WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is expected to be out eight to 12 weeks with a right hamstring strain that has already landed him on the injured list.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Friday that an MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain. Mountcastle was injured May 30 in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
"It's incredibly disappointing," Mansolino said. "I feel for him, the group feels for him, but we've got to move forward. We've got some good players here that will step up and pick up the slack."
The Orioles got the news on Mountcastle before they had a season-best, six-game winning streak stopped in a 5-4 loss to the Athletics on Friday night.
Mountcastle is hitting .246 with 13 doubles, two homers, 15 RBIs and a .628 OPS through 52 games. He was hitting .298 in May with seven hits in his previous 12 at-bats before the injury.
Ryan O'Hearn and top prospect Coby Mayo will split time at first base. The 23-year-old Mayo appeared in his ninth game of the season on Friday after playing in 17 games while making his big league debut a year ago.
