Orioles lineup and notes

Orioles lineup and notes
Steve Pearce is leading off tonight and Nolan Reimold is in center field while Adam Jones sits out another game with a strained left hamstring. Manager Buck Showalter said Jones is "very close." "Still feels just a little bit with one movement," Showalter said. Pedro Alvarez is getting a rare start against a left-hander, Blue Jays 17-game winner J.A. Happ. Alvarez is batting second. Showalter said Chris Tillman may throw off a mound by the weekend, but starting on Sept. 9 or 10 no longer...

Ondrusek and Borbon outrighted

Ondrusek and Borbon outrighted
The Orioles announced today that they've outrighted reliever Logan Ondrusek and outfielder Julio Borbon to Double-A Bowie. Both players cleared waivers. Borbon again has accepted an outright assignment after being designated earlier this season. Ondrusek was designated on Saturday to make room for left-hander T.J. McFarland, who subsequently was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after clearing waivers. Ondrusek allowed seven earned runs in 6 1/3 innings with the Orioles. Borbon rejoined the Orioles...

Jimenez vs. Happ tonight at Camden Yards

Jimenez vs. Happ tonight at Camden Yards
Ubaldo Jimenez made it back into the rotation last week because a spot opened up and he had past success against the Nationals and in D.C. Jimenez remains in the rotation because Chris Tillman is still on the disabled list. It isn't due to his track record with the Blue Jays. Whatever the reasons, Jimenez must serve as stopper tonight and the Orioles must find a way to break loose offensively. A season is slipping away. Jimenez is 6-5 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 career games, 14 of them starts,...

Expanded thoughts on September roster

Expanded thoughts on September roster
Orioles manager Buck Showalter has met with his staff to discuss possible call-ups for the September expanded roster. He intends to speak soon with executive vice president Dan Duquette and finalize the details. Showalter won't crowd the clubhouse and dugout, won't bring up pitchers and players to audition for next season. Anyone coming up is expected to contribute over the final month. Also, anyone coming up must be on the 40-man roster, which currently is full. "I met with the staff to get...

Showalter speaks after 5-1 loss

Showalter speaks after 5-1 loss
Wade Miley retired the Blue Jays in order tonight in five of his seven innings. He set down the first 10 batters. He completed seven innings for the first time in six starts with the Orioles. A quality start couldn't prevent the Orioles from dropping four games out of first place in the American League East. Marco Estrada held the Orioles to one run, on J.J. Hardy's homer leading off the third, and the Blue Jays took the first game of this crucial series, 5-1, before 15,532 at Camden...

Jones' hamstring injury opens leadoff door for Schoop (O's lose 5-1)

Jones' hamstring injury opens leadoff door for Schoop (O's lose 5-1)
By leading off tonight for the Orioles, Jonathan Schoop has started at eight of the nine spots in the lineup during parts of four seasons in the majors. All he needs is to inherit cleanup duties and he can run the table. Schoop has started 25 games in the second slot, one batting third, 20 batting fifth, 53 batting sixth, 63 batting seventh, 98 batting eighth and 82 batting ninth. Steve Pearce led off yesterday for the first time in his career and went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs....

More notes from Camden Yards

More notes from Camden Yards
Orioles left-hander T.J. McFarland has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk and will meet the team later today in Gwinnett. The Orioles designated McFarland for assignment yesterday, but it wasn't the typical DFA where a player is removed from the 40-man roster. One of the complicated transactions in baseball involving optionable waivers. Chris Tillman's throwing session on flat ground went well and he's scheduled to do the same on Wednesday, according to manager Buck Showalter. "That's...

Jones remains out of Orioles lineup

Jones remains out of Orioles lineup
Adam Jones tested his left hamstring today and decided to stay out of the Orioles lineup for tonight's series opener against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Jones said the leg feels much better, but he doesn't want to be selfish and risk a more serious injury. He remains day-to-day. "I'm feeling a lot better," Jones said. "I think it's still there and it's still August. We've got a whole month to go and I just think we're being smart with it. Being smart with my legs and making sure...

Miley vs. Estrada tonight at Camden Yards

Miley vs. Estrada tonight at Camden Yards
It doesn't get any easier for the Orioles. The stretch run can pull a team apart at the seams. Winning yesterday to avoid a sweep in the Bronx, the Orioles return home to face the Blue Jays in a crucial three-game series. They remain in third place in the American League East, one game behind the second-place Red Sox and three behind Toronto. Being swept at Camden Yards wouldn't destroy their season, but the dent would be noticeable. Complicating matters is tonight's opposing pitcher,...

More on yesterday's news and a few notes

More on yesterday's news and a few notes
The news on Adam Jones and Chris Tillman is encouraging, according to reports out of New York. It's mildly disturbing on Steve Pearce. It's quite confusing with T.J. McFarland. Jones remains day-to-day with a strained left hamstring, but manager Buck Showalter told reporters that the center fielder may have been in the lineup yesterday if the Orioles were playing at night. The quick turnaround led to a more cautious approach. My guess is we'll see Jones in center field tonight against the...

Orioles sign Tommy Hunter, recall Oliver Drake (updated)

Orioles sign Tommy Hunter, recall Oliver Drake (updated)
The Orioles added two more pitchers to the active roster today, including Tommy Hunter, their former set-up man and closer who signed as a free agent after the Indians released him last week. Oliver Drake has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, the latest changes to a bullpen that's stayed busy in New York. The lineup card no longer lists left-hander T.J. McFarland, who apparently has been optioned, and outfielder Julio Borbon, who's out of options and must have been designated for...

Gausman vs. Sabathia today in the Bronx

Gausman vs. Sabathia today in the Bronx
Should your main concerns rest upon a rotation that's surrendered 12 earned runs and 13 hits over 5 1/3 innings in the first two games in the Bronx? Or should it be the bullpen with the revolving door and the sudden inability to cover for the rotation? T.J. McFarland, Mychal Givens, Donnie Hart and Brad Brach combined yesterday to allow eight earned runs and 11 hits in four innings. Or should it be center fielder Adam Jones, who remains day-to-day with a strained left hamstring, while Chris...

Orioles select Borbon's contract (plus lineups)

Orioles select Borbon's contract (plus lineups)
The Orioles have selected outfielder Julio Borbon's contract from Double-A Bowie and he's starting today in center field. Adam Jones is day-to-day with a strained left hamstring that forced him out of last night's game after the first inning. Mike Wright has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after pitching on back-to-back nights. The Orioles will be an arm short in the bullpen. Borbon, 30, is batting .275/.336/.362 with nine doubles, four triple, six home runs and 25 RBIs in 106 games with...

Losing Jones last night and trying to win a game today

Losing Jones last night and trying to win a game today
A blowout loss to the Yankees won't leave the same mark as losing center fielder Adam Jones to a hamstring injury. That's adding injury to insult and the Orioles simply cannot afford it. It must be a New York thing. If you recall, Jones left a July game in the Bronx with back spasms and insisted that he'd play the following day, but he wasn't in the lineup. Jones brought the leg cramps from D.C., started last night and was done after one inning. The Orioles announced that he had a strained...

Orioles and Yankees lineups, McFarland off DL (updated)

Orioles and Yankees lineups, McFarland off DL (updated)
Adam Jones is in center field tonight in New York after leaving last night's game in the ninth inning with cramping in his hamstring. Francisco Pena is catching Yovani Gallardo in the series opener against the Yankees. The Orioles will activate left-hander T.J. McFarland from the disabled list, as expected. Update: The Orioles announced that they designated Logan Ondrusek for assignment off the 25-man roster. Not the same as a DFA. If memory serves, he stays in the organzation. They're not...

Gallardo vs. Cessa tonight in the Bronx

Gallardo vs. Cessa tonight in the Bronx
The Orioles have fallen into a pattern of swapping out relievers in their bullpen and scrambling to learn about the opposing starter. They've facing another newbie tonight in New York, where right-hander Luis Cessa will make his second major league start and 10th appearance. Cessa joins a recent list that includes the Astros' Mike Fiers and Joe Musgrove, and the Nationals' A.J. Cole and Reynaldo Lopez. Go back to the last West Coast trip and you'll find the Athletics' Zach Neal and the...

Trumbo: "I've had a great time playing here"

Trumbo: "I've had a great time playing here"
The Orioles accomplished the first important step with Mark Trumbo over the winter by acquiring him from the Mariners. Couldn't build a case for keeping him without that first brick. They followed up with the second step, getting him under contract for 2016 without an arbitration hearing. Trumbo is a pending free agent, being paid $9.15 million while leading the majors in home runs with 38. His outstanding timing isn't confined to the plate. Is Trumbo the 2016 version of Nelson Cruz, who led...

Wrapping up a 4-0 loss

Wrapping up a 4-0 loss
WASHINGTON - Adam Jones was removed from tonight's game in the ninth inning due to cramping in his hamstring, according to manager Buck Showalter, who didn't want to take any chances with his center fielder. Jones said he will play in Friday's series opener in New York and, in typical fashion, changed the subject to the starting pitcher. Pedro Alvarez pinch-hit for Jones after Hyun Soo Kim's leadoff double in the ninth and bounced out. Kim moved to third and was stranded, and the Orioles...

Jimenez offers another quality start in D.C. duel (O's lose 4-0)

Jimenez offers another quality start in D.C. duel (O's lose 4-0)
WASHINGTON - Ubaldo Jimenez hadn't started a game in nearly a month and he was matched up tonight against Max Scherzer. Most pitchers would like having two quick strikes. Only not against them. Jimenez more than held his own, proving again that he's a solid choice against the Nationals and in D.C. But Scherzer is special, rationing the Orioles to an Adam Jones double through the first seven innings. Jayson Werth led off the fourth inning with a long home run and Scherzer may have all the...

Notes on Tillman, roster move, lineup and more (updated)

Notes on Tillman, roster move, lineup and more (updated)
WASHINGTON - Chris Tillman most likely will throw off flat ground on Tuesday in one of the most anticipated games of catch in recent years. Tillman will be testing his right shoulder for the first time since going on the disabled list. Manager Buck Showalter said the throwing session could be held on Monday, but the following day seemed to be the greater possibility. "We've got an idea of when he might start for us again if everything went well, but I'm not going to go out there," Showalter...