Baltimore Orioles: Has Matt Wieters Fully Returned?

Jun 12, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) celebrates a home run with designated hitter Pedro Alvarez (24) during the fifth inning in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

Has Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters now fully recovered from past injury and fully returned to the top-notch player he was expected to be?

Watching him play on Sunday and seeing him go 4-for-5 with a double and homer would certainly indicate that he is in a good place. And clearly his throwing this year has shown that there are no residual issues from the elbow surgery and recovery.

Even so, his playing time has remained somewhat constrained and cautiously proportioned. But especially with Caleb Joseph out, it has gradually been expanding and the offensive numbers growing along with it.

The hype and hope surrounding Wieters after his first round, number five overall pick in the 2007 draft was extremely high. He broke into the majors in the midst of the 2009 season, and after the five years of ‘09-‘13 was hitting .255 with 87 home runs in 657 games. Not bad, especially for a catcher; but it was not up to hopes for such a high draftee. It was short of “Mauer with power.”

With the coming of the 2014 season, it finally appeared that a corner had been turned. Wieters was off to a great start, helping the Orioles get off to a great start as well. After 22 games he was batting .337 with an OBP of .372, clubbing five homers as well.

And then the injury happened … and then the surgery … and then the long road to recovery from ligament replacement.

He was clearly far from ready to return early in 2015, in the field as well as at the plate. By June 5^th he was back with the team, though being played judiciously throughout the season and totaling 75 games with a .267 average along with eight home runs. Through the end of August he hit for a .256 average, but finished the final month of the season hitting .305.

From the time he returned to the team in June of last year, he played in 69% of the remaining games through the end of the season. This year he has been in 71% of total games, though in June it is 78%.