Dan Connolly

Jimenez to paternity list; Wilson recalled (updates on Rickard, O’Day, Kim, Wieters)

By Dan Connolly

Posted on July 23, 2016

Minutes before Saturday’s first pitch, the Orioles put pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez on paternity leave and recalled Tyler Wilson from Triple-A Norfolk.

Jimenez’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, was taken to the hospital earlier Saturday and the club initially wasn’t sure if she would be kept there or if the baby would be delivered.

Not knowing the specifics, the club summoned Wilson as a precaution since Jimenez was the team’s only available long reliever Saturday – Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy are in the rotation and Odrisamer Despaigne threw 3 2/3 innings Friday night.

Now that the move is official, Jimenez (5-9, 7.38 ERA) will be away from the team for three days. Jimenez has not pitched in the second half of the season. The former starter’s last outing was July 8.

Wilson, who is 4-6 with a 5.22 ERA for the Orioles, will serve as a long reliever for now.

In other Orioles news:

Outfielder Joey Rickard was in the clubhouse Saturday with a splint on his right thumb, which he said he’ll need to wear for three weeks. The rookie outfielder hopes he’ll be back by September.

His injury, which he suffered on Wednesday when he ran into the Yankee Stadium wall, is classified as a “high-grade tear” of the thumb. They aren’t torn fully, however, so he won’t need surgery.

“So I lucked out on that one,” Rickard said.

Reliever Darren O’Day, after pitching one scoreless inning at Double-A Bowie on Friday, said his strained right hamstring felt fine. He could be activated from the DL Sunday or Monday.

“I hope so,” he said. “I’ve got to sit down and talk with Buck (Showalter) and the trainers and Dan (Duquette) and see what they want to do, but I think my delivery is in a good place. I was making a lot of good pitches, everything was moving like it should. So I hope to be back soon, next couple of days.”

O’Day, who is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 22 games, has been on the DL since June 3.

Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (hamstring) will go on a two-game rehab assignment to Double-A Bowie starting Sunday against Erie. He is eligible to be activated Tuesday and Showalter said that was still a possibility.

Catcher Matt Wieters, who has not played since being hit in the foot with a pitch Monday in New York, will not play Sunday, but is tentatively expected back Monday.