Orioles’ Mussina Has Mild Concussion

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina is suffering from a mild concussion and likely will miss his next turn in the rotation but could be ready to pitch within 10 days, the team’s trainer says.

Mussina made a brief pregame visit to Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday. He was released from the University of Maryland Medical Center late Thursday night after being treated for a broken nose and a cut above his right eye suffered when he was struck by a line drive off the bat of Sandy Alomar during the Orioles’ 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

“He was in really good spirits today,” said Richie Bancells, the Orioles’ head trainer. “His headache was gone. He said he slept a little bit (Thursday) night. The swelling was not as bad as I thought it would be. His eye was still closed. Once that goes away, we’re pretty much ready to go.”

Mussina left the ballpark before Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He did not speak to reporters.

Bancells said that Mussina almost certainly has a mild concussion, but that won’t be a factor in when he can pitch again.

“In my experience, you can’t get a blow to the head like that without having a concussion,” Bancells said.

Mussina likely will miss his next scheduled turn in the rotation, Tuesday against the Yankees in New York, but, depending upon when the swelling subsides, he might be able to start in a week to 10 days. If the Orioles stick to their rotation, Mussina’s turn would come up again on May 24 at Oakland.

Team officials decided against placing Mussina on the 15-day disabled list Friday. The Orioles still could do that and make the move retroactive to Friday, but they don’t want to lose Mussina for 15 days if he’ll be ready to pitch in 10 days. Manager Ray Miller said that he’ll let Mussina decide when he’ll pitch.

X-rays and a CAT scan taken Thursday night revealed no serious head or eye injuries, Orioles officials said. A plastic surgeon stitched close the gash above Mussina’s eye. The pitcher’s face was bruised and swollen around his eye today, and he wore sun glasses.

Mussina bled heavily after he was struck first above the right eye, then in the nose, by Alomar’s liner in the sixth inning Thursday, but his injuries turned out to be relatively minor. Mussina told Miller and Bancells he never saw the ball coming. But he managed to duck his head just enough that the ball struck him first in the forehead, not in the eye.