Teammates feel O'Day's pain

The bond between bullpen mates in baseball is stronger than steel beams. When one reliever is hurt, they all hurt. The Orioles are taking it literally, however, as injuries spread throughout the group.

Closer Zach Britton makes an impressive comeback from right Achilles surgery and Richard Bleier undergoes a season-ending procedure to repair a Grade 3 tear in his left lat muscle. As the club tries to navigate around the void he left, Darren O'Day reinjures his hamstring and is gone for an extended stretch of games.

"It seems to be like one thing after another," said Brad Brach. "As soon as we get everybody back, Bleier gets hurt. It's just one of those things where you're really looking forward to having everybody here being back at full strength.

"Unfortunately, it just seems like Darren just can't seem to get rid of the injury bug here, and losing Bleier was definitely a big one, too."

O'Day is distraught and it might not the strongest word that applies. He's always prided himself on his durability - no one could pry the ball out of his hand in the 2012 playoffs - but yesterday marked his fifth trip to the disabled list since he re-signed as a free agent in December 2015.

Twice the hamstring, plus the rotator cuff, a shoulder strain and a hyperextended right elbow in May after a freak accident in the bullpen. He's caught countless home run balls. The guy needs to catch a break.

The setbacks are taking a toll on O'Day. Teammates sympathize and try to encourage him, the familiar support system among the club's relievers that O'Day often has led for struggling or injured parties.

"I know every time it gets worse for him and it just seems like every time he comes back he works so hard to get there, tries to get back as quick as he can and it just seems to be one thing after another," Brach said.

"It's unfortunate. Watching our friend, I feel for him just because there's nothing he can do. He's doing everything he can to stay healthy and it just seems to be one thing after another."

O'Day came out of the trainers' room Tuesday night and stood at his locker to face the media. A task that must have been as appealing as a fork in the eye. But he's a professional and handled the situation admirably.

The look on his face and tone of his voice illustrated the deep disappointment that he felt.

"He puts a lot of work in staying healthy, so for something like this to nag him, it definitely hits home a lot harder than I think people realize," said Mike Wright Jr. "He doesn't want to get paid and not actually put a product on the field, so I definitely feel for him, and hopefully we can get him back soon."

Craig Gentry sat in the bullpen last night, but he isn't a pitcher and he's on the disabled list with a cracked rib. Maybe he wanted to experience the comradery. The laughter and conversations, the candy and seeds that are consumed. And without O'Day, someone has to flag down the home run balls.

"These are things you go through every year, and not just with the bullpen, but the whole team," Wright said. "Injuries are part of the game. It is disappointing.

"You've got your leadership in Darren, and for him to go down, especially after such a good game (Friday) in Atlanta - that was awesome to watch. I was really excited for him, and going forward I was really excited. But we've got some young guys coming up, some explosive arms, and maybe this will be good for them to get this experience."

Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo is on the disabled list with elbow soreness, so his arm won't undergo further in-game testing. Tanner Scott has been pressed into situations that belonged to Bleier, with mixed results, and Jimmy Yacabonis gets another shot in the majors this week, though he's making his first start today in the series finale.

The Orioles are scrambling to find replacements, sifting through affiliate reports and checking to see which pitchers are rested. Back-to-back outings or extended appearances are killer.

"The whole year has been the most frustrating year for our 'pen, especially how it's been the strength of a lot of things that we do with our organization and our team," said Mychal Givens. "Especially Bleier, the big year he had and he's coming off a good year last year, and Darren is one of our leaders. To have him hurt again is really difficult to see."

It's going to bring the group closer together. Further strengthen the bond. One man's pain is shared like the treats that are carried to the bullpen before every game.

"It's tough," Givens said. "He's the leader of our bullpen. For him being a veteran guy, our leader, he does always want to be part of our 'pen and be part of helping us win and be part of the strength.

"To be hurt, he's more frustrated than anybody, obviously. But at the same time, with our brotherhood in the 'pen, we're frustrated to see him get hurt."