A former All-Star’s 2026 season is over before it even began.
Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg is out for the year after undergoing surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow, according to a report Friday by the Baltimore Sun. Westburg suffered a partial tear in the ligament back in February and finally had the surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache earlier this week.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias revealed to reporters later in the day on Friday that Westburg’s procedure was Tommy John surgery. Westburg is expected to return in the 2027 season as a full-time infielder, Elias added.
Westburg, 27, was an All-Star for the Orioles in 2024, having batted .264 with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs in 107 games. He also had a stellar year in 2025, hitting .265 with 17 home runs and 41 RBIs in just 85 games.
But Westburg, who mainly plays third base but also has experience in the infield at second base, had not played at all for the Orioles this year due to his elbow injury. Now it may be one full calendar year before Westburg returns to the diamond for the team at all.
Westburg is a pre-arbitration player who remains under club control through the 2029 season. But this is just more bad news for the Orioles, who are a mediocre 20-24 this year and have battled a number of other injuries to talented young hitters as well.
