The Orioles already weren’t expecting Dylan Bundy to contribute at the major league level this season, but now the focus may officially shift to 2015.
According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, Bundy was placed on the 7-day minor league disabled list today with a right lat strain. He suffered the injury while running in the outfield after his most recent rehab start with High-A Frederick. The minor league season comes to a close on September 1, so there’s a legitimate chance that the Orioles will just shut him down.
Bundy, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, returned to game action two months ago and posted a 0.60 ERA and 22/3 K/BB ratio in 15 innings over three starts with Low-A Aberdeen before moving up to Frederick. The 21-year-old has had some struggles during his time there, putting up a 4.78 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 13 walks over 26 1/3 innings, but he struck out seven over 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his final start before the lat injury.
Bundy was the No. 4 overall pick and made it the majors in his first pro season as a 19-year-old in 2012. The past two years haven’t gone according to plan, but the hope is that he’ll be a factor in the Orioles’ rotation in 2015.
