Orioles left-handed John means left today’s start against the Brewers after four innings when the team announced he had experienced some forearm strain. It’s always a menacing-sounding development given how often forearm strain can be a harbinger of serious elbow problems, but neither Means nor O’s manager Brandon Hyde sounded unduly concerned.
Hyde called the early exit “a precautionary measure” when speaking to reporters after the game (via Athletic’s Dan Connolly). The southpaw started tight in the third inning, according to Skipper, before catching the coaches’ attention after the fourth. Means said it was the second start in a row that he felt uncomfortable (via Roch Kubatko from MASNsports.com), but indicated that he was not particularly concerned and hoped to resume throwing within a few days.
The team will know more about the problem after receiving the MRI results, although it’s a bit relieved to hear both Means and Hyde express optimism immediately afterwards. Means missed more than six weeks last season after tearing his shoulder. When he landed on the shelf he owned a 2.28 ERA/4.20 FIP; Upon his return in July, he posted a 4.88 ERA / 5.01 FIP.
It’s too easy to attribute Means’ second-half struggles solely to the shoulder problem, but it seemed like the injury was having a certain detrimental effect. Obviously it’s not clear that his current forearm ailments are at all related to his previous shoulder problems, but it’s at least moderately alarming to hear from Means who is dealing with arm problems again.
If healthy, the 28-year-old (29 later this month) could be one of the top guns available in the midseason trade market. Means is controllable via arbitration by 2024 but the O’s are still in the midst of a rebuild and have reportedly gotten him in talks with other clubs over the winter.
His 2022 salary has yet to be determined as he and the Orioles likely face arbitration after he filed for $3.1 million against the team’s $2.7 million offer. The MRI results do not affect this hearing, which will be a backward-looking process based on his pre-2022 work.