SARASOTA, Fla.—Mark Trumbo knows that he won’t be able to start the season with the Orioles. After undergoing right knee surgery last September, Trumbo found that spring training wasn’t long enough to get him ready for the 2019 season.

“The realistic part of it is that I need more time,” Trumbo said. “I’d love to be out there, but if it’s not ready, it’s not ready.”

Trumbo was 2-for-12 (.167) with a walk in six Grapefruit League games.

“Once I got in game action in spring, it kind of flared up,” Trumbo said. “It never let down. That was a pretty good indicator that we’re not there yet. I can go out there and take at-bats, but it wasn’t a good version of me.

“It just makes way more sense to get it right. I’ll go out there and do what I can. Playing at a disadvantage physically can really put you behind. We’ll take as much time as we need. Once I’m ready, I’ll be out there.”

Trumbo will back off baseball activities for now. He said that he would assess his condition weekly.

“It could be a month,” Trumbo said of his return. “It could be more than that. With this, I don’t know.”

Trumbo said the timeline for his return was nine-to-12 months.

“We’re 6 1/2, almost seven,” Trumbo said. “If I beat the timeline, that’s excellent, if I don’t, it’s not a letdown, it’s how long it takes.”

Entering spring training, Trumbo wasn’t sure if he could beat the doctors’ timetable.

“Best case, I would have hit the ground running,” Trumbo said. “No pain, no swelling, hit well and been ready to go. I knew that wasn’t probably likely.”

Trumbo will remain in Florida. After his rehab in Sarasota, he’ll need a rehab assignment.

“This injury is serious.,” Trumbo said. “It’s not to be taken likely, Being overaggressive isn’t the recipe, either.”