Injury updates on Milone, Iglesias and Wynns

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles left-hander Tommy Milone played catch on flat ground yesterday and is waiting to be cleared to throw a simulated game.

Milone was supposed to start Tuesday against the Nationals in West Palm, but the Orioles kept him back in Sarasota. He would have worked the equivalent of three innings at the complex.

Discomfort in the trapezius/neck area is preventing Milone from pitching. His only start came on Feb. 27 against the Pirates and resulted in two scoreless innings.

"We just have to wait for it to kind of calm down a little bit, just because it's on my left side," Milone said. "Just kind of knotted up in there and it was kind of shooting pain up the side of the neck. But should be good. We've just got to see how it goes and get back out there."

The pain cropped up earlier in the week, with no apparent connection to workouts on the field.

"It's like waking up with a kink in your neck and it just kind of lingered a little bit longer than we thought," he said.

"Normally I feel like it's more just the neck, but I guess it tightened up in the trap area, so I guess it took a little bit longer than we expected."

Milone said he isn't concerned about the injury or how it's impacting his bid for a spot in the rotation. He's trying to claim a spot at the back end after signing a minor league deal on Feb. 14.

"Not at all," he said. "It was just a matter of getting it out of there and now we can get back after it."

Shortstop José Iglesias is getting at least one more day off before returning to the lineup.

Iglesias was scratched yesterday in Jupiter due to some cramping in his quadriceps muscle. Hanser Alberto is the shortstop today against the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.

"Just got a little cramp in my right quad," Iglesias said. "I was probably dehydrated or whatever. Just normal spring training soreness and it was just precautionary. Take a day. But I'm better today."

Iglesias could make the trip to Tampa for Friday night's 6:35 p.m. game against the Yankees. Otherwise, the Orioles travel to Port Charlotte on Saturday for a 1:05 p.m. game against the Rays.

"I was able to play today," he said. "Skip (Brandon Hyde), I guess he's being conservative, but I should be 100 percent to go tomorrow."

Austin Wynns also was scratched yesterday. He took a foul ball off his groin Monday afternoon and hasn't returned to the lineup.

"Everything's good," Wynns said. "Just taking precautions, but ready to go."

Asked whether he was frightened, Wynns replied, "Frightened? You tell me. If you get hit in your (groin) how do you feel?

"I'm not saying 'frightened.' I'm just saying it's just part of it, though. Just take 48 hours, good to go again. It's part of the profession. It comes with it."

Wynns stayed in Monday's game and threw out a runner trying to steal.

"It was funny that they did that," he said, "but go for it."

Wynns lost his chance at a backup job last spring due to an oblique strain. He's trying to unseat Chance Sisco and head north with starter Pedro Severino.

"Everything's going great," said Wynns, who's 2-for-9 with a double and RBI. "Right now there's still so much opportunity and you have to go about your business day-by-day. It's still open."

Kohl Stewart is making his spring debut Sunday afternoon against the Yankees in Sarasota. He's been unable to pitch because of soreness in his right biceps.

The Orioles brought over the following players from minor league camp: Pitchers Brian Gonzalez, Zack Muckenhirn and Jay Flaa, infielders Malquin Canelo, Rylan Bannon and Joseph Ortiz, and outfielders Mason Janvrin and TJ Nichting.

Ortiz was a fourth-round draft pick in 2019 out of New Mexico State.