💥 BREAKING NEWS: Jordan Westburg were eliminated from the UCL before the season even began, and the Orioles are facing a repeat of their nightmare before they even have a chance to hope ⚡ .MH

The season hasn’t officially started yet. But for the Baltimore Orioles, the feeling of exhaustion has been present since February.

After news of Jackson Holliday’s hamstring injury less than two weeks ago, the team received another blow: Jordan Westburg suffered a partial tear of the UCL in his shooting elbow and will definitely miss the entire month of April.

He hasn’t played a single official game yet.

But he’s already lost two crucial pieces.

Westburg isn’t a headline-grabbing superstar, but he’s one of the most consistent players when healthy. 17 home runs in 85 games last season. Slash line .265/.313/.457 when on the court. His powerful batting ability and power are on the rise.

The problem is that the phrase “when healthy” is becoming increasingly fragile.

Since his promising 2023 rookie season, injuries have practically followed him like a shadow: hand, hamstring, ankle. And now there’s the UCL – something baseball fans often think of as Tommy John surgery.

The team says Westburg will receive PRP in hopes of avoiding the worst-case scenario. But what after April? No specific timeline. No clear commitment. No guarantee he’ll be able to play defensively when he returns.

Even if PRP is effective, Westburg will likely have to take on the defensive midfield role instead of playing infield – at least initially. And that’s a significant change for a player expected to be a complete value.

The Orioles enter 2026 aiming for a “bounce back” after a disappointing 75–87 season. They aren’t considered weak contenders. But they also don’t have the deep cushion of other big teams in the AL East.

In a group where every win is hard-fought, losing two young domestic players right from the start isn’t just a technical issue. It’s a psychological one.

Spring Training should have been a time of hope. Sunny mornings and the refrain, “this year will be different.” But in the Baltimore clubhouse right now, the feeling is perhaps not one of exhilaration – but rather one of apprehension.

How many more times will they have to hear the phrase “if he’s fit”?

Westburg is 27. He’s still in the prime of his career. But a recurring injury streak is turning his potential into question marks. The Orioles aren’t talking about the worst-case scenario. They’re talking about PRP, about further monitoring, about an assessment after April.

The silence that follows is what’s noteworthy.

Because in a 162-game season, April doesn’t decide everything. But it can shape the rhythm. And if Baltimore starts slowly due to a lack of players, the pressure will build faster than any injection can heal.

Fans haven’t even had time to hope before they have to learn to worry.

The question now isn’t just when Westburg will return.

The real question is: if he returns, will Orioles still have time to keep their 2026 dream intact?