minus-0.5), 27th in on-base plus slugging percentage (.523), and 26th in defensive runs saved, according to Baseball Reference. Headlining the list of fill-ins has been Coby Mayo, who owns a slash line of .174/.242/.321 in 120 plate appearances and returned to the hot corner in spring training after the organization had moved him to first base midway through the 2025 campaign.
The problems at third base have even prompted Baltimore to take a look at second baseman Jackson Holliday at that position in recent minor-league rehab games. Holliday continues to work his way back from surgery for a broken hamate bone in his right hand suffered days before the start of spring training in early February.
Since making his major league debut in 2023, Westburg has batted .264 with 38 home runs, 53 doubles, 127 RBIs, and a .768 OPS over 1,027 career plate appearances.
