masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles are making another roster move today with first baseman Chris Davis coming off the restricted list. The suspension finally is behind him.
Steve Clevenger figures to be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles have been checking the trade market. The Tides don’t need four catchers.
Clevenger won’t be happy about being sent down. Reliever Ryan Webb isn’t happy that the Orioles designated him for assignment yesterday after talking about placing him on the…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Orioles are making another roster move today with first baseman Chris Davis coming off the restricted list. The suspension finally is behind him.

Steve Clevenger figures to be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles have been checking the trade market. The Tides don’t need four catchers.

Clevenger won’t be happy about being sent down. Reliever Ryan Webb isn’t happy that the Orioles designated him for assignment yesterday after talking about placing him on the disabled list.

It’s a little uncomfortable around here.

The Orioles have 13 pitchers on the roster and they want to get down to 12. They talked to the Rangers about Brian Matusz, according to sources, and would move Wesley Wright in the right deal.

Alejandro De Aza bats.jpgThey’ll hold onto Alejandro De Aza and Steve Pearce, two key contributors in yesterday’s 6-2 win over the Rays.

“Those guys, you can tell they prosper in the environment they’re in, and let’s keep creating it,” said manager Buck Showalter. “It’s fun to watch. They care about playing the game right.”

So does Travis Snider, who made a smashing debut with the Orioles. Three hits, two RBIs, a couple of nice plays in the field.

“It was great, especially a new guy coming over here and impacting the game like he did,” Pearce said. “It’s exciting that we’ve got a guy who has the chance to hit in the middle of the order, drive in runs and it’s nice for him to start off the way he did.”

De Aza lost his arbitration hearing, but he never let it bother him in camp. He struck out three times yesterday from the leadoff spot, but he also reached on an error and smacked a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

“It’s great,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been ready for since the day I got here. It’s great to be here, especially the way the team is doing. It’s a great thing.”

The Orioles had plenty of contributors on opening day, including Ryan Flaherty, who was solid defensively at shortstop and made sure he wouldn’t endure another 0-for-17 start by homering in the ninth.

“That’s the way we’ve been playing, all the way back to last year,” Pearce said. “It’s exciting that we can do damage in any part of the order and we can score runs and we have guys who can hit. We find ways to win and that’s what good teams do.

“We have a lot of guys coming back and we have great chemistry on this team. We didn’t dismantle all of that. We brought a lot of guys back, guys we know can play, and it shows on the field.”

Wei-Yin Chen gets the start tonight. He’s 3-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 13 starts against the Rays and 1-2 with a 2.79 ERA in seven starts at Tropicana Field.

Chen has a 3.06 ERA in 14 starts in March/April, his second-lowest ERA. He’s posted a 3.02 ERA in July.

But that’s not all. Chen owns a 3.05 ERA in 14 games with Caleb Joseph behind the plate. He has a 4.03 ERA in 45 games working with Matt Wieters.

James Loney is 4-for-13 (.308) with two doubles against Chen. Evan Longoria is 7-for-24 (.292) with three doubles.

Rays starter Nathan Karns has made one career appearance against the Orioles, allowing three runs and five hits – including two home runs – in 4 1/3 innings. J.J. Hardy is 2-for-2 with a home run and Wieters is 1-for-2 with a double, but they’re on the disabled list.