Westburg still making solid progress and Webb could be activated this weekend

DETROIT - As he began his pregame media session in the visitor's dugout ahead of tonight's series-opening game in Detroit, O's manager Brandon Hyde was asked to provide an update on his various injured list players.

“Is this a two-hour program?" Hyde quipped.

Then he used the next few minutes to provide numerous updates on this list of players.

Jordan Westburg: “His hitting progression is progressing. He’s doing better, doing all baseball activities. Swinging the bat in the cage now. All positive. No setbacks as of right now. But when you haven’t swung a bat for a while and you are coming off a broken hand, it takes a little while to gain strength in your hand. So they are building strength in the hand and he is getting used to swinging the bat."

Ryan Mountcastle: “Mountcastle? Unsure, honestly. He is in Sarasota. I’m hoping he is going to start swinging a bat here in the next few days. That’s going to be a hitting progression too. Trying to stay optimistic that we will see him by the end of the season.”

Ramón Urías: “Urías is doing well. Ahead of schedule. It’s a (ankle) but he is swinging the bat and doing some baseball activities. Just trying to let this heal and hopefully we will see him too.”

Starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez: “He threw a side the other day. We’re hoping for a live BP at some point. Unsure of the timetable."

The O’s could possibly get right-handed reliever Jacob Webb back this weekend at Comerica Park, but lefty Danny Coulombe will pitch again this weekend for Triple-A Norfolk.

Webb, who has not pitched for the Orioles since Aug. 2 due to right elbow inflammation, has thrown four times between Sept 1 and Sept 12 in rehab outings on the farm. His most recent game was a scoreless inning yesterday afternoon for Norfolk with one strikeout where he threw 22 pitches.

Coulombe, out since his last game on June 8 after the removal of bone chips from his left elbow, has made one rehab outing thus far. He threw a scoreless inning Wednesday for Norfolk on 10 pitches.

“Coulombe is throwing again this weekend, I think tomorrow,” said Hyde. "Webb threw last night. Went well. Hoping that he feels good today. He’s going to go through you know, next day activity there and we’ll make a decision on him hopefully the next few days.”

When asked if Webb could be activated during this series with the Tigers, Hyde said “think it’s a possibility. I’m hoping it’s a possibility.”

The injury reports, at least finally, for the most part are becoming more positive and players are closing in on a return to the roster.

"It's sometimes optimistic, sometimes not," said Hyde. "Right now we've got to go and beat the Detroit Tigers with the 28 guys we've got tonight. Hoping these guys can come back and help us. They are big pieces for us. My fingers are crossed, but I'm really focusing on trying to win the series here with these guys."

Hyde said it's natural that the O's clubhouse would be down a bit with the team having lost four of five and with a mark of 25-26 since the All-Star break. 

"I think we've done a good job bouncing back," he said. "I don't think there are lingering effects. Every loss is tough this time of year. We haven't played our best baseball the last couple of months, whether it is injury-related or not. When that happens there is frustration, but it's not for lack of work or mindset or anything like that."

Right-hander Beau Brieske (2-4, 4.07 ERA) is starting for Detroit tonight and expected to be used as an opener. Then the Tigers are expected to turn the game over to bulk innings pitcher, left-hander Brant Hurter (4-1, 3.00 ERA). 

"You are hoping we take good at-bats off the opener, he's going one to two innings and then if it is the lefty, get the lefty after him," said Hyde.