Baltimore Orioles injury update: largely positive news for injured Orioles

In a press conference prior to the series opener against the Miami Marlins on Friday night, Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde gave updates on some of the injured Orioles, both on the 15 Day and 60 Day IL.

With all the 40 man roster hitters currently healthy, the only updates Hyde gave were on some of the injured Orioles pitchers. While the updates given were largely positive, there was some less than positive news as well.

Largely positive updates given on injured Orioles pitchers

We'll start with someone who the Orioles have not seen since the very start of the 2022 season. Lefty hurler and rotation ace John Means, recovering from Tommy John surgery and a previous minor setback, threw a bullpen in Baltimore prior to the game and is "progressing extremely well" according to Hyde.

Whenever the Orioles get Means back this season, it would be a massive boost to a rotation that has its flaws. While he might not immediately start at the top of the rotation, Means returning to the fold as the Orioles ramp up their playoff chase is great news for the pitching staff.

Fellow lefty Cionel Pérez, on the 15 Day IL with left forearm soreness since July 3, will begin a rehab assignment with the Double A Bowie BaySox on Saturday and "feels really good" according to Hyde.

Throughout the season, Pérez has been struggling consistently. Perhaps a trip to the IL to get healthy will help him get right, but with his ERA and FIP still in the upper 4's and a WHIP dangerously close to 2.000, Pérez needs to improve when he returns to keep his roster spot.

Reliever Mychal Givens, who has only appeared in six games due to left knee inflammation and more recently, right shoulder inflammation, is on the 60 Day IL with Means. Givens is throwing bullpens at the Orioles spring training complex in Sarasota and is still a few weeks away from game action.

Givens, signed in the offseason to give the Orioles another reliable arm in the bullpen, did anything but that in six games this season, with a 11.25 ERA, 7.53 FIP, and 2.500 WHIP in four innings of work, allowing six runs, five of which were earned. He's another reliever with something to prove if and when he returns.

Long reliever Keegan Akin, currently on the 15 Day IL with lower back discomfort, hasn't thrown off a mound since landing on the IL. He is beginning to build back up by playing catch, with no timetable for a return.

Akin is another reliever who came crashing down after a strong 2022 season. He is sporting a 6.85 ERA and 1.775 WHIP, but a 2.99 FIP suggests he has been the victim of bad luck. Regardless, Akin needs to return to 2022 form when healthy to give the Orioles a better shot should they make the postseason.

Dillon Tate, who the Orioles haven't seen at all this year, is accompanying Means and Givens on the 60 Day IL with a right elbow flexor strain, suffered during the offseason. With his first rehab assignment over, Tate suffered a setback and sought a second opinion.

After that second opinion, Hyde said that Tate has been shut down, with no timeline given for a return to action. The injury prevented Tate from representing Team USA in this year's WBC, and he hasn't pitched since a June 15 rehab assignment to the Norfolk Tides. The setback is unfortunate news for someone who the Orioles were counting on this season, but instead hasn't played.

Rounding out the injury report is long reliever Austin Voth, who has had his lumps this season after being a revelation in the rotation in 2022. Voth, who is on the 15 Day IL with right elbow discomfort, is throwing bullpens in Sarasota and will begin game progression next week, according to Hyde.

Voth has struggled to the tune of a 4.94 ERA, 5.44 FIP, and 1.581 WHIP in 31 innings over 23 appearances. The hope is that whenever Voth can return, he can rediscover his 2022 form, but this time in the bullpen for the Orioles.