In baseball, there are a lot of things you can control—your bat swing, your defense, or your pitch. However, there’s one thing that even the most experienced professionals can’t predict—that’s exactly what Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg learned this spring. While most players struggle with usual issues like injuries or rust, Westburg got himself sidelined due to a sleeping mattress!

As strange as it sounds, the soft bed in his Airbnb triggered back soreness that kept him out of action for over a week. “I’m used to sleeping on a rock back home, and my Airbnb has a little bit of a softer mattress,” Westburg explained, adding, “It was something I was trying to be stubborn through, which was stupid of me, but I got a mattress topper and I feel much better.” Westburg, expected to handle primary third base duties for the Orioles this season, quickly learned the importance of a good night’s sleep.

“I gotta sleep on a harder mattress,” he added with a chuckle. “Softer mattresses kind of put you in bad posture. I might sleep better on it the first two nights, but it’s no good for me.” Fortunately, after adding a mattress topper, Westburg is feeling much better and plans to return to full baseball activities soon. Besides this Westburg-mattress saga, the Orioles are dealing with another player’s injury woes. Gunnar Henderson, the team’s star shortstop, is nursing a mild intercostal strain. While the injury isn’t expected to keep him out for long, it surely has raised concerns about his availability for opening day.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde remains hopeful that Henderson will be ready to return to full action in time for the season’s start. Now, as the 2025 season approaches, it seems that the Orioles are learning the hard way. The road to recovery isn’t all about the ice packs but also the right mattresses; with Westburg’s back and Henderson’s strain on the mend, let’s hope both players can sleep easy and bounce back stronger than ever!

Oriole’s postseason pursuit: rising talents and high stakes for 2025

The Baltimore Orioles have been a powerhouse in the American League over the past two seasons. Racking up a mammoth 192 wins, the most in the AL. They captured the AL East crown in 2023 and secured the top Wild Card spot in 2024. Yet, despite their regular season success, the postseason has been a totally different story. In back-to-back seasons, their playoff runs came to a painful and abrupt halt. Manager Brandon Hyde voiced his frustration like every O’s fan, saying, “Very disappointed in how the season ended, just like I was the year before. Whenever you don’t reach your goal, it’s disappointing.” 

The O’s were swept in the AL Division Series by the Rangers in 2023 and then fell victim to the Royals in a two-game sweep during the 2024 Wild Card Series. Now, for the 2025 season, they are poised to change the situation. With a core of young stars, including Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, and Colton Cowser, the O’s are poised to assert their dominance both in regular and post-season. In 2025, they’ll look to plug any remaining holes in their roster, especially their pitching staff.

Fortunately, it has been taken care of by emerging pitchers like Grayson Rodriguez and veteran Zach Eflin. With the talent they have, the Orioles are ready to take that next step toward becoming legitimate World Series contenders. With the last two years’ failures in mind and renewed determination, they are all set to turn their postseason trauma into triumph!