With J.J. Hardy (wrist) facing the possibility of an extended absence, Tejada could be in line for a major uptick in playing time, Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hardy was hit by a pitch Sunday, and his X-rays came back with discouraging results. More tests will be run Monday, but initial reports suggest Hardy could be sidelined for quite a while. Assuming that holds true, Tejada is the Orioles last man standing at short (Ryan Flaherty is already on the DL with a shoulder strain). Third baseman Manny Machado can shift over, but giving Tejada a crack at the starting gig makes the most sense for now.