BALTIMORE – Since John Means exited his start last week with elbow discomfort, concerns immediately arose about the possibility of a serious injury. Means, who has been the ace of the Orioles during their rebuilding phase, had already undergone Tommy John surgery and faced several setbacks on his road to recovery over the past two years. He returned to the Orioles’ rotation in early May hoping his elbow troubles were behind him, but his departure from his start in St. Louis last week raised new doubts.
The worst-case scenario was confirmed on Friday when it was announced that both Means and Tyler Wells will undergo elbow surgery in June to repair the ulnar collateral ligaments in their throwing elbows, Orioles general manager Mike Elias announced before the Orioles’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards. Both pitchers will miss the remainder of the 2024 season and are expected to be sidelined into the start of the 2025 campaign.
“It’s a very unfortunate situation for us, for them,” Elias said. “Tough news for everybody. But we’ll take great care of them and get them back to their skill levels in due time.”
Elias stated that the team will determine the specific type of surgery for each pitcher closer to their respective procedures. He did not specify the potential procedures, but did not rule out Tommy John surgery, which typically requires a recovery period of 12 to 18 months. Another option could be an internal brace procedure, which is becoming more prevalent among MLB pitchers as an alternative to Tommy John surgery.
“There’s a possibility of some different timeframes right now based on what exactly takes place once they start doing arthroscopic surgery,” Elias explained.
Means, 31, returned from Tommy John surgery in September after an extensive rehabilitation process and a setback due to a back injury. He made four starts this season before experiencing elbow pain, leading to his shutdown for the year. Means followed a cautious buildup plan this season, spending the first month on the injured list. However, he exited his fourth start on May 22 against the St. Louis Cardinals with elbow discomfort and landed on the IL the next day.
Wells, 29, was placed on the 15-day IL in mid-April with elbow inflammation after starting three games at the beginning of the season. After his start on April 12 against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wells felt increased soreness, which persisted in the following days. Manager Brandon Hyde initially expressed optimism about Wells’ recovery and placed him on the IL as a precaution.
“We’re really confident he’s going to be OK and it’s not going to be too long,” Hyde said at the time.
However, Wells struggled to progress over the next month, with limited activity until visiting the Orioles’ facility in Sarasota, Fla., in May to resume throwing.
Means had a strong start to the 2024 season, pitching seven scoreless innings in his return on May 4 and posting a 2.61 ERA with 16 strikeouts and two walks over 20 2/3 innings. The Orioles had hoped he could return to his form from 2019 to 2021, when he was a reliable starter and one of the few bright spots on a rebuilding roster. Means was an All-Star and the runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year in 2019, and he threw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners on May 5, 2021. Means avoided arbitration last winter by signing a one-year, $3.325 million contract for 2024 and is set to become a free agent this winter.
Wells, selected by the Orioles in the 2020 Rule 5 draft, was recovering from Tommy John surgery and had never pitched in the major leagues. He became a key member of Baltimore’s pitching staff over the past three years, posting a career 4.06 ERA in 294 2/3 innings. Wells concluded the 2021 season as the team’s closer before returning to a starting role in 2022. He showed promise in the first half of 2023, leading the American League in WHIP, but struggled in the second half due to injuries.
With both Means and Wells now out for the season, the Orioles’ rotation will need to rely on other pitchers to step up. Cole Irvin, who returned to the bullpen on Monday after the team faced a starting pitcher logjam, will remain in his current role. Additionally, with Dean Kremer also on the IL due to a triceps strain, Albert Suárez is getting an opportunity to solidify his place in the rotation.
