Baltimore Orioles: Chris Tillman won’t be ready for Opening Day

Chris Tillman has been the Baltimore Orioles Opening Day starter for the past three seasons. But a shoulder injury has snapped that streak.

The Baltimore Orioles weren’t expecting to deal with injuries the first few days of Spring Training. And they weren’t expecting it to happen to their ace Chris Tillman.

Tillman had issues with his shoulder during the offseason and ended up getting a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in December for lingering. That means Tillman will no longer be available on Opening Day and there’s a good chance he could start the season on the disabled list.

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“Chris came to [head athletic trainer] Richie [Bancells] and the staff in December, didn’t like the way his offseason program was going, his shoulder didn’t feel like it should be where it should be at that time,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Tillman, who was shut down for three weeks following the PRP injection. “We got it mapped out where he’ll be one of our five starters to start the season, but right now Opening Day probably won’t be an option.”

Tillman’s injury doesn’t give the Orioles room for a potential setback. Tillman was supposed to undergo pitchers fielding practice on March 3rd and was slated to throw a simulated game on March 14th.

Tillman is slated to speak to the media on Wednesday morning. He had shoulder issues last season but was able to avoid the disabled list altogether once the Orioles cut back his workload.

Showalter believes the shoulder flare-ups during the season are related to Tillman’s current injury.

“I think so. He got rid of it and managed it real well, and we rested him. When he cranked it back up this offseason, it wasn’t responding like he wanted it to.”

The Orioles don’t necessarily need a fifth starter until April 15th, which could buy them some time.

One thing is certain; the Orioles no longer have their ace in the fold, which means they need to fill one more role before the Orioles face off against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3rd.

Next: Showalter 'OK' with Givens pitching in WBC

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