Baltimore Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis, who suffered a wrist injury on May 29 in a loss to the Blue Jays, had to have surgery on the hamate bone in his hand. At the time, it was stated he’d be out from three to four weeks.

Looks like that timetable has been extended, but just by a bit:

With Terry Crowley watching, #Oroles’ Nick Markakis took batting practice in Aberdeen. Swung easily and drove final pitch over rf wall.

— Rich Dubroff (@RichDubroff) July 2, 2012

That’s good news for Markakis and for the team; the Orioles, who were in first place when he went down with this injury, have gone 13-16 since.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Markakis will be back in the lineup any time soon; there will be the usual rehab stint, and with just a week left before the All-Star break, it’s likely his return will be after the break ends.

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