Getty Connor Norby running the bases during a June 3 game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Fans are expecting Baltimore Orioles prospect Connor Norby to get his second major league call-up soon, after Jordan Westburg suffered a hip injury.
Baltimore’s third baseman left a game against the New York Yankees with hip discomfort.
Jordan Westburg exited Baltimore’s game vs. the Yankees tonight with left hip discomfort, the Orioles said.
Westburg appeared to injure his hip on this play in the first inning when Juan Soto committed an interference on the basepaths.
Juan Soto collided with Westburg trying to get to third base. Team skipper Brandon Hyde told reporters postgame it’s a bruised hip for the starting infielder.
“His hip’s pretty sore,” Hyde said. “Right now he’s day-to-day with I guess it’s like a hip contusion, but we’ll see how he feels tomorrow. But he had to come out of the game. It’s pretty sore.”
Shortly thereafter, the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides sent a pinch-hitter out for Norby.
In a competitive game where he was 2-for-2 at the plate, it’s unlikely he was removed for anything else. Baltimore’s number six prospect received his first major league call-up on June 3.
Norby appeared in four games with the team, going 3-for-14 at the plate with two singles and a home run. After starting second baseman Jorge Mateo returned from an injury absence, he was optioned back to Triple-A.
Now, he seems primed to rejoin the team in New York, as possible insurance against an absence for Westburg.
Orioles Address Westburg Injury
After the 4-2 loss to the Yankees, Hyde was asked about the play where Westburg was injured. He didn’t offer any definitive thoughts on whether or not he considered the play dirty.
“That’s a strange play,” Hyde told reporters. “You don’t see that a ton. Routine ground ball, just ran into him. I don’t know.”
Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson was similarly unassuming.
“I didn’t really understand it,” Henderson said. “He was having to come make the play in. Just kind of a freak thing. Hopefully, Westy will be back out there tomorrow.”
Outfielder Austin Hays thinks both players had all eyes on the baseball.
“It looked like Soto, he’s running hard to third, saw the ball and then saw Westburg breaking on the ball,” Hays said. “He kind of slowed down and it looked like he tried to avoid him. It was a little late to just be able to get out of the way. It’s just one of those things. Westy’s going for the ball hard, Soto was running hard, and it’s unfortunate they ran into each other.”
Until further notice, Westburg will be day-to-day. His availability for the remainder of the New York series is undetermined.
Norby Talks First Orioles Stint
In an interview with David Hall of The Virginian-Pilot, Norby talked about his four-game, debut MLB stint with Baltimore.
“The biggest thing I learned is that I can play at that level,” Norby said on June 15. “I always thought I could, and it just confirmed it for me. And I think I showed a lot of people that I can.”
On his 0-for-3 debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, he told Hall admitted he was exhausted from his travel to join the team.
“I was exhausted…I felt like I didn’t see a pitch until my third at-bat that night. But the third at-bat, I felt a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more of my legs. I tried slowing it down as best I could at that point.”
Norby improved as his time went on. He went 3-for-11 after his debut, and his first career hit was also his first career home run.
If there’s any concern about Westburg’s availability, Norby could be joining the Orioles’ in New York. They’ll need all the help they can get against the AL East leading Yankees.