Orioles catcher Matt Wieters took five at-bats in an extended spring training game in Florida on Tuesday. He hit from both sides of the plate – three times from the left side and twice from the right side. Wieters also threw from 150 feet.
Wieters, who is coming back from Tommy John elbow surgery last June, has yet to resume catching in a game or test his arm with any sort of game-simulated throws (he was shelved after a Grapefruit League game last month) but Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he could see Wieters starting a minor-league rehab assignment by May 1.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Showalter said. "I wouldn't be surprised if it was potentially earlier than that. … You can tell he's feeling pretty good."
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Left-hander Wesley Wright, who is slated to miss four to six weeks with a left trapezius muscle strain, will travel to Sarasota, Fla., tomorrow to begin his recovery.
"Hopefully, I can get this taken care of, get back here and be able to help out in the bullpen," Wright said. "That's my main concern right now. I feel like I kind of let the team down and the boys down not being able to be contributing right now, but just got to get healthy and then I'll be able to show the real me."
Wright said he hopes to return closer to four weeks than six, but added he is scheduled to be completely shut down for at least a week to allow time for the inflammation in his shoulder to subside.
"I think once we get the inflammation out we'll be able to really see the extent of the damage," Wright said. "If the inflammation goes and I'm able to just proceed normally, I think that's the best news possible. I think that's going to be the main thing, the inflammation, and if I get past that point, strengthen the shoulder and I should be well on my way back.
"I'm really disappointed," Wright added. "There's a lot at stake over here and we've had a tough week here with usage in the bullpen, so I'd love to be out there helping out, but I need to get healthy. I feel that if I get healthy I'll really be able to contribute and do what I was brought here to do."
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Shortstop J.J. Hardy (left shoulder strain) and third baseman Jimmy Paredes (lower back strain) could begin rehab assignments this week.
Showalter said Hardy, who is in the middle of a hitting progression, still needs to get a "little catch" out from when he extends at the end of his swing, but otherwise, he's ready for a rehab assignment.
Paredes played seven innings and had three at-bats in Florida today. He is scheduled play again Wednesday and then fly back to Baltimore on Thursday, when his next step will be decided before the Orioles travel to Boston to open a seven-game road trip.
If both are ready for a minor-league rehab assignment, it will likely be for Double-A Bowie, which will be at home through next Tuesday.
Here are the lineups for tonight's game against the Yankees:
Orioles
Everth Cabrera SS
Manny Machado 3B
Adam Jones CF
Steve Pearce 1B
Delmon Young RF
Chris Davis DH
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Caleb Joseph C
Alejandro De Aza LF
Miguel Gonzalez RHP
Yankees
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Chase Headley 3B
Carlos Beltran RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Brian McCann C
Garrett Jones DH
Chris Young LF
Stephen Drew 2B
Didi Gregorius SS
CC Sabathia LHP