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Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (pictured) was on his way to his second strong performance in a row when he grabbed at his side and exited Sunday's game with a right oblique strain. That's very bad news for a team that already has called on four Triple-A starters to fill in the fifth slot in the rotation and replace injured Miguel Gonzalez. It was a tough week already, after so-so outings by Jason Hammel, Freddy Garcia and Steve Johnson, and that was reflected in the combined numbers. The rotation posted a 2-2 record with a 6.03 ERA and averaged just five innings per start. Even though the team managed to go 4-2 in those games, this is starting to get scary.
Grade: D (Hannah Foslien / Getty Images /May 12, 2013)
Right fielder Nick Markakis, who has been out since hamate bone surgery in his right hand on June 1, will be re-examined by doctors Friday, but he will not go with the Orioles on their West Coast trip that starts Monday – putting the chances of him returning before the end of the first half in serious jeopardy.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the plan is for Markakis to go to Short-A Aberdeen on Monday and Tuesday and Double-A Bowie on Wednesday through Friday, but not, at least initially, for a rehab assignment. Instead, he’ll work with the medical and instructional staffs there, including Mike Bordick and Terry Crowley, but he's not currently scheduled to play in games.
That schedule makes it “a challenge” for him to return to the Orioles before the first half ends on Sunday, July 8, Showalter said, but he wouldn’t completely rule it out. The more likely scenario would be that Markakis returns by Friday, July 13 – the opener of the second half at Camden Yards. That would be six weeks from his surgery, which is still within the timeline for return from hamate bone surgery. Markakis is not experiencing any pain in the wrist, but the wound has not completely closed.
In 50 games this year, Markakis has hit .256 with eight homers and 26 RBIs. He had never been on the disabled list before in his career.
