BALTIMORE — While the Orioles concluded Memorial Day on their first three-game winning streak of the season, Tuesday’s lineup reinforced that they still have a ways to go in the health department.
In addition to the five position players currently on the injured list, catcher Adley Rutschman was sidelined for the second straight day after taking a foul ball off his mask in Boston on Sunday while center fielder Cedric Mullins was not in the lineup for the third time in four games. Rutschman has avoided going on the seven-day concussion injured list and was scheduled to take pregame batting practice and work out on the field before rain compromised those plans. Manager Tony Mansolino said there’s “a good chance we see [Rutschman] here pretty soon” the day after defending the club’s handling of the two-time All-Star catcher, who didn’t exit the game until two innings after being struck and was not immediately examined by Baltimore’s training staff despite appearing unsteady on the field.
“If I could do it over again, I would have went out there myself, but it didn’t look like much initially,” Mansolino said Monday. “And we still feel like it might not be much. There’s no assumptions that it’s anything more than a foul tip at the moment. But it’s hard to tell sometimes.”
After starting 14 consecutive games in center field from May 9 through the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox, Mullins has played only once, but Mansolino has been vague in describing why the 30-year-old has been out. Ex-manager Brandon Hyde frequently cited Mullins’ history of leg injuries to give him periodic rest, a sentiment echoed by Mansolino on Tuesday.
Mullins had a red-hot opening month of the season, but he’s batting just .163 with a .553 on-base plus slugging percentage in May.
“We’re just trying to give him a couple days,” Mansolino said. “The day games, the doubleheader, it beat him up. In the past, as he’s gotten worn down in previous seasons, it hasn’t gone well for him, so we’re just trying to protect against that. He’ll likely be available tonight if we need him.”
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With Mullins out of the lineup and Ramon Laureano on the 10-day injured list with a sprained ankle, Jorge Mateo was set to make his third start of the season in center field while Dylan Carlson was in left on Tuesday.
In more positive news, infielder Jordan Westburg (hamstring) and outfielder Colton Cowser (fractured thumb) are set to play rehab games for Triple-A Norfolk this week. Cowser began his rehab assignment with High-A Aberdeen last week, and Westburg is finally ready to play in games after experiencing a setback with his hamstring earlier this month. While Cowser has been sidelined since the season’s opening series in Toronto, Westburg last played in the April 26 doubleheader in Detroit.
Other position players currently on the IL are outfielder Tyler O’Neill (shoulder impingement) and backup catcher Gary Sanchez (right wrist).
