Loewen injury leaves void in bullpen

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Orioles reliever Adam Loewen was regaining the form that made him one of the team’s top prospects since being recalled to the majors last month.

But after retiring the first two batters he faced in the fifth inning during Sunday’s 11-10 loss to the Rangers, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound left-hander fell apart.

Loewen walked third baseman German Duran and second baseman Ian Kinsler before a sharp pain in his surgically repaired left elbow forced Manager Dave Trembley to remove him from the game — and don’t expect him to return anytime soon.

“It’s not like he felt in Seattle [in April when he went on the disabled list],” Trembley said. “He’s not going to pitch for a while.”

The reason for the pain is unknown, as Loewen was scheduled to take a CT scan on Monday in Baltimore, the results of which were not known at press time. Regardless, it is likely Trembley will be more careful with his young reliever, who is 0-2 this season with an 8.02 earned-run average.

But there are other issues regarding the bullpen.

The team recently demoted 30-year-old reliever Ryan Bukvich to Triple-A Norfolk when it recalled Loewen from his rehabilitation stint on June 30. In just 5 1/3 innings this year, Bukvich has yielded four runs on nine hits and two homers.

Reliever Matt Albers, who had been a spot starter, is out indefinitely trying to rehab a torn right labrum rather than get season-ending surgery. Albers was an underrated part of the bullpen, going 3-3 with a 3.49 earned-run average in 49 innings.

Right-hander Jim Johnson, who has 13 holds and 1.88 earned-run average in 48 innings, has even suffered through his share of struggles lately. Johnson was tagged for four runs in only 2/3 of an inning against the Rangers on Sunday, easily his worst outing of the season.

Even All-Star closer George Sherrill, who is 27-for-32 in save opportunities this season, has struggled, blowing saves on consecutive days last week.

But the team, especially the starters who haven’t done the relievers any favors with several very short outings the past few games, still has plenty of faith in the unit that has been the team’s strength since Opening Day.

If the Orioles (44-43) want to continue to prove analysts wrong by remaining above .500, they will need to have their bullpen regroup quickly, as they play six games on the road before the All-Star break, starting tonight at 7 in Toronto against the Blue Jays (42-47) and finishing with a three-game series in Boston (52-39), beginning on Friday.

“Our bullpen has been picking us up all year,” Orioles designated hitter Aubrey Huff said. “They will come back.”

dcarey@baltimoreexaminer.com

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