What the Jordan Westburg Injury Means For the Orioles

With Jordan Westburg sidelined through the end of April, the Orioles now have two Opening Day infield spots up for grabs.

Sep 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg (11) throws out New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (not pictured) after fielding a ground ball during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles suffered another major setback ahead of their first spring training game, further clouding their projected Opening Day infield.

Before Friday afternoon’s Grapefruit League opener, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced that Jordan Westburg has a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. The third baseman will be out at least through the end of April as the team opts for a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection over Tommy John surgery. His timeline beyond that has yet to be determined.

Jordan Westburg has a partially torn UCL, per Mike Elias. He will not get Tommy John surgery.

The team is opting for PRP injections. He will be out through April, Elias said.

His timeline after that is TBD.

— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) February 20, 2026

Westburg, 27, reported to camp with a strained right oblique he suffered about three weeks before arriving. His status for Opening Day was not considered in jeopardy until he experienced elbow soreness after throwing during a recent spring training workout. He may have had the tear for a while, according to Elias, though the discomfort had never flared up to this level.

When healthy, Westburg has been among Baltimore’s top hitters. The 2024 All-Star owns a .264/.312/.456 slash line through 1,027 career plate appearances, but injuries have limited him to 107 games or fewer in each of his first three MLB seasons.

Westburg’s absence will open a starting opportunity for Coby Mayo, who has been the subject of trade rumors because of a logjam at first base. The former top prospect came up through the minors as a third baseman but was deployed almost exclusively at first base by Baltimore in 2025.

Now, with Pete Alonso added and third base up for grabs, Mayo has been getting most of his work at his original position, where he has recorded -4 defensive runs saved in 87 career MLB innings.

“He’s good, he’s moving good. He’s a great defender for his size and his body type,” Elias said. “He looks better than ever so far.”

Orioles POBO/GM Mike Elias said Coby Mayo will be getting "a lot" of time at 3rd base this spring. TBD how exactly the spot will be handled in the season.

"He's good, he's moving good. He's a great defender for his size and his body type. ... He looks better than ever so far."

— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) February 20, 2026

Mayo, 24, has struggled at the plate with a .201/.285/.349 slash line and a 31.2% strikeout rate through his first 102 big league games. However, the 6-foot-4 righty slugger showed signs of a breakthrough late last season, posting a .941 OPS with five home runs in 24 September games.

With Jackson Holliday (right hamate bone fracture) targeting a mid-April return, Baltimore also needs a short-term replacement at second base. Utility infielders Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson are options there and could see time at third base once Holliday returns.

Read More: Orioles' Infield Uncertainty Opens Door for Jeremiah Jackson

The Orioles may also turn to the waiver wire or explore the free-agent and trade markets for solutions, depending on their evaluations of internal options. Elias admitted the injuries to Holliday and Westburg prompted the team to intensify conversations outside the organization regarding infielders, and they have since brought back Bryan Ramos.

It is also possible that Westburg sees time at designated hitter upon his return, so finding a dependable fallback option at third base will be crucial beyond the short term.

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