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Baltimore Orioles' Craig Albernaz Shares Disappointing Jordan Westburg Injury News
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- Baltimore Orioles' Craig Albernaz Shares Disappointing Jordan Westburg Injury News
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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz delivered an unfortunate update on Monday involving infielder Jordan Westburg . His recovery from a right elbow injury has hit its first significant setback.
Westburg has spent the entirety of the 2026 MLB season after experiencing right elbow discomfort early in spring training. He was transferred to the 60-day injured on April 1.
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Tests revealed a partial tear of the UCL in his throwing arm, and the Orioles initially chose a conservative rehab plan. He received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection and had been progressing through baseball activities and a structured throwing program.
That progress has now been stopped, according to Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. "Jordan Westburg is being shut down from throwing and is being reevaluated, manager Craig Albernaz said. Westburg was feeling discomfort in his elbow as he progressed through his throwing program," reported Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun.
This marks the first major setback in Westburg's attempt to avoid surgery, and it raises the possibility that he may ultimately need a procedure to repair the ligament. That decision would likely end his season. This is a tough blow for the Orioles, as the 27-year-old infielder was expected to be a major part of their plans this year
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Westburg earned an All-Star selection in 2024 and has been a steady contributor since debuting with Baltimore. He owns a career .264 batting average, .312 on-base percentage, .768 OPS, 38 home runs and 127 RBIs.
Drafted in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft, he has spent his entire professional career with the Orioles and had become one of their most dependable everyday players up until 2025. That is when Westburg's injured list stints started to become more frequent for various reasons.
Baltimore does have infield depth, especially after acquiring utility player Blaze Alexander from the Arizona Diamondbacks this past offseason. But replacing Westburg's bat and defensive versatility is not going to be easy.
His presence lengthens the lineup, and without him, the Orioles face a far more difficult path.
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Baltimore entered Monday at 15-19 and in the midst of a four-game losing streak, already trying to climb out of an early-season hole. Losing Westburg for potentially the entire year would only make that challenge steeper.
No final decision has been made on the next steps, but the pause in his throwing program is an undeniably troubling sign for both the player and the organization.
