BALTIMORE—Orioles infielder Ramón Urías, who sprained his right ankle last Saturday night in Colorado, was walking in the clubhouse on Friday without crutches, and that’s progress.
Urías is on the 10-day injured list, and he’s optimistic that he’ll be back relatively soon.
“Pretty good, progressing fast,” he said. “Walking now feels pretty normal. Hopefully, I can start baseball activities soon.”
Though he won’t be ready to come off the injured list on September 11th when he’s eligible, Urías is confident he’ll be ready to play before the end of the regular season, which concludes on September 29th.
“Yes, I think that’s for sure if nothing happens [to limit] the progress, I think I’ll be able,” he said.
Urías hopes to begin baseball activities in the next few days. Friday was his second day without crutches.
“It’s hard, but at the same time, I know it’s part of the game,” he said. “It goes like that, but I’ve just got to stay positive and, hopefully, I can stay hot whenever I come back.”
Manager Brandon Hyde has been impressed with Urías’ recovery.
“Ramón’s made huge strides,” Hyde said. “We’re expecting, hoping he’ll be back before the end of the regular season. Made a lot of progress in the last few days with the ankle … We’re really encouraged by him.”
Updates on Mountcastle, Webb, Westburg
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who’s on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left wrist, is hitting off a batting tee.
“He’s showing a little bit of progress, still not coming along the way we were hoping,’ Hyde said.
Hyde said that it’s undecided whether reliever Jacob Webb, who threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday night and allowed four runs while retiring just one batter for Double-A Bowie on Wednesday, will need another rehab assignment.
“We’re still deciding that,” Hyde said. “He’s going to get checked out this afternoon. It’s possible that he has another game in the minor leagues, but we’re evaluating this afternoon.”
Webb is on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Jordan Westburg, who’s on the injured list with a fractured right hand, is not yet swinging a bat, though he’s performing other baseball activities, Hyde said. There’s been no change in his timetable, which forecast a return late this month.
“He’s still progressing the way we thought he would,” Hyde said.
Kremer gets the start
Right-hander Dean Kremer, who suffered a bruised right forearm on Saturday in Colorado when he was hit by a lind drive, is making the start on Friday night against Tampa Bay. At the time of the iinjury, Hyde said he doubted Kremer would make his next start.
“I kind of jumped the gun after that game because of what it looked like, what it sounded like, ” Hyde said. “How swollen it was. Our medical staff and Dean did an amazing job of treating that thing this week. He’s thrown the last two days. He threw a side two days ago, came here and played catch yesterday.
“He feels good. He’s a quick healer, unbelievably tough. You can see the seams where it hit him. He wants the ball and let’s hope he pitches well tonight.”
Note: Catcher David Bañuelos accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.