Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I’ve got good news and bad news for you, Orioles fans. The good news is that baseball is happening today! The O’s will play the Yankees in their Grapefruit League opener in Sarasota at 1:05. The game will be broadcast on MASN and WBAL radio as the Orioles return to the field after nearly five long months.
The bad news is Jordan Westburg’s murky injury status, which is hanging like a dark cloud over the early days of camp. As reported by The Baltimore Banner, Westburg — who was already sidelined by a sore oblique — had imaging done on his elbow, which indicates the possibility of a much more serious injury. The O’s haven’t announced a diagnosis for Westburg, but in general, when a player has pain in his elbow such that it requires imaging, it’s hard not to assume the worst-case scenario. The initials T.J. jump to mind, and I don’t mean Thomas Jefferson.
Again, nothing is official yet. Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised and the imaging won’t reveal any serious damage to Westburg’s elbow. Even if that’s the case, though, he’s still got the oblique injury that will cost him some time, and he almost certainly won’t be ready for Opening Day, further weakening an O’s infield that will already have Jackson Holliday sidelined for a few weeks.
Newly acquired utility guy Blaze Alexander can’t fill both positions at once, which means the Orioles are either going to have to give Coby Mayo another shot at playing third base — something he’s struggled with throughout his minor and major league career — or they’ll need to make an emergency trade or free agent signing. I’ll note that former O’s Gold Glove third baseman Ramón Urías is available, having been non-tendered by the Astros in November, but there’s been no indication so far that the O’s are interested in a reunion.
The Orioles’ season isn’t over just because of Westburg’s injury, nor Holliday’s. There’s a full slate of spring training baseball and then 162 regular season games ahead of us. Still, after the 2025 Orioles were so badly ravaged by health problems that tanked their season, the fact that 2026 is starting with injuries to two key players is turning the spring vibes a little bit sour.
Links
I was racking my brain trying to think of what player the O’s had signed from Germany before I realized the headline was referring to Nestor German. I need more sleep.
Rogers will start Orioles’ Grapefruit League opener – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Don’t necessarily take this as a sign that Rogers will be starting on Opening Day for the Orioles. Case in point: the Yankees’ starting pitcher in this spring opener is Elmer Rodriguez.
Three reasons why – Kyle Bradish is vital for the 2026 Orioles – Steve Melewski
These all boil down to: Kyle Bradish is really good.
I had never heard of this particular non-roster invitee before Meoli’s article, but now I’m pulling for Henriquez all the way. What a baseball journey he’s been on.
Nelly, Vanilla Ice to perform at Camden Yards in Orioles’ concert series – The Baltimore Sun
Phew! What a lucky break that Vanilla Ice was available.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The two former Orioles with Feb. 20 birthdays are outfielder Julio Borbón (40) and the late right-hander Jim Wilson (b. 1922, d. 1986), an All-Star with the 1955-56 Birds.
On this day in 1990, the Orioles signed former Red Sox designated hitter Sam Horn. While Horn went on to put up decent numbers in three years in Baltimore, hitting 42 homers and posting a .797 OPS, he infamously struck out six times in one game on July 17, 1991, forever prompting a six-K game to be known as a “Horn.”
And on this day in 2017, the O’s signed free agent Craig Gentry. The veteran outfielder played 145 games in two seasons with the Birds, providing some defense but little in the way of offense, before calling it a career. The Orioles sure had some pointless signings near the end of the Dan Duquette era.