Orioles’ Mark Trumbo will start season on injured list

SARASOTA, Fla.—Mark Trumbo will begin the 2019 season on the injured list. The Orioles’ designated hitter, who is recovering from surgery on his right knee last September, was 2-for-12 (.167) in Grapefruit League games.

Trumbo hasn’t played since Friday.

“We’re going to give him some more time,” manager Brandon Hyde said.

“We’re going to let him continue to do his rehab down here. I give him so much credit for everything he’s done during his whole rehab process. Give him a ton of credit for trying to come back from a tough injury earlier than anybody has.

“It’s the right thing for him, for us, for everybody. I want Mark to be Mark Trumbo. I want Mark to be healthy when he joins us. I don’t want a lesser version, and it’s not fair to him. We’re just trying to get him as healthy as we possibly can before he joins us at some point this year.”

Hyde said that Trumbo, who had two at-bats in five games and three at-bats in another, had not suffered a setback.

“He’s just not ready to play,” Hyde said. “He doesn’t’ feel well enough to be at his best.”

Hyde must make a decision on whether Alex Cobb, who left Saturday night’s game with right groin soreness after an inning, will be ready to start Thursday’s opener at Yankee Stadium.

“Alex is feeling better today,” Hyde said. “But we’re still waiting on him to do some exercise and some things to determine what’s going to happen. I have no idea, still.”

Andrew Cashner, who starts Sunday’s game, will be limited to a few innings in case he must pitch the opener in Cobb’s place.

“There’s a lot of things that might change,” Hyde said. “We’re going to see how Alex responds today, tomorrow and then reassess on how we’re going to break.”

The Orioles trimmed their camp roster to 33 when they optioned right-handed pitcher Evan Phillips and reassigned utility player Jace Peterson to minor league camp.

Peterson hit .297 with a home run and five RBIs. He was in the lineup for Sunday’s game in Sarasota before being scratched.

Phillips pitched 9 2/3 scoreless innings in eight games.

“Just ran into a numbers game,” Hyde said. “He had a great camp, threw really well [Saturday] night…thought it was his best appearance, going two strong innings, up to 96 mph. You can only take 25 guys with you. He’s going to be a big part of our team this year.”

Phillips was given the news early Sunday morning.

“I don’t want to say that I’m surprised,” Phillips said. “It was going to happen to somebody. I was focused on how I was pitching. I think the results were good. I thought I pitched really well. I just want to build on that.

“No negative feelings by any means. This means I have something to work on.”

Eight more players must be taken off the roster to get to 25 by Opening Day.

The Orioles haven’t made a decision on Austin Wynns, who hasn’t played in three weeks because of a sore left oblique.

“Wynns is in the same boat with a lot of the catchers where we’re not sure,” Hyde said. “There are so many balls in the air with our catching situation.”