The Orioles got about the best news possible on the health of designated hitter Luke Scott, as a magnetic resonance imaging taken Monday revealed just a sprain in his left rotator cuff and not a tear as Scott had originally feared.
"I'm very thankful," said Scott, who hurt his shoulder sliding back into first base to beat a pickoff throw in the first inning Sunday. "God answered my prayers, so I'm happy."
With his arm in a sling, Scott acknowledged after Sunday's game that he was concerned the injury could keep him out for an extended period. However, it appears that he'll miss only a couple of games and might be available Thursday when the Orioles start a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals.
"My shoulder tried to come out of [the] socket," Scott said.
"Maybe there's a little bit of fluid built up, but basically I have a rotator-cuff sprain. My external rotation is fine. I can lift my shoulder. I'd say a few days' treatment and I'll be back and ready to go."
Scott is hitting .303 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 29 games. He has started 23 games at designated hitter and five in left field. In Tuesday's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, Lou Montanez started at DH and Felix Pie was in left field.
"The worst-case scenario was him going on the DL, and I'm glad we don't have to consider that any longer," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said.
Cautious with Koji
Trembley, whose decision to lift starter Koji Uehara after six innings and 94 pitches Sunday came under scrutiny, said he plans to continue to be cautious with the right-hander.
In Japan, Uehara didn't pitch every five days as he is doing now, and he also hasn't thrown more than 89 2/3 innings the previous two seasons.
"I'm going to continue to be careful with him because winning one game or losing one game, I know it's important and I know the fans, and we want to win games. I would have loved to beat the Yankees and this and that," Trembley said.
"But to me, I want him pitching here and starting here in August and September. Where would we be if this guy had to go? We'd be in trouble big time.
"I think that's what I've tried to do for the most part since he's been with us, not max him out and push him to the wall and be understanding of the fact that the guy hasn't been a starting pitcher for a long time."
No word on Hill
