Chris Bassitt was placed on the Orioles‘ 10-day injured list on June 5 due to back soreness that had bothered the right-hander all season. The answer was a minor surgery last month that saw a bone spur removed from Bassitt’s lumbar spine area, and Bassitt told the Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer that he believes he is the first big league player to undergo such a procedure. Despite the uncertainty around such a new type of surgery, Bassitt is already feeling much better, and he has started his throwing progression in the form a long-toss session on Friday and a couple of bullpens planned for this week.
Because the O’s moved Bassitt to the 60-day IL yesterday, August 4 is the earliest possible date he’ll be able to return to Baltimore’s rotation. While it’s probably unlikely that Bassitt is back quite that early, it seems like he’s making enough progress that a return by mid-August seems feasible, assuming no setbacks in his recovery. With only a 5.27 ERA to show for his first 56 1/3 innings in an Orioles uniform, it is fair to say that Bassitt’s recurring back issues limited his performance, so a healthy Bassitt might provide a boost to an O’s team that could still be in a playoff race in August. What was looking like a lost Orioles season has been revived by the team’s ongoing seven-game winning streak, putting Baltimore two games out of a wild card slot in the crowded American League.
More injury updates from the AL East…
- Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the New York Post’s Greg Joyce and other reporters that Carlos Rodon received a PRP shot amongst other injections following a 10-pitch bullpen session on Friday. This isn’t necessarily a setback, as the plan is for Rodon to throw a full bullpen before the week is over. The left-hander hasn’t pitched since June 28 due to inflammation in his throwing elbow, and Rodon is thought to have a 4-to-6 week recovery period, putting him in line to return to the Yankees in early-to-mid August. More details on Rodon’s recovery (like if he’ll need a minor league rehab assignment or not) will be known once he gets deeper into his throwing progression.
- Max Scherzer had three cortisone injections in his right thumb last Monday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters (including MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson) and other reporters on Friday. It seemed like Scherzer was on the verge of making what might’ve been his final minor league rehab outing before being activated from the IL, but Schneider described the situation as “a bit of a pause,” rather than a setback. “Everything else is feeling good — arm, ankle, back. We’re trying to knock out all of the stuff around it….then when we hit ‘go,’ he can go and not have these stalls in between.” Scherzer has been limited to 22 innings of 10.23 ERA ball when he has been able to pitch this season, in between two IL stints.
- There was more bad news for another injury-riddled Blue Jays player, as Anthony Santander was shut down for around a week after getting a cortisone shot in his left shoulder. Since signing a five-year, $92.5MM free agent contract with Toronto in the 2024-25 offseason, Santander has played in only 54 regular-season games in 2025 and none this season, largely due to recurring shoulder issues. Santander underwent labral surgery in February to try and address the problem once and for all, but we’re now into the projected 5-to-6 month recovery period with no sign yet about when Santander might be able to make it onto the field this year.
My O’s definitely on a streak right no so any reinforcements are welcome. Not sure Bassitt gets it together when he’s back but beggars cant be choosers at this point when it comes to depth options.
Santandar nonsigning was another win for the O’s
And qo draft pick to boot
Biggest series of the year right here Mon-Wed.
You the owner? Make sone new hot dogs
MLBTR working OT tonight!!!
I know it’s not AL east related but has anyone heard any update on Tyler Austin the only news I can find was from spring training when he was expected to be out months but I haven’t seen any updates since.
Pretty sure he’s out for the year
A small correction. This post states that “Chris Bassitt was placed on the Orioles‘ 10-day injured list on June 5 due to back soreness that had bothered the right-hander all season. “.
Per MLBTR on June 8th, “The Orioles announced that right-hander Chris Bassitt has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 5th, due to low back discomfort.”
It’s my understanding that pitchers cannot be placed on the 10-day injured list.
You would be correct, TJ. Nice catch.
I’m no doctor on TV but Max getting three cortisone shots in his thumb is something. Those shots are no joke. My understanding is that multiple injections in such a small area can carry cumulative risks that could cause him lifelong issues. The dude wants to pitch.
Had the same reaction. Three shots in a thumb is more cortisone than finger
I like to think all the medicine I know has come from watching TV… meaning I might actually know less than zero.
So yeah, not to play TV doctor either… any chance they meant one normal dose in a total of three different locations rather than three doses? Granted I have no idea if that’s ok or possibly worse. I have to imagine there is a point where a doctor will worry they’re doing more harm than good. Especially if this is the team’s doctor. You could argue they’re looking out for the team’s interests and not their patient.
@YankeesBleacherCreature
Based on nothing but my own personal experience (making me an expert in medicine), cortisone/Kenalog shots only delayed the inevitability of surgery.
I had to have one such injection related to tendon sheath issues… the surgical alternative is pretty scary, both the rate of side effects, and the possoble nature.
Not sure if his issue is similar, but, in my case, surgery carried risk of allowing the tendon to loosen so your finger is kinda floppy. Or that it could wind up weakening and later rupturing with no control.
It sounds funny, but, it was the middle finger, meaning, with the sheath issue, if you tried making a closed fist or curling your hand, you wound up unintentionally giving anyone the bird. Conservative and oral meds didnt do much, so, it was shot time for me.
So I definitely understand why you would try repeated shots instead of surgery. In my case I went ultra conservative with hand use after the shot for a wicked long time, and it still worries me it may return, going on 2 years later. I can see the trying to rehab may restart the inflammation and irritation inside for an athlete trying to return. They dont have the luxury of appearing normal, and, with daily usage it functioning right but refusing to restart rehab to perform the way i refused to do much with the hand for a solid month or two after the shot did its things.
I didnt know Santander was related to Anthony Rendon
Santander was available in the Rule 5 draft because of the same shoulder injury that now has him sidelined. He had surgery 8 years ago and it eventually recurred.
Comparing him to Rendon is like saying that any pitcher who needs multiple TJs (like Bautista of the Os or Spencer Strider) is just another Rendon.
It was an almost certain whiff by the Jays medical team. If you’re going to give a guy with a specific injury history a multi year contract, you need to look carefully at the status of the joint in question.
When the Os could send him to the minors, they gave him more than a year to fully recover. He had 5 solid years of regular play with the Os, but half of that was as a DH. The Jays signed the wrong guy if they expected multiple years of OF play.
The Os knew his role well and were going to extend him as a primary DH. The Jays simply glossed it all over and are paying the price.
Jays medical team has whiffed quite a bit in recent years. This would include Berrios whose elbow issue was caught thanks to the WBC. Plenty of other examples too.
Scott Rolens left shoulder required 4 surgeries in his career. Him and Caminiti would just play through pain back in the days when there were only 14 DH spots in both leagues. Did the Blue Jays not let his agent know they were planning to deploy him primarly as a fielder? I believe the player has alot of say where he signs and alot of that depends on narrative pre signing. Like Jorge Polanco signing with the mets and them planning to use him at first base. I could be wrong but I believe theres dialog there between the sides. Which leads me to believe both sides felt comfortable with it. The Cardinals also knew Ozuna had shoulder impingment and still traded away a future cy young winner and another who’s gotten votes. Its like Cohen said there are no guarantees. But you can certainly say well this guy isn’t getting it done, so and so also didnt get it done.
Hey Atkins, time to cut your losses. Dfa Santander and Scherzer, AND, time for You and Coach Hotdog to LEAVE the Building…!!
And then what? Fire all the coaches and bring in new ones and they get the same result then what? This isnt on the staff anymore, its on the players. You dont fire an entire coaching staff that brought you to within an inch of winning game 7 of the world series. I think the person that should leave the building or stay away from it is you. Blaming the coaching staff this late in the season is lazy, stupid and shows lack of knowledge of the game.
Hey CD….Shapiro, his lackie atkins and Coach Hotdog, got Lucky last year. This is atkins 11th season here….What You have in 2026 is a badly made up team. Half of them are gone after this season.
AND, CD…Boston fired Cora and they have gone onto a 13 game win streak already…IT IS ABSOLUTELY time to get rid of a Bad GM and his Hotdog coach…
Are you ok?
The difference between Cora and Schneider is Cora didnt bring his team to game 7 of the WS against the Dodgers and Cora hasn’t had the same success as Schneider….now if this team looks like this next season, then maybe you consider a change. But as I said, this is no longer on the coaching staff, they’ve done everything they possibly could have at this point. It now falls on the players. But you still neglected to answer my question: If they did fire the coaching staff, and ill extend that to the FO, and hired a whole new staff and the same results, then what? Youll fire them as well? Got news for you, the best manager and coaching staff in baseball cant help this team. And “fans” like you seemed to have no problems last year when they were running rough shod through the playoffs…im thinking baseball just isnt the sport for you.
The cora situation was different.
Cora did win a world series in boston, with the most wins in team history that year as well. He also brought the team back to thr alcs in a year they werent expected to contend.
Cora’s problem was he was the wrong guy to integrate a majority of young players and rookies into a team roster and finish their development at the MLB level. He wanted a full stable of talented vets. I personally think he preferred splurging like crazy on the FA market for top players, and, trading all the enticing prospects for late arb vets, which wasnt what ownership/management wanted, and, he becan subtly trying to sabotage the front office to get what he wanted.
Its a very different situation, but, not because Cora didnt produce in boston. He became a bad fit for the team direction
@CoachDozier
He’s the vuvuzela of Jays posting.
Someone could use a lady friend. Or a dog. Or an avocation.
Or an avocado
Avocado was my nickname at work. At company retreat and comedian found out I had attended law school once. So addressed me as avocado throughout the skit.
I must be missing something. Is an avocado a term for an aspiring litigator?
Italian for lawyer: avocatto. Comedian chanelling the Life is Beautiful clown Benigni
Oh lol nice, I’m learning something new every couple hours.
Abogado…Spanish for lawyer.
Damn you’re right I should have remember that from my two years of Spanish. And from Better Call Saul.
I could go for an avocado, maybe on top of a saltine or a Ritz…
The 2026 Jays, brought to you by the makers of cortisol.
I did not know AS contract was that bad. OOCH!
Funky series coming up. Two of the most lopsided offenses are carrying big winning streaks trying to sneak into a wildcard to save their seasons, and possibly their gms’ jobs
Boston starting 2 lhps and (said to be) a lh opener supported by other lhp innings.
Orioles don’t hit lhp; 94 rbat+ against lefties but a 107 against righties.
Boston is even more unbalanced, but flipped. They are somehow batting a 84 wrc+ vs. Rhp vs. 113 on the other side. Orioles are starting 3 rhps.
If either one gets to the playoffs, it will be a Pyrrhic victory. Their sidedness makes them both so vulnerable that they are likely to get quickly bounced.