masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSEATTLE – Infielder Ryan Flaherty and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander will play again tonight for Single-A Frederick to complete their respective injury rehab assignments. The Orioles will be making room for them Thursday on the 25-man roster.
It’s going to be a busy off-day.
Flaherty can’t be optioned without clearing waivers. Santander can’t be optioned without clearing waivers and being offered back to the Indians, who surely would take him.
The Orioles put Flaherty on the disabled…

SEATTLE – Infielder Ryan Flaherty and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander will play again tonight for Single-A Frederick to complete their respective injury rehab assignments. The Orioles will be making room for them Thursday on the 25-man roster.

It’s going to be a busy off-day.

Flaherty can’t be optioned without clearing waivers. Santander can’t be optioned without clearing waivers and being offered back to the Indians, who surely would take him.

The Orioles put Flaherty on the disabled list retroactive to May 19 with a strained right shoulder, an injury that first cropped up early in spring training. He avoided surgery, but it’s been a long road back.

The likely corresponding move involves infielder Rubén Tejada, who hasn’t been in the lineup since July 31. He’s appeared in only two games this month, playing third base in the ninth inning of an Aug. 6 blowout win over the Tigers and second base in the ninth inning of last night’s blowout win over the Mariners.

The Orioles were determined to evaluate Tejada at shortstop as the possible successor to J.J. Hardy. Then, they acquired Tim Beckham and continue to evaluate him as the possible successor to Hardy.

Baseball is a fickle game.

Santander-Runs-White-Sidebar.jpgSantander’s major league debut has been delayed by a strained right forearm. He couldn’t throw in spring training, which prevented him from playing the outfield, but not from sticking in the organization.

The guy can flat-out hit, but he spent last summer in the Carolina League. How many teams in the majors, especially one that’s vying for a wild card, have added a Rule 5 pick in August?

Let’s just say it’s a bit unorthodox.

“It’s a challenge,” said manager Buck Showalter. “Someone asked me if I was going to play him in left, right or DH him. There’s not a breaking-in period, you know? There’s some unknown there and we’re not going to be experimenting in August and September trying to win a world championship here.

“I know that we think he’s got the potential to be well worth the wait, but it’s going to be challenging to manage it because you’re trying most importantly to win baseball games and also try to develop him, so to speak.”

Craig Gentry could be designated for assignment again to create room for Santander, though the Orioles fear that he could be claimed and Showalter loves what he brings to the team. The alternative is optioning Joey Rickard.

Wade Miley has allowed two earned runs or fewer in his last three starts and limited the Athletics to an unearned run over seven innings Thursday night in Oakland. He hadn’t completed seven innings since June 1.

Over the course of the season, Miley has posted a 2.32 ERA and 1.258 WHIP in April, a 3.97 ERA and 1.853 WHIP in May, a 7.48 ERA and 1.952 WHIP in June and an 8.68 ERA and 2.036 WHIP in July. He needs to come down the other side of the mountain, and two earned runs in 12 innings this month offers some encouragement.

Miley is holding left-handers to a .211 average this season. Right-handers are batting .296.

In two career starts against the Mariners, Miley has allowed only three runs and struck out 16 batters over 14 innings. He was 7-8 with a 4.98 ERA in 19 starts for Seattle last season before the Orioles acquired him on July 31 for minor league pitcher Ariel Miranda.

Danny Espinosa is 4-for-11 with a double and home run against Miley. Jean Segura is 2-for-13 with a double and home run.

The Mariners are purchasing left-hander Andrew Albers’ contract from Triple-A Tacoma and giving him tonight’s start. He was 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 26 games (17 starts) at Gwinnett, with only 19 walks and 115 strikeouts in 120 2/3 innings.

Albers, 31, is making his 18th major league appearance and 13th start. Ten of those starts came with the Twins in 2013. He’s never faced the Orioles. No one on the current roster has faced Albers.

The Orioles have scored 10 runs or more in 14 games this season, tied with the Yankees and Indians for the second-highest total in the American League. They hadn’t done it at Safeco Field since Sept. 17, 2012.

The Orioles have hit at least four home runs in 13 games to lead the majors.

Manny Machado is batting .386 (27-for-70) with eight doubles, a triple, five home runs, 20 RBIs and 14 runs scored since July 30.