BALTIMORE — With right-hander Miguel Gonzalez not progressing from a strained right groin, the Baltimore Orioles place him on the 15-day disabled list Thursday and brought up right-hander Mike Wright from Triple-A Norfolk.
The Gonzalez move is retroactive to June 10, and it leaves a hole in the rotation for Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees. Manager Buck Showalter and Wright both said that Wright would be in the bullpen through Saturday, and then they will see what’s up for Sunday.
“We’re going to do what we can do to win this game tonight,” Showalter said Thursday before the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 6-5 without utilizing Wright. “Then tomorrow, when we play another team, we’re going to do whatever it takes to try to win that game, and when the smoke clears, we have three options that we can use for Sunday, and we’ll decide then.”
Normally, Wright would not be eligible to pitch for the Orioles until Monday because a player can’t come back and play for the major league team that sent him back to the minors for 10 days, and he was demoted June 5.
Wright’s situation is different because he is replacing an injured player, and therefore he can return sooner. The 25-year old rookie is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four starts with the Orioles this year.
“I was hoping it was going to happen, but it’s always good news to know you’re coming back,” Wright said. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, especially Miguel. I like Miguel. I don’t want anyone to get hurt, obviously, but it’s nice to be up here.”
Gonzalez sustained a similar groin injury in 2012 but didn’t have to go on the disabled list. It didn’t work out that way this time.
“(I’m) a little bummed; I understand that it is the right thing to do,” Gonzalez said. “It’s not feeling any better. It’s still sore. We will just go from there and see what happens. Just take our time and hopefully be ready in two weeks.”