Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias confirmed the worst for infielder Jordan Westburg on Friday.
The Baltimore Orioles position player group has not been at full strength all year. That list includes Jordan Westburg, the team’s 27-year-old infielder who has missed the entire season while recovering from a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. It has been a major loss for Baltimore so far and has forced Blaze Alexander and Cody Mayo to log more starts at the hot corner.
In 2024, Westburg was one of the most productive players in the league, posting a .264 batting average, .312 on-base percentage, .792 OPS, 18 home runs and 63 RBIs while earning an All-Star selection. In 2025, injuries limited him though, and he appeared in only 85 games. Ahead of Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals, a report that Westburg had Tommy John surgery emerged. And hours before first pitch, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias confirmed the report.
“Jordan Westburg’s elbow surgery was Tommy John, Mike Elias announced. Orioles don’t feel his timeline for a 2027 return was delayed by his decision to try the PRP route first. Expectation is Westburg to come back as a full-time infielder again,” wrote Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Banner on X.
Westburg is already on the 60-day injured list and will remain there for the rest of the season. While disappointing, the outcome is not surprising. He was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear in February, and the Orioles initially attempted a non-surgical approach, giving him a platelet-rich plasma injection.
Earlier in May, continued discomfort forced him to stop throwing, and surgery became unavoidable. UCL procedures often require a year or more for pitchers, but position players can return sooner. It is possible Westburg could be ready for the start of 2027.
This marks yet another setback in what has become a frustrating injury history. Westburg’s breakout 2024 season was limited to 107 games due to a hand fracture. In 2025, he dealt with a hamstring strain and an ankle sprain. Now he will miss the entire 2026 campaign. Westburg remains under team control through 2029, though most of his career has been spent on the injured list.
For the Orioles, Westburg is one of 13 players currently on the injured list, including five position players. Jackson Holliday, Dylan Beavers, Ryan Mountcastle and Heston Kjerstad are also sidelined.
The Orioles sit at 20-24, but with the American League still struggling, their season remains salvageable. They will need others to step up, because Westburg will not be part of the solution in 2026.