A day after making his Grapefruit League debut behind the plate, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters has been shut down due to elbow tendinitis.
The three-time All-Star selection will be shut down from catching duties for a week after manager Buck Showalter told reporters in Florida Wednesday that Wieters experienced soreness the morning after his spring debut. No runners attempted to steal against him in Tuesday’s game, but Wieters made a wide throw to first base on a roller in front of the plate in the 10-9 loss.
Tuesday was the nine-month anniversary of his Tommy John surgery.
It’s not unusual to experience tendinitis when building up strength in a surgically-repaired elbow, but this development certainly doesn’t help Wieters’ chances of being ready to catch in the season opener on April 6. Showalter told reporters that Opening Day is not yet off the table, but it would be difficult envisioning the veteran catcher having enough time to strengthen the elbow adequately considering he didn’t respond favorably to only one game behind the plate.
“With all the time we have left, we thought it would be prudent to just try to get ahead of it,” Showalter told media in Florida. “He’s been doing a lot of things on the half field and throwing program. He’s been doing things that he didn’t do when he was healthy. There’s been a lot there. His legs feel great, though. I don’t think it puts anything in jeopardy, but we’ll see.”
Wieters could return to action as a designated hitter as early as Sunday.
Though the possibility of Wieters opening the season as the club’s DH has been discussed throughout the winter, Showalter again told reporters it’s unlikely that the Orioles would keep him on the 25-man roster if he’s not ready to catch. The club would likely choose two catchers among Caleb Joseph, Steve Clevenger, J.P Arencibia, and Ryan Lavarnway if Wieters begins the regular season on the 15-day disabled list.
Serving strictly as a DH before Tuesday, Wieters is hitless in 23 spring at-bats.
