Paredes could play this spring
No fracture or serious ligament damage seen
DUNEDIN, FLA. — It has not been a happy couple of days for Jimmy Paredes, whose attempt to show the Orioles he can be a viable option in the outfield took a hit when he rolled over his left wrist trying to make a play in Thursday's exhibition loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
But the outlook has gotten better since he walked off the field. X-rays on Thursday revealed no fracture and an MRI on Friday showed no hidden bone problem or serious ligament damage, manager Buck Showalter said.
“The big thing is no ligament [damage] and it should heal,” Showalter said. “They feel like he'll be back playing again at some point this spring. ... It's probably about as good of news as we could hope for.”
Paredes was wearing a soft cast as he met with reporters Friday in Sarasota. He said he was relieved because he initially thought he had injured himself so badly it might cost him a chance to win a place on the regular-season roster.
“It's not broken, thanks to God,” Paredes said. “I don't know how long it will take for me to be ready. I'm a little sad because I came into the spring with the opportunity to make the team. We'll see later.”
The Orioles had hoped to take a look at Paredes in the outfield this spring after he concentrated on his defense this winter in the Dominican Republic — especially because his at-bats at designated hitter will likely shrink because of the offseason addition of slugger Mark Trumbo.
“I tried to do the best I can to do a good job,” Paredes said. “I know that's what they're looking for. I want to help the big league [team] to get a win for the city.”
Matusz outlook cloudy: Showalter said Friday that the injury that has sidelined left-hander Brian Matusz probably would have forced him onto the disabled list if it happened during the regular season.
Matusz has been shut down with a serratus strain, which is in the area below the rib cage on the right side of his back.
The recovery time on that type of injury is difficult to project, but based on Showalter's comment and the fact that most muscle injuries in the trunk need to heal completely before activity is resumed, it's likely Matusz will miss at least half of the remaining exhibition schedule.
Worley comes through: It has been a rocky week for the Orioles rotation, but newcomer Vance Worley performed well Friday with two hitless innings against a pretty good lineup that later hit three home runs in one inning to carry the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-3 exhibition victory at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.
It was quite a contrast to the performances of the starters in the previous two games. Ubaldo Jimenez gave up six earned runs in one-third of an inning Wednesday and Miguel Gonzalez gave up seven in 11/3 innings Thursday.
Worley faced seven hitters and walked just one, but was not satisfied.
“The first inning I had to find it a little bit,” he said. “I was just trying to get the ball down in the zone. Knowing that lineup over there, they have some swingers. I was trying to mix it up and go in and out and up and down. [I] was too down today. I was just glad I had the second inning I did.”
When the Orioles claimed Worley off waivers, there was an opening in the rotation. But the arrival of free agent Yovani Gallardo has filled that slot, leaving Worley to compete for a spot starter-long relief job unless something happens to reopen competition for a place in the rotation.
Either way, he said he needs to make the most of every opportunity.
“For me, it's important,” he said. “Some of these other guys not so much. ... I'm trying to make the rotation and win a job, so I'm taking every outing as seriously as I can.”
Around the horn: The Blue Jays scored all four of their runs off relief prospect Andrew Triggs, who allowed three home runs in the fourth inning. Showalter chalked a couple of them up to the stiff wind that was making the ball carry, but the moon shot by Justin Smoak didn't need any help. …The next four relievers — Chris Jones, Oliver Drake, Cesar Cabral and Ashur Tolliver — delivered scoreless appearances. … Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion were not in the Jays lineup. ... With their corner-outfield picture crowded but unsettled at the major league level, the Orioles have taken a flier on outfielder Mike Carp on a minor league deal, according to an industry source. Carp, who hasn't played in the majors since 2014 and played for barely a week in Triple-A last season in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, will have a physical with the Orioles on Sunday. He did not receive an invitation to major league spring training.
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Baltimore Sun reporter Jon Meoli contributed to this article.