Means still expects to pitch for Orioles in 2023

BALTIMORE—Despite suffering an upper back injury while continuing his rehab from Tommy John surgery, John Means still expects to pitch in 2023 for the Orioles.

Means had the surgery in April 2022 and was hoping to be back in July.

He said he suffered the injury warming up and slammed a medicine ball.

“I wanted to go a little hard on the last one and it yanked on me a little bit,” Means said. “Disappointing, obviously, but at least it’s not a throwing injury or anything like that, but at the same time it makes it a little more frustrating.”

Means said there’s no pain.

“I don’t feel it standing here,” he said. “Just when I put socks on and pull stuff.”

Means has no doubt he’ll pitch this season.

“Yeah, yeah, absolutely,” he said.

He’s hoping for a possible August return.

“Something like that. We’re going to see how it goes,” he said.

Means was still in Sarasota when the injury occurred.

“I feel really good about the shoulder muscles that are used for pitching,” he said. “I took care all of that, and obviously, this happens. At first when it happens since it’s a similar area, it’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Once I found it it’s in the muscle belly and it has nothing  to do with all the shoulder work I’ve been doing. I don’t know how to think about it, to be honest with you. It’s still frustrating.

“It’s one of those things you have to let calm down before you start building back up again. We’re just going to let it calm down here and build back up. It shouldn’t put me back pretty much longer.”

Means is eager to return.

“It’s been tough. Obviously, the last year-and-a half has been tough mentally and now to add this on. I’ve been through harder. It’s one of those things [where] I’m learning more than what I ever have. I’m going to take it, roll with it and see what happens.”