Superstar catcher Matt Wieters has been placed on the disabled list by the Baltimore Orioles. Wieters has been in and out of the lineup continually in the recent past as he continues to have elbow issues. (SIA Profile)
It started on May 6th, as Wieters scheduled an appointment with Dr. James Andrews for that upcoming Wednesday to figure out whether or not he needed Tommy John surgery. He was put into the lineup that day as a DH, keeping him out from behind the plate.
On that Wednesday, May 7th, he visited Dr. Andrews and was told that he did not need surgery. He had reportedly not been having any serious pain, but was getting treated because his arm was feeling much weaker than usual. He was benched on May 7th, and Caleb Joseph took his place, making his Major League debut. Wieters was expected to be used as only a DH while he worked on his arm strength, and got himself back to 100%.
Now, he is on the 15-day DL with what is being called a “right elbow strain.”
Wieters has been on an offensive tear so far this season, as he currently has a .308/.339/.500 batting average. along with five home runs, and 18 runs batted in. He is one of the best hitters on the team right now, and is without a doubt a major reason that the Orioles are having success so far this year. Without Wieters’ bat in the lineup, the Orioles will need other players to step up and replace his production, or they will suffer in the standings.
The O’s need their star catcher back as soon as possible if they want to continue to contend in the American League East this season.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @JSChisenhall. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
“You like baseball? Get involved! Check out LWOS Partners http://basesloaded.eu for fantastic podcasts, news and a growing message board community of baseball fans like you!”
Main Photo:
