O's hold breath for Mateo after scary collision

MIAMI -- Every once in a while a play gives you full-body chills -- and not the good kind.

Such happened on Tuesday in Miami for the Orioles, when second baseman Jorge Mateo and shortstop Gunnar Henderson collided while going for a ball up the middle in the third inning of the O’s series-opening 6-3 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park.

Jesús Sánchez singled up the middle, the ball careening off the mound and shooting out toward center field, to the right of second base. Henderson got his glove to the ball, but as he did, he and Mateo collided, then rolled across and away from each other. (Mateo rolled toward left field, Henderson toward right.) Mateo’s left arm appeared to get tangled with Henderson’s legs, which put abnormal torque on the elbow joint and arm.

Mateo held his arm close to his body, remaining on his knees on the edge of the infield dirt behind second base. As those around him realized he was injured, and in what appeared to be substantive pain, Mateo grabbed his left arm, just above his elbow. He was attended to by training staff before being led off the field, holding his arm all the while. Mateo was replaced in the lineup by Ramón Urías, who slotted in at third base as Jordan Westburg shifted from third to second.

Manager Brandon Hyde confirmed postgame that X-rays of Mateo’s left elbow were negative, but the severity -- and the exact type of elbow injury -- is unknown. Mateo was headed to have an MRI scan done, per Hyde.

“As of right now, he's day to day,” Hyde said, “but we don't know the extent of how hurt he is.”

It was the first of two unfortunate moments in the bottom of the third for the O’s, as in the next at-bat, Albert Suárez exited after taking a comebacker off his right shin. He was replaced by Keegan Akin. It was a tough start for Suárez even before the injury: He allowed six runs on eight hits and one walk over two-plus innings, allowing singles to the first three batters he faced in the third inning before he exited.

Suárez is OK, though in pain. Hyde confirmed postgame that the injury was not the reason he went to the bullpen in the third inning.

“I was trying to stay in the game with somebody else at that point,” Hyde said. “Akin did a pretty good job, he got three outs there. But we didn't score after that, so not much offense.”

“It hurts more now than when I got hit, [because] the adrenaline is down right now,” Suárez said. “It hurts, but the X-ray came out negative. So it's just swollen and painful but nothing else.”

Both Mateo and Suárez have been impactful for the O’s this season. Suárez has stepped up big-time while Baltimore has seen three of its starters hit the 60-day IL without a timeline to return this year. And while Mateo hasn’t hit spectacularly (he has a .229/.267/.401 slash line), his Gold Glove defense has been a key part of the Orioles’ infield, where he has made 52 starts at second base.

“[Jorge] brings a lot to the table for us, so we're hoping for the best,” said Hyde.

“Just a crazy situation,” Cedric Mullins said. “Hoping both Mateo and Suárez are all right, Mateo for sure. Just one of those things, freak accidents. You know, it's an intense sport when we're out there. Just hoping for the best.”

Whether or not Mateo lands on the injured list, the Orioles are playing it safe and reportedly having their No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Connor Norby, fly to Miami.

Norby is slashing .297/.389/.519 at Triple-A Norfolk and can play the outfield as well as second base. He’s already on the 40-man roster and got some looks back at the beginning of June, when he played in four games after his June 3 debut. He went 3-for-14 in the Majors with a homer and made a good first impression.

Meanwhile, No. 7 prospect Chayce McDermott, who is in Miami on the taxi squad, is slated to make his MLB debut as the starting pitcher for Wednesday’s game. He will need to be added to the 40-man roster, which will require a corresponding move.