Orioles put Mountcastle on injured list and recall Soto

The Orioles can’t keep playing with a short bench. They can’t keep waiting for Ryan Mountcastle’s status to shift from day-to-day.

They also can't maintain a healthy stretch in 2024.

Mountcastle was placed on the 10-day injured list this afternoon, retroactive to Friday, with a left wrist sprain. Infielder Livan Soto was recalled again from Triple-A Norfolk.

The injury occurred Thursday night against the Astros after Mountcastle slid head-first into second base with a double in the second inning. He was removed in the top of the ninth and didn’t play in the next three games.

The earliest that Mountcastle can return is Sept. 2, a day after rosters expand to 28 players.

Ryan O’Hearn should get the bulk of the work at first base, and it helps that the Dodgers are starting three right-handers in the series that begins Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Right-handed-hitting Emmanuel Rivera started at first yesterday against Houston left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.

Mountcastle is batting .265/.305/.425 in 118 games. He’s slashing .225/.257/.310 this month but had four multi-hit games beginning Aug. 10, when he went 3-for-5 with three RBIs at Tropicana Field.

The power is missing, with Mountcastle’s last home run hit on July 29.

The injured list keeps growing. Zach Eflin is eligible to return a day before Mountcastle, but Grayson Rodriguez, Danny Coulombe and Jordan Westburg are expected back much later in September. Jacob Webb also is on the shelf, and the Orioles haven’t determined whether Jorge Mateo requires surgery on his left elbow.

An offense that's managed three hits or fewer in four of the last eight games can't afford to lose a middle-of-the-order bat.

Cedric Mullins is day-to-day with tightness in his left quadriceps that forced him out of Friday night's game. He took batting practice yesterday afternoon but wasn’t available to play, leaving manager Brandon Hyde with only two reserves.

Soto gives the Orioles a left-handed bat against the Dodgers and some defensive versatility, if he ever gets into a game. He hasn't made his Orioles debut despite multiple stints.

Also today, the Orioles announced that they released Norfolk reliever Nick Avila after designating him for assignment last week.

Avila appeared in three games with the Tides after his reinstatement from the injured list and he allowed 10 runs and nine hits in 1 1/3 innings.