Orioles injuries and roster moves

June 14: Top prospect Jackson Holliday placed on Triple-A IL
Holliday, the game’s top overall prospect, is being placed on the injured list at Triple-A Norfolk with right elbow inflammation. The Orioles made the announcement Friday, a day after Holliday missed the Tides’ game Thursday due to the issue.

The issue is not expected to be serious for Holliday, who has played 60 games between the Majors and Triple-A this season. The 20-year-old infielder is hitting .270/.433/.466 with seven homers and five steals in 50 games for Norfolk, in addition to a brief 10-game stint spent with Baltimore in April.

June 14: RHP Dean Kremer to begin rehab assignment
Sidelined since May 24 with a right triceps strain, Kremer will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, manager Brandon Hyde said. Hyde said Kremer is scheduled to throw “40-ish” pitches in the outing.

June 13: RHP Levi Stoudt claimed off waivers from Mariners, optioned to Triple-A Norfolk
The Orioles added pitching depth by acquiring Stoudt, a 26-year-old right-hander who had been designated for assignment by the Mariners on Sunday. Stoudt reached the Majors for the first time in 2023 with the Reds, recording a 9.58 ERA in four games (two starts). This season, he had a 6.92 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) for Triple-A Tacoma.

To make room on the 40-man roster, Baltimore transferred left-hander John Means (Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day injured list.

RHP Dean Kremer (right triceps strain)
Expected return: Late June
Kremer’s injury is not a long-term concern, according to general manager Mike Elias, who said on May 31 that the 28-year-old right-hander could return before the end of June. Kremer will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk on June 16. He threw a side session at Tropicana Field on June 10, his third over the span of a week.

“This is not something that we’re worried about, and he’s coming along,” Elias said.

Kremer was placed on the 15-day IL on May 24 (retroactive to May 21), becoming the fifth O’s starter to spend time on the injured list this season. According to manager Brandon Hyde, Kremer reported soreness in his triceps after the fourth inning of his start against the Cardinals on May 20. (Last updated: June 14)

INF Jackson Holliday (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: Second half
The Orioles announced on June 14, a day after Holliday missed a game at Triple-A Norfolk, that baseball’s No. 1 prospect is being placed on the Minor League injured list with right elbow inflammation. The injury is not expected to be serious and will provide Holliday extra rest before embarking on the second half of the Minor League season. (Last updated: June 14)

LHP Danny Coulombe (left elbow inflammation)
Expected return: TBD
Coulombe experienced soreness in his left elbow while playing catch on June 10, leading to the decision to place the 34-year-old southpaw on the 15-day injured list the next day (retroactive to June 9). He had been the Orioles’ best left-handed reliever this season, recording a 2.42 ERA and a 0.62 WHIP over 29 appearances.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Coulombe is scheduled to undergo further testing, but the club is optimistic that the injury won’t be a long-term issue. Coulombe expressed the same sentiment on June 12, when he shared he had undergone an MRI and doesn’t believe the ailment is something that will lead to Tommy John surgery.

“We’re pretty optimistic about it. It’s not the one you guys are thinking about,” Coulombe said. (Last updated: June 12)

Throughout May, Wells had been rehabbing at the Orioles’ facilities in Sarasota, Fla. He began to play catch late in the month, but he continued to experience discomfort, according to Elias.

Wells didn’t bounce back from his April 6 start at Pittsburgh the way he had hoped and said he felt discomfort during his April 12 outing vs. Milwaukee. He was placed on the IL on April 16. (Last updated: May 31)

INF Coby Mayo (fractured rib; No. 3 on Orioles’ Top 30 Prospects list)
Expected return: Likely mid-June
Mayo, who is MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 overall prospect, was placed on the seven-day injured list by Triple-A Norfolk on May 17, one day after he collided with the third-base dugout in the fifth inning of the Tides’ 8-6 loss to Lehigh Valley. The 22-year-old third baseman initially stayed in the game, but he was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the frame.

X-rays revealed a fractured rib for Mayo. On May 31, general manager Mike Elias said Mayo’s return timeline would be best measured in “weeks rather than anything beyond that.”

Mayo was raking during the start of his first full season in Triple-A. Through 42 games, he slashed .291/.359/.605 with 11 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs and 37 RBIs. (Last updated: May 31)

LHP John Means (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Late 2025 or early ’26
Means underwent Tommy John surgery on June 3 in Arlington, Texas. The operation was performed by Dr. Keith Meister. It is the second time Means has undergone the procedure, which he previously had in April 2022. He was then transferred to the 60-day IL on June 13.

On May 22, Means experienced discomfort in his left elbow during a start in St. Louis. The Orioles placed him on the IL the next morning, and the lefty flew back to Baltimore for additional testing. He later received a second opinion, which resulted in the decision to end his season.

Means has made only 10 big league starts since the start of the 2022 season. He made four in September and then missed the postseason due to a flareup in his elbow, which also caused him to open the ’24 campaign on the IL. He made only four starts again this season. (Last updated: June 13)

RHP Félix Bautista (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Spring Training 2025
On June 7, Bautista threw from about 90 feet on the field at Tropicana Field, where the Orioles opened a four-game series vs. the Rays. The All-Star closer, who had Tommy John surgery last October, had been rehabbing in Sarasota, Fla., but he came up to visit with the team.

“Awesome to see him. Looks amazing. Looks like he’s in unbelievable shape,” manager Brandon Hyde said on June 7. “He’s throwing the ball great. Just to have him around, honestly, brings a smile to everybody’s face. Just such a warm guy, and everybody loves him.”

Bautista also underwent right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition on Feb. 9 in Dallas. Dr. Keith Meister performed both the Tommy John surgery and the additional procedures. The Orioles still expect Bautista — who was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 14 — to return for the start of the 2025 season. (Last updated: June 7)