Chris Davis is back in Baltimore!
Matt Wieters injury: Orioles catcher placed on 15-day disabled list, Chris Davis returns to lineup
Wieters was placed on the disabled list, and may need surgery on his right elbow if this rest period doesn’t heal the injury.
Leon Halip
That's good news for the Orioles, even though they have managed to climb to the top of the hyper-competitive AL East.
However, Davis' reinstatement from the disabled list does not come without some corresponding bad news. To make room for him, Baltimore placed catcher Matt Wieters on the 15-day disabled list. The 28-year-old backstop has been dealing with a strain in his right elbow. The injury led to an MRI and a consultation with Dr. James Andrews.
Initially, the team believed Wieters might be able to avoid missing considerable time with the injury. They relegated him to DH for four games before finally deciding to place him on the D.L. to give his arm time to rest (via the Associated Press).
Camden Chat
“I think to get the best opportunity for this to heal properly we need to let it quiet down completely. You’re getting treatment all day then it’s, ‘Hold on a second to take some swings in the cage. I got to get ready for the game.’ Originally, they felt the best case scenario was a two- or three-week period where he wasn’t throwing. I think this gives us the best opportunity for this thing to manage itself.”
It’s possible that Wieters’ injury will still force him to have surgery and miss several weeks (or months) in recovery. He is hitting .308/.339/.500 with five home runs and 18 RBI.
While he rests on the disabled list, Steve Clevenger and Caleb Joseph will likely fill in as a platoon.
Clevenger, a left-handed hitter, is hitting .256/.326/.462 in 43 plate appearances this season. Joseph might not start against lefties every time out, but he hit .299/.346/.494 with 22 home runs and 97 driven in for Double-A Bowie in 2013.
With Davis back in the middle of their lineup, the O's could continue to surprise a division that was expected to be dominated by the reigning World Series champion Red Sox, the revamped Yankees, and an incredibly talented Rays roster.
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