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Baltimore Orioles

Orioles injury updates on Jimmy Paredes and Brian Matusz; Chris Davis on turning 30

By Eduardo A. Encina
Baltimore Sun
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Finding a break in the weather, Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz holds a football as a weather front moves through the area, threatening the day's spring training session at the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Feb. 24, 2016.

Finding a break in the weather, Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz holds a football as a weather front moves through the area, threatening the day's spring training session at the Ed Smith Stadium complex on Feb. 24, 2016. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)

SARASOTA, FLA. — Orioles designated hitter/outfielder Jimmy Paredes, who has missed the past two weeks with a sprained left wrist, hopes to take dry swings by the end of this week.

Paredes was injured March 3 when his glove hand was bent backward while attempting to make a sliding catch in right field in a Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Earlier this week, Paredes had the soft cast on his wrist removed and he has resumed most baseball activities. He has been taking one-handed swings from the left side with only his right hand on the bat, but has yet to test his injured wrist.

"I'm doing all of my [other] stuff," he said. "I'm running, playing catch. I'm hitting with one hand and have a throwing program, so the only thing I have left to do is hitting."

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Paredes is optimistic that he can return to game action before the Grapefruit League season ends in two weeks, but it will depend on how his wrist reacts once he tries to hit.

"I don't know, maybe," Paredes said. "[Depends] on the pain that feel when I start hitting. Maybe I can [play in] a couple games before spring training [ends]. It depends on how I feel when I start swinging."

Davis embraces milestone birthday

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, who turned 30 on Thursday, took the milestone birthday in stride.

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"I won't necessarily freak out -- I mean, if you call waking up crying in your bed freaking out, I guess," Davis deadpanned.

"I think people were like, 'Forty is the big one,' like 30 doesn't [matter]. I feel like 30 is a big deal. To me, it just sounds older. I think really in the baseball world it's a little bit older than it is in the real world, so to speak. I don't know. We'll see what happens. If I have to come out of the game because I'm cramping up or something like that, or my hip starts hurting, I'll let you guys know."

Matusz to pitch Sunday

Left-hander Brian Matusz threw a 38-pitch bullpen session at full strength Wednesday and is scheduled to pitch one inning in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays in Port Charlotte.

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Matusz hasn't pitched since throwing one inning on March 2 because of a strained muscle on the right side of his lower back.

Because it is on the same side, Matusz said the injury might have been related to a previous injury to his nonthrowing shoulder that he pitched through last season. Matusz had arthroscopic surgery on the shoulder, repairing the AC joint and cleaning out a centimeter of arthritic bone shortly after the season ended.

eencina@baltsun.com
twitter.com/EddieInTheYard

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