Baltimore Orioles All-Star Suffers Concerning Injury Against Blue Jays
![Jul 31, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg (11) is hit by a pitch during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Jul 31, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg (11) is hit by a pitch during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3600,h_2025,x_0,y_224/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_orioles/01j456sxb74q15k3ct34.jpg)
Wednesday’s game for the Baltimore Orioles against the Toronto Blue Jays was a great one. Not only did they win 10-4, but top prospect Jackson Holliday launched the first home run of his career, a grand slam in the fifth inning.
Alas, all of the positive feelings from the win disappeared after the game.
According to manager Brandon Hyde, via MLB on FOX, All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg suffered a fractured right hand.
He was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning as the batter before Holliday’s big home run. He exited after that, being replaced by Ramon Urias in the lineup.
There is no timetable for his return, as the Orioles are going to be without one of their better hitters for the foreseeable future.
This is a huge blow for Baltimore, as Westburg has been extremely productive at the plate. He owns a slash line of .271/.317/.500 in 388 at-bats and 417 plate appearances. He's driven in 58 runs, scored 55 times and has hit 25 doubles, five triples and 18 home runs.
Replacing that kind of productivity and versatility will be tough. He has started 63 games at third base and 35 at second, with 10 innings played at shortstop as well.
Urias could step into the lineup on an everyday basis with Holliday taking over at second base. This injury could not have come at a worse time, though, as the MLB trade deadline passed yesterday.
The opportunity to add some more depth to their infield has passed, and Baltimore traded one of their infielders, Connor Norby, as part of the package heading to the Miami Marlins in exchange for pitcher Trevor Rogers.