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Orioles send Mullins back to 10-day injured list with adductor groin strain

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BALTIMORE โ€” Despite optimism that Cedric Mullins had avoided a substantial injury, the Orioles are sending their starting center fielder to the injured list for the second time in less than two months.

Prior to Wednesdayโ€™s series finale with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore placed Mullins on the 10-day IL with a right adductor groin strain. The Orioles initially labeled the issue as โ€œright quadriceps tightnessโ€ after he exited last Saturdayโ€™s game against Miami, but manager Brandon Hyde said the soreness has been โ€œmoving around in the upper leg areaโ€ for the speedy outfielder, who had been able to hit and throw before doing some agility work on Tuesday.

(Brandon Hyde meets with media prior to Wednesdayโ€™s series finale with the Dodgers.)

โ€œItโ€™s a lower body injury that we just want to take a little more time with and be careful with,โ€ Hyde said. โ€œIt has been progressing, [but] itโ€™s just not progressing at the rate that we were hoping. The right thing to do is to make sure heโ€™s all the way healthy and running well before we activate him.โ€

Right-handed reliever Logan Gillaspie was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take Mullinsโ€™ place on the 26-man roster, and veteran Aaron Hicks was starting in center field on Wednesday. Rookie Colton Cowser and All-Star left fielder Austin Hays will provide additional depth in center field during Mullinsโ€™ absence.

The IL move is retroactive to July 16, meaning Mullins would be eligible to return by the middle of next week. Speaking to reporters prior to Tuesdayโ€™s game, the 28-year-old expressed hope that he could return to the lineup later this week, but he also acknowledged he hadnโ€™t yet tried to run as of that afternoon, which didnโ€™t seem to mesh with that optimism.

The timing of the injury is unfortunate as Mullins had gone 4-for-5 with a home run, a stolen base, and two runs batted in coming out of the All-Star break. After missing nearly a month of action with a groin strain originally suffered on Memorial Day, Mullins struggled in his June 24 return from the IL, batting .192 with a .548 on-base plus slugging percentage over 61 plate appearances going into the break.

โ€œI think being able to continue to hit without any issues is going to keep the swing where it is,โ€ Mullins said Tuesday. โ€œThatโ€™s the goal at least to continue to have some movement. But yeah, having some momentum, feeling the swing come back and having to deal with this, itโ€™s always frustrating.โ€ 

In 290 plate appearances over 69 games this season, Mullins is batting .259 with nine homers, 16 doubles, three triples, 47 RBIs, 14 steals, and an .801 OPS.

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