Jordan Westberg’s 2026 season has come to an unexpected end even before it began, marking a significant setback for the Orioles.
The 27-year-old infielder underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow this past Wednesday. As a result, he will miss the rest of the season, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias revealed on Friday.
Westberg was dealing with a partially torn UCL and had hopes of playing this year after receiving a plasma injection on February 20, according to MLB.com.
Drafted by the Orioles with the 30th pick in 2020, Westberg has had trouble staying on the field since making his debut for Baltimore midway through the 2023 season. He was an All-Star in 2024 but faced a broken throwing hand near the end of that season. In 2025, he spent over a month on the sidelines recovering from a left hamstring strain.
He looked to be progressing until early May when he had to step back due to ongoing elbow discomfort following the plasma treatment.
“He’s trying as hard as he can,” said Baltimore manager Craig Albanaz recently. “But it takes a toll. He wants to compete and be with his teammates, playing the game he loves. It’s tough. I really feel for him.”
When healthy, Westberg has been a key contributor to the Orioles, posting a batting line of .265/.313/.457, including 53 doubles and 38 home runs across 260 games in the last three seasons.
Unfortunately, he joins a growing list of injured players for Baltimore, which already includes over a dozen athletes sidelined less than two months into the season.
With injuries taking their toll, Albanaz mentioned that he has used 41 players in just 44 games so far. He urged reporters that everyone needed to be “ready to fight” through these challenges.
“The next-man mentality is essential,” Albanaz noted. “All our players will step into the game prepared. Winning is the priority, and we have to adapt our approach to meet the situation.”
“We need to explore every option, evaluate everything to look after our players, and ensure we’re making the right decisions for the team. That’s the challenge for all of our staff right now, and it has to be our focus moving forward.”
