Former Georgia Tech catcher Matt Wieters continues to battle health issues. He left Saturday’s Grapefruit League game against the Twins with soreness in his right elbow.
Wieters underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2014 on the elbow and has been limited since. He played in 26 games that season before the surgery and played in 75 games last season.
According to a report on the Orioles’ web site, Wieters was examined by an orthopedic specialist and underwent X-rays, which were negative. The report said the Orioles don’t have plans to administer an MRI.
“I think everybody gets alarmed, rightfully so, with the surgery there,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said to MLB.com. “But you know, hopefully it’ll manage, and he’ll be OK.”
According to Andrew Simon, who covers the Orioles for MLB.com, Wieters seemed to feel discomfort in the top of the first inning when Wieters threw to second base in an attempt to catch base-runner Eduardo Nunez.
Wieters left the game at the end of that half-inning.
“It’s one of those things, if it doesn’t start managing better, they’ll go to the little more involved step, but so far so good,” Showalter said to MLB.com.
Wieters was set to become a free agent in the past offseason, but he signed the Orioles’ one-year qualifying offer instead.
Wieters was the fifth player taken in the 2007 draft after playing three seasons at Tech. In those three seasons, he hit .359 with 35 home runs and 198 RBIs in 704 at-bats.
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