Santander's season ending due to oblique strain (updated)

Anthony Santander's season appears to be over after 37 games.

A late arrival to summer training camp after testing positive for COVID-19, Santander was enjoying a breakout season until straining an oblique muscle yesterday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Yankees. He's on the injured list, with the Orioles selecting Mason Williams' contract from the alternate camp site in Bowie.

Pitcher David Hess apparently has been recalled from the secondary camp. The Orioles still haven't announced the roster moves or posted their lineup. However, Williams and Hess are in the home clubhouse today.

Santander batted .261/.315/.575 with 13 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 32 RBIs and also played a solid right field. His eight defensive runs saved (DRS) before yesterday led American League right fielders, according to Sports Info Solutions, and his four outfield assists tied for the major league lead at the position.

"He's going to miss a significant amount of time," manager Brandon Hyde said today in his Zoom conference call.

With only three weeks left in the season, Santander is likely to remain on the injured list rather than be activated prior to the final game on Sept. 27.

"I think that's definitely a possibility," Hyde said.

"That's why when we lost that first game, disappointed in that, but I had a feeling that, when he came out of the game there, that it didn't look good. That one definitely hurt.

"Tony's a huge loss for us. I'm really happy with the year he's had. He's just really come on the map for me. All the positive things I said about him toward the end of the year last year, he's improved even more. So yeah, it's a huge loss for us and he's very disappointed."

Santander, 25, was leading the majors in extra-base hits with 25. His 47 hard-hit balls (95-plus mph) led the Orioles before the doubleheader and were tied for the seventh in the American League.

His 32 RBIs ranked third in the AL (José Abreu, CWS - 36 and Mike Trout, LAA - 34) and are tied for the fourth-most in the majors; he leads the Orioles with 10 multi-RBI games.

Santander crafted a career-high 18-game hitting streak this summer that was the longest in the majors and by an Orioles player since Nick Markakis (18) in 2014.

Hyde said DJ Stewart is going to get an opportunity in right, with Ryan Mountcastle remaining in left and perhaps making some appearances at first base. Mountcastle took grounders at first yesterday before batting practice.

Stewart started in left field yesterday in the opener of the doubleheader and in right field in the nightcap. He's 0-for-16 with nine walks, 10 strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch.

"I think you're going to see DJ Stewart get a lot of at-bats in right and play right field in Santander's absence," Hyde said.

"It's a good opportunity for him."

Cedric Mullins would be an option for right field after Austin Hays returns from the injured list, though he's been outstanding in center. Hays remains on the injured list with a fractured rib.

"I'm hoping we get Austin soon, sometime in the next couple weeks," Hyde said. "But yeah, the way Cedric's playing center field, he's played really, really great defense in center field. And with Austin, that's another guy who is a plus outfielder, so I think I'll do a little bit of rotating. It's something that we'll definitely talk about when he gets back."

Injuries keep hounding the Orioles. José Iglesias was on the injured list with a strained quadriceps muscle and has mostly been used as the designated hitter. Hanser Alberto (knee) and Renato Núñez (hamstring) managed to avoid the IL.

"My concern a little out of summer camp was the soft-tissue stuff with the legs," Hyde said. "I think we've done an amazing job of keeping our guys in as good of shape as possible, but I think that you're seeing soft-tissue stuff around the league with position players, and whether that's a quick ramp-up, a long delay, whatever it may be, you can't match the major league baseball game intensity.

"We're playing intense games every single night where you see guys going hard, and those things are going to happen. So, we're starting to get our fair share now of guys that are a little bit banged up."

Update: The Orioles optioned reliever Evan Phillips to the alternate camp site to make room for Hess. They selected Williams' contract and placed Santander on the 10-day injured list.

Pitcher Carson Fulmer, 26, has been claimed off waivers from the Pirates. He's out of minor league options and will join the club after going through the intake process.

The Pirates claimed Fulmer from the Tigers on Aug. 24, but he didn't pitch for them. He made seven relief appearances this season with Detroit and allowed five runs and eight hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Fulmer spent parts of the last four seasons with the White Sox. He's 6-9 with a 6.57 ERA and 1.638 WHIP in 51 games (15 starts).

The White Sox made Fulmer the eighth overall pick in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University.

Infielder Rylan Bannon was added to the 60-man player pool. He's headed to the Bowie site.

The Orioles' 40-man roster and 60-man player pool are full.

Stewart is playing right field tonight. Williams is the center fielder.

Pat Valaika is the first baseman, with Núñez on the bench.

Hanser Alberto 2B, Chance Sisco DH, José Iglesias SS, Pedro Severino C, Ryan Mountcastle LF, Rio Ruiz 3B, Pat Valaika 1B, DJ Stewart RF, Mason Williams CF. Keegan Akin LHP

The Yankees activated Gleyber Torres from the injured list and he's in tonight's lineup:

Aaron Hicks CF, Luke Voit 1B, Gleyber Torres SS, Clint Frazier RF, Gary Sánchez DH, Miguel Andújar LF, Kyle Higashioka C, Thairo Estrada 3B, Tyler Wade 2B. Gerrit Cole RHP