After throwing one pitch to Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Mickey Moniak in the eighth inning of Friday’s game, Hunter Harvey injured his left oblique muscle.
It’s doubtful that Harvey, who has a history of injuries that includes Tommy John surgery in 2016, will start the season with the Orioles. The 26-year-old right-hander, who was the Orioles’ top draft choice in 2013, threw just 15 major league innings in 2019 and 2020. He has yet to appear on an Opening Day roster.
“I heard him kind of groan and double over,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said after Friday’s 6-2 loss to the Phillies. “I was hoping for the best. I was hoping it wasn’t an arm or a shoulder or an elbow, or something like that. I could tell by the way he was breathing it was something in his side. It’s his left oblique.
“It is what it is right now, and we evaluate as we go along.”
Hyde had planned to use Harvey as a late-inning reliever.
“I haven’t really sat down and thought about it much,” Hyde said. “It happened about 45 minutes ago. It opens a door for somebody to break with us. We’ll give opportunity to guys and somebody needs to step up.”
Before Friday, Harvey had thrown two scoreless innings, walking three and striking out one.
Prospects sent to Norfolk: After Friday’s game, the Orioles optioned right-handed pitchers Mike Baumann and Isaac Mattson and left-handers Zac Lowther and Alexander Wells to Triple-A Norfolk. All were added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster in November.
They also reassigned right-hander Evan Phillips to the Twin Lakes minor league camp.
Baumann did not pitch in a Grapefruit League game. Wells, who also had an oblique injury, didn’t pitch, either. Lowther threw a scoreless inning, allowing one hit on March 1st against Philadelphia. Mattson, who pitched to one batter on Friday, allowed one run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Phillips, who pitched in 44 games with the Orioles from 2018-2020, had a 9.00 ERA in three Grapefruit League games.
Right-handed pitcher Gray Fenter, who was chosen by the Chicago Cubs in December’s Rule 5 draft, has been returned to the Orioles. He’ll be at spring training as a camp reserve and report to the Twin Lakes complex.
The moves leave 63 players in camp.
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I think at this point, when Harvey is healthy I’d look to trade him, too injury prone...go O’s...
Does anyone know if players have roommates in spring training? I’m thinking Harvey and CD would be terrific roomies.
If you make 22 mil a year my friend you can book your own room
Glad Fenter is back. When he was drafted an MLB scout from another organization said he could be the steal of the draft with his stuff. Alas, like Harvey, he has been very injury prone and may add to our long list of "what ifs".
Stop me if you’ve heard this story before ... Harvey hurt.
The number of oblique injuries is astounding to me the past few years. I compare it to peanut allergies in that it’s something I never recall ever even hearing about when I was much younger.
Same here!
Ditto. I think guys are overworking their six packs and suffering collateral damage.
Jim Carter, peanut allergies, funny...go O’s...
Hunter Harvey .... CBPOTY 2021!
The Bauman demotion = Top Tank Job 2021
Welcome back Fenter! Where are they going to put all these starting pitchers in AAamd AAA? They have a lot of arms! It would be great to get Pop back too. Hopefully we get hunter back soon too. rough break but silver lining is not his arm.
Fry should have been cut, as well. He’s been getting deep fried all Spring.
HOYA SAXA!!
Have to get this off-my-chest...
Hunter Harvey is a spoiled, pampered, passive-aggressive hillbilly... that's right--I said it.
Since when does an unproven minor league prospect get to tell his team that he won't be a starting pitcher and will only be a relief pitcher? Since his Manager was Buck Showalter--that's who. The same guy that let Manny decide that he was going to be a shortstop rather than an all-star third baseman. Buck Showalter--the great enabler of his favorite players.
The Orioles wouldn't have drafted Harvey as high as they did had they known that he only aspired to be a relief pitcher..and that he lacks grit and determination...what a wusss. A John Means he is definitely NOT.
This snowflake was a wasted draft pick...sorry--not sorry.
I think this is the first time I've seen "pampered" and "hillbilly" in the same sentence. Very creative.
Harvey was drafted in 2013. The decision to put him in the bullpen was the Orioles, not his. The feeling was he would be more effective and less injury prone pitching in short stints as opposed to starting every 5th day. And as for Machado, did you see Tim Beckham play SS? The Orioles moved Manny to SS in 2018 because he was the best SS on the team. Manny plays 3B in San Diego because the Padres have a legitimate SS in Tatis Jr. When J.J. Hardy was here, Manny played 3B. Seriously doubt Buck was caving in to Manny. He was his best option at SS
Agree with Clay, not sure Buck caved, totally agree w/BC that Harvey is pampered, has been, I’ve stated multiple times he’s never had to pitch out of situations that he created, trade him as soon as he’s healthy...go O’s...
I wouldn’t call Harvey pampered. Fragile, yes. Don’t think he wanted to be injured for the last 8 years. As for trading, not going to get much for an injury plagued pitcher. Best bet now is get him healthy ( again) and see what he can do for an extended period. He’s 2 years away from arbitration so he’s not costing them much money. Have heard comments that his violent delivery may be the cause of his injuries. Perhaps the Orioles crack analytics team can work on his mechanics while he recuperates
Still think that McNally and Powell uniform numbers should be retired.