Jackson expects to play Wednesday after minor injury scare following HBP
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BALTIMORE -- Jeremiah Jackson has unexpectedly been one of the Orioles’ hottest hitters for the past month-plus, and that continued Tuesday, when the 25-year-old rookie homered in the sixth inning of a series-opening 3-2, 11-inning win over the Pirates at Camden Yards.
However, Jackson’s night ended with a minor injury scare.
Jackson exited the contest in the bottom of the eighth, when he was hit on the right elbow by a 95.5 mph sinker from Pittsburgh right-hander Braxton Ashcraft. Jackson was looked over by a trainer while walking down the first-base line, but he then left the field and was replaced by pinch-runner Daniel Johnson.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino expects Jackson to be fine and to be back in the lineup on Wednesday night, as there were no initial plans for him to undergo testing.
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“All indications are that he’d be OK,” Mansolino said.
It marked the fourth consecutive game in which a Baltimore player left due to injury, following right-hander Dean Kremer (right forearm discomfort) on Friday, catcher Samuel Basallo (right hand discomfort) on Saturday and righty Tomoyuki Sugano (right foot discomfort) on Sunday. Basallo returned to the lineup Tuesday -- hitting a walk-off RBI single in the 11th -- while Kremer and Sugano are expected to avoid the injured list as well.
The O’s -- who have had 28 players spend time on the IL this season -- appear to have caught another break with Jackson, who went 2-for-3 and is hitting .314 with an .867 OPS through the first 33 games of his MLB career.