Orioles injury report: Estimated return dates for Mark Trumbo, Zach Britton and everyone else on the crowded DL

The Baltimore Orioles have been rocked by injuries this season, but a number of big-name players are due back soon.

The Baltimore Orioles have struggled mightily this April. The Birds have an adjusted OPS of 84 and a FIP of 4.70, and it’s all added up to a painful 7-19 run to start the season.

But as underwhelming as they’ve been on the field, the Orioles’ poor record may have more to do with the players who are sidelined. At this writing, they have six players on the disabled list, three of whom are making over $8 million this year. The O’s have dug themselves a hole, but look at the roster and you’ll see a group that can still make a run at respectability — if they’re at full strength.

Fortunately for Baltimore fans, several of these injured players are slated to return to the field in the next few weeks. Complications and delays will inevitably arise, but for now, these estimated return dates provide something to look forward to.

Check out these player updates, listed in order of when we can expect them back:

Mark Trumbo, DH

Trumbo has been sidelined with a quadriceps strain since the end of spring training, and he’s nearly ready to make his season debut. Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun reported on Friday that the Orioles have circled next Tuesday for his return, in time to face Shohei Ohtani and the Angels. The two-time All-Star hit a home run in his first rehab game with Triple-A Norfolk, so he should be able to inject some life into a weak offense.

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Colby Rasmus, RF

Rasmus was sporting a .095/.174/.143 line when he went down with a hip flexor strain in mid-April, so it’s not like the lineup has suffered in his absence. Even so, he slugged .579 in 37 games with the Rays last year — with a long season ahead, the Orioles could use his veteran presence. Per Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, Rasmus is progressing slowly, but he should be back in the saddle within the next couple of weeks.

Jonathan Schoop, 2B

After a 12th-place finish in last year’s MVP balloting, the Orioles were counting on Schoop to be a lineup anchor in 2018. Instead, he slugged just .344 to start the season before going down with a Grade 1 oblique strain. Per Kubatko, Schoop could begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Bowie late next week. He seems to be recovering well, but the O’s aren’t taking any chances with one of their top players.

If he can produce more clutch hits like this one, his return will be all the sweeter:

Zach Britton, LHP

It feels like Britton has spent more time on the disabled list than off of it these past couple of seasons. The two-time All-Star ruptured his Achilles during an offseason workout this past December, necessitating surgery and killing any chance he had of pitching on Opening Day. Per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, Britton says he wants to return in late May, but he didn’t target any particular dates for a rehab assignment. He’s making progress, but expect the O’s to err on the side of caution.

Tim Beckham, 3B

The latest addition to the Orioles’ injury report, Beckham suffered a left groin strain and had core muscle surgery earlier this week, sidelining him for the next six weeks at least. He was hitting just .179 when he went down, but Danny Valencia, six games into replacement duty at the hot corner, doesn’t look like much of an upgrade.

Gabriel Ynoa, RHP

Ynoa was already on the 10-day DL with shin trouble when an MRI revealed inflammation in his right shoulder. He was moved to the 60-day DL earlier this week to make room for Jace Peterson. There’s no timetable for his return yet, but we’ll probably get one once he resumes throwing.

Next: Orioles vs Tigers: 5 players to watch

Which injured Oriole will make the biggest difference upon returning? Let us know on social media, and keep it here at Birds Watcher for more updates on the Baltimore Orioles.