PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) - Manny Machado still doesn’t know if he’ll be ready to start the season with the Baltimore Orioles.
Two days after the 21-year-old All-Star third baseman had his left knee examined in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Machado has yet to run - even though he’s been cleared for full activities.
Machado’s recovery has been slowed by scar tissue in his knee as well as by a calf injury.
“Everything looks fine. Knee looks great. Nothing but good things. At this point I’ll just get back out there running and getting back to top speed. And once I get there, I’ll go ahead and continue doing whatever I’ve got to do,” Machado said at the Orioles’ spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla.
Baltimore opens its season on March 31, and Machado isn’t ruling out playing even though he must start playing this week.
“I can’t answer that. I have no idea. I’m just worried about the great news I got, which was I could get out there. That’s the only thing I could control. It’s a matter of how many at-bats I could get, when I can start playing. Today, I can’t go out there and play a game. I’m not ready. I’ve got to get my speed back up.” Machado said.
Before the Orioles played Tampa Bay, manager Buck Showalter said that he expected the Gold Glover, to try and run on Sunday.
“I would bet he would probably test that (Sunday),” Showalter said. “This recovery from when he’s able to run in the next day or so, how he feels running, we’ll be able to get a definitive idea.If he still feels it, that kind of takes away the possibility of (opening day).”
Showalter said that if Machado is able to play this week, he’d participate in minor league games. That way, Baltimore would be able to activate Machado from the disabled list without waiting for 15 days at the start of the season.
Machado, who injured the knee against the Rays on Sept. 23. His surgery was performed on Oct. 14. A four to six month recovery was forecast.
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