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BALTIMORE—The Orioles are preparing to send Jorge Mateo on a rehab assignment, beginning on Tuesday at Triple-A Norfolk.
On May 31st, Mateo, who was playing center field, collided with rightfielder Heston Kjerstad and injured his left elbow. Last July, Mateo, who was playing second, collided with shortstop Gunnar Henderson and had season-ending Tommy John surgery on the same elbow in August.
“He’s in good spirits, looks great, sounds great,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “He’ll be in games here soon.”
Mateo, who’s celebrating his 30th birthday on Monday, sounded upbeat.
“I feel a lot better, thank God,” Mateo said through a team translator. “I just think [there’s] some inflammation there. I’m much better.”
Mateo said he’s been swinging a bat, playing defense and sliding.
Despite 11 players on the injured list, Mateo thinks the atmosphere around the team is a good one.
“It’s been a bit difficult for ourselves and for the team,” he said. “But I think we’ve started to turn it around. The team’s playing much better and hopefully continuing to get guys back and playing well.
Infielder Jordan Westburg, who sprained his left index finger sliding headfirst into second base on Saturday, isn’t in the lineup for the second straight game. Mansolino thinks that he could be back soon.
“He seemed pretty optimistic this morning,” Mansolino said. “I think tomorrow is on the table. Wednesday’s on the table. Then we’ll go from there.”
Mansolino indicated that if Westburg didn’t play on Wednesday, he still could play Friday if things are trending positively.
Catcher Maverick Handley was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Monday after his collision with the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm on Sunday. Handley and Chisholm collided as Handley was trying to receive a throw from leftfielder Colton Cowser up the third base line.
“He’s had a couple in his past. Whether you’ve had concussions in the past or not, the level of concern is really high,” Mansolino said. “It’s ugly. It was an ugly collision there in a lot of ways. If you watch the tape, you can’t feel anything but fortunate that Jazz tried to veer off.
“As you watch that thing, Jazz didn’t have anywhere to go, and he made an attempt to get out of the way, thank goodness. Otherwise, it could have been a little bit worse.”
Chadwick Tromp was added to the roster and will start at catcher on Monday night.
Mansolino reiterated what he said on Saturday after Handley was recalled to replace Adley Rutschman, who’s on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique, instead of the team’s top prospect, Samuel Basallo.
“When you have prospects that have that high a profile, if you’re talking about the guy coming to the big leagues prior to the injury, I think it makes sense,” Mansolino said. “Prospects at that level come when they’re ready, when there’s a need. Be careful. When Sammy’s ready, maybe he is ready today, I don’t know. When he’s ready, that’s when you bring him.”
Left-hander Cade Povich, who’s on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation, could be activated as soon as Monday, and Mansolino was optimistic about him.
“I think everything’s progressing,” Mansolino said. “We’re planning on starting him here soon on a rehab assignment, so that will pop up here soon. As long as all goes well, we’ll see him do that and from then, we’ll figure it out.”
Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who’s on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder injury, was 1-for-3 in his first rehab game for High-A Aberdeen on Sunday. He’s on his way to Double-A Chesapeake on Tuesday. O’Neill had to halt his first rehab assignment, but he appears to be making progress.
“Feeling a lot better lately,” O’Neill said. “The past week or so has gone a lot more smooth with the buildup, so dealing with a lot less pain, just excited to be playing baseball games again. I look forward to getting back up to speed.”
O’Neill isn’t sure when he’ll be able to rejoin the Orioles.
“It’s never a sure thing when you’re going through injections and stuff like that, more of a trial-and-error phase,” O’Neill said. “Last time I was still restricted with the range of motion, flexibility, still dealing with pain at the top of the swing. This go-around, I’m feeling a lot better.”
Notes: Mansolino said the Orioles will avoid taking outdoor batting practice during the extreme hit. … He said the Orioles haven’t decided on a starter for Wednesday. It seems possible the team could recall right-hander Brandon Young from Norfolk for the start.
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