Baltimore Orioles Injured All-Star Takes Steps Toward Return to Lineup

An injured Baltimore Orioles All-Star is getting closer to a return to the lineup after he put in more work this weekend.

Apr 20, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg (11) hits a double during the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have had to deal with a ton of injuries to key contributors throughout the early going of the 2025 MLB regular season.

So much of the focus has been on the pitching staff thus far, and rightfully so, where the team had a full starting rotation and a good chunk of the bullpen sidelined.

Grayson Rodriguez, Zach Eflin, Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, Trevor Rogers, Albert Suarez, Andrew Kittredge and Cody Poteet are all on the injured list.

Chayce McDermott was as well, but he was activated on Sunday and optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. That is major news for a team desperate for starting pitching help at the Major League level and he could get promoted in the near future.

Another player whom the Orioles are hoping will return to the team soon is infielder Jordan Westburg.

He has not played since April 26 because of a strained hamstring. It is the same injury that has knocked Ramon Urias out of commission, prompting top prospect Coby Mayo to be promoted to the Big Leagues.

The timing of the injury for Westburg could not have been worse.

He had gotten off to a very slow start at the plate, failing to replicate the success he had in 2024 when he was named an All-Star. But, before injury his hamstring, he was starting to show some positive signs, going 6-for-17 during a four-game hitting streak.

Westburg had recorded a hit in six out of seven games before going down. His power stroke was starting to return as well, hitting one home run, two doubles and one triple over those seven games.

For a team struggling as much as Baltimore to consistently produce runs, it was a huge blow.

However, his return to the lineup could be on the horizon as he has been taking some positive steps in his rehab.

Before the game on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, Westburg was on the field taking ground balls during pre-game activities, as shared by Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun on X.

Jordan Westburg (hamstring) taking grounders at Camden Yards pic.twitter.com/nzXQzVTw63

— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) May 4, 2025

The talented infielder looks to be moving pretty well and making all of the plays, albeit in a controlled environment.

It is certainly encouraging to see him back out on the field in any capacity after landing on the injured list following a doubleheader last Saturday.

Placed on the 10-day list, he is eligible to return this week during the series against the Minnesota Twins. It will be interesting to see how long of a rehab assignment, if any, Westburg needs before he rejoins the team as he moves along nicely in his recovery.