Tonight's game holds special meaning to Davis (O's down 14-8)

Tonight's game holds special meaning to Davis (O's down 14-8)
Chris Davis isn't the type to request items from his playing career that can be kept as souvenirs and keepsakes. His sentimental side has its limits. But tonight is special. Tonight is Davis' 1,000th career game in the majors, a milestone achieved after years of trying to prove that he was more than a 4A player. More than a guy who could destroy baseballs in the high minors, but never stick at the highest level. Davis asked manager Buck Showalter for the lineup card to tonight's game against...

Showalter on Rickard, O'Day and Hardy

Showalter on Rickard, O'Day and Hardy
Outfielder Joey Rickard is back in Sarasota after having his right thumb examined Monday in Baltimore. Back to the Ed Smith Stadium complex, the splint worn for another two-to-three weeks. Back to reminding manager Buck Showalter how much his absence is felt on the team. "I'm really hoping the two-to-three weeks is two weeks and hoping that he gets moving," Showalter said. "We miss him. We've been without him for quite a while. He brought a lot of things to us that we've been trying to...

Darren O'Day on his injury and missing the competition

Darren O'Day on his injury and missing the competition
Orioles reliever Darren O'Day woke up this morning with his right shoulder feeling much better, the improvement significant enough to provide encouragement following updates that noted only how he was "inching along." However, O'Day still hasn't been cleared to throw and can't provide any timetables. He's quite literally in day-to-day mode. He's also mad at himself for trying to pitch through the pain. The Orioles placed O'Day on the disabled list retroactive to Aug. 12 with a strained...

Orioles lineup vs. Astros

Orioles lineup vs. Astros
The Orioles are trotting out a familiar lineup tonight for their second game against the Astros. No reason to change it after last night's offensive explosion. Hyun Soo Kim is in left field again and batting second. Chris Davis, with three home runs in the last two nights, is playing first base and batting cleanup. Mark Trumbo is in right field at batting fifth. Matt Wieters is behind the plate. J.J. Hardy is celebrating his 34th birthday today. Last night, he became only the second Oriole to...

Miley: "Just got to manage innings better"

Miley: "Just got to manage innings better"
Wade Miley never said that he wanted to come into Baltimore like a wrecking ball. That was me just hoping that I could make another Miley Cyrus reference, as if increasing my total also would somehow bump up my salary. (For the record, I didn't want to come into Baltimore like a wrecking ball. More like a rolling stone, based entirely on my name.) Miley has made three starts since the Orioles acquired him from the Mariners for minor league left-hander Ariel Miranda, whose departure robbed me...

Orioles risk spoiling Gausman in 13-5 win (with quotes)

Orioles risk spoiling Gausman in 13-5 win (with quotes)
Kevin Gausman received 12 runs tonight. Hyun Soo Kim hit a triple. The game was delayed while unicorns unrolled the tarp in anticipation of rain. Only two of these statements are true. Take your time. (It should have been obvious that head groundskeeper Nicole McFadyen never would allow unicorns on her field and certainly not with the radar showing clear skies.) Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer off Astros rookie Joe Musgrove in the first inning, J.J. Hardy homered twice, Manny Machado and...

Can last night's home run get Davis on a roll? (O's lead 12-5)

Can last night's home run get Davis on a roll? (O's lead 12-5)
No matter how many at-bats have ended with Chris Davis walking back to the dugout or making a sharp turn toward it, he's always believed that he's one at-bat away from going on one of his familiar tears. Davis is batting .163/.305/.265 since the All-Star break, with 43 strikeouts in 98 at-bats, but his third home run landed on Eutaw Street in last night's 8-1, six-inning loss to the Red Sox. One at-bat away? "I think that way about all our guys," said manager Buck Showalter, who returned...

Early notes from Camden Yards

Early notes from Camden Yards
The Red Sox lost to the Tigers today 4-3 at Comerica Park, opening the door for the Orioles to get back into a second-place tie with a win tonight. Chris Tillman's flat ground session went well and manager Buck Showalter is more confident that the right-hander will start Saturday night against the Astros. Tillman had his scheduled start last night pushed back due to some discomfort in his right shoulder. Dylan Bundy made the start last night and he's fine today after rolling his right ankle...

Orioles lineup vs. Astros

Orioles lineup vs. Astros
Chris Davis is back at first base and Mark Trumbo returns to right field tonight for the Orioles' series opener against the Astros at Camden Yards. Pedro Alvarez gets his first start since Thursday in Oakland. Chris Tillman is playing catch in the outfield to test his right shoulder. He's gradually increasing the distance and appears to be fine. Kevin Gausman's 3.52 run support average is the fourth-lowest among qualifying American League starters. He's received one run or fewer in nine of...

The striking resemblance to tonight's opponent

The striking resemblance to tonight's opponent
Who's going to be the first member of the media today to "remind" manager Buck Showalter of the painful sweep in Houston? More to the point, who's going to bring up the worst aspect of it besides the losses? "Hey, remember that time your hitters set the major league record for most strikeouts in a three-game series?" There's probably a smoother way to ease into it. The Orioles lost 3-2 in 13 innings, 4-3 and 4-2 from May 24-26, headed to Cleveland to play the first-place Indians and won...

Showalter speaks after rain-shortened 8-1 loss

Showalter speaks after rain-shortened 8-1 loss
The Orioles gave up eight runs in six innings tonight, lightning and persistent rain forced a 1 hour, 17 minute delay, and the night ended without resumption and with a new team occupying third place in the American League East. Dylan Bundy allowed five runs and nine hits, career highs as a starter, and was done after 4 1/3 innings in an 8-1, six-inning loss to the Red Sox before 26,160 at Camden Yards. Mookie Betts didn't hit a home run, but he singled twice and walked. The power was supplied...

Kim getting a rare start against a lefty (O's lose 8-1 in six innings)

Kim getting a rare start against a lefty (O's lose 8-1 in six innings)
A day can't pass for the Orioles without a flurry of injury updates. Outfielder Joey Rickard must keep his right thumb in a split for another two to three weeks, but manager Buck Showalter doesn't want it viewed as a setback. "Everything as it's supposed to be," he said. "Put the splint back on. We're hoping at the end of that period he can start baseball activities. We were fortunate (the ligament) wasn't detached and didn't require surgery, but it is a significant injury that's...

Tillman: Shoulder has "definitely been getting better every day"

Tillman: Shoulder has "definitely been getting better every day"
While Dylan Bundy prepared to make tonight's start against the Red Sox, Chris Tillman stood at his locker and provided an update on his right shoulder. The club's stopper did his best to slow the avalanche of concern and speculation over the decision to push him back to Saturday night against the Astros, the Orioles taking the predicable cautious approach after he informed them of lingering discomfort in the shoulder. "It's better," Tillman said. "It's definitely been getting better...

Notes on Rickard, Tillman, McFarland and more

Notes on Rickard, Tillman, McFarland and more
The Blue Jays won today in New York, leaving the Orioles and Red Sox 1 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East. Outfielder Joey Rickard will have his right thumb in a splint for another two to three weeks following today's appointment with a hand specialist. The Orioles were hoping that Rickard would be available by Sept. 1, but that date no longer is attainable. However, they still anticipate that he will play next month. Manager Buck Showalter used one of his favorite...

Orioles and Red Sox lineups

Orioles and Red Sox lineups
Hyun Soo Kim is starting in left field tonight and batting ninth against Red Sox left-hander David Price. Kim is 0-for-14 versus left-handers this season. However, as I wrote this morning, Nolan Reimold is 4-for-33 (.121) with a home run and 13 strikeouts against Price. Chris Davis stays in right field, with Steve Pearce at first base and Mark Trumbo serving as the designated hitter. Dylan Bundy ranks sixth among American League rookie pitchers with 68 strikeouts. For the Orioles Adam Jones CF...

Tillman's quest for 20 wins put on hold

Tillman's quest for 20 wins put on hold
Depending on how manager Buck Showalter manipulates his rotation, Chris Tillman could make eight more starts in the regular season. He needs five victories to become the Orioles' first 20-game winner since Mike Boddicker in 1984. The math says it's still possible if he's healthy. Tillman would have been in line for nine more starts if working every fifth day, but he's being pushed back to Saturday because of right shoulder discomfort. And that's tentative, with Showalter adding...

Tillman scratched from Wednesday start with sore shoulder (updated)

Tillman scratched from Wednesday start with sore shoulder (updated)
Chris Tillman's next start is being pushed back to Saturday night against the Astros due to some discomfort in his right shoulder. Dylan Bundy will pitch Wednesday night in the series finale against the Red Sox. Manager Buck Showalter made the announcement following tonight's 5-3 loss to the Red Sox before 26,014 at Camden Yards. "Bundy's going to start tomorrow. Going to bump Tillman back to Saturday, hopefully," Showalter said. "I let the Red Sox know before the game. We talked about it...

Orioles back to division play (O's lose 5-3)

Orioles back to division play (O's lose 5-3)
The Red Sox took their turn at changing the lineup, removing third baseman Aaron Hill due to tightness in his right forearm and replacing him with Brock Holt. Left-hander T.J. McFarland would like to scratch his start today at Single-A Frederick. He allowed three runs and four hits in one-third of an inning against Lynchburg, which homered twice off him. The Orioles have 45 games left in the regular season, including tonight's series opener against the Red Sox. Thirty-one of those games will...

Orioles make lineup changes

Orioles make lineup changes
The Orioles made an adjustment to their lineup tonight without removing anyone. The order stays the same for the series opener against the Red Sox. However, Mark Trumbo has switched from right field to designated hitter. Steve Pearce is playing first base and Chris Davis has moved to right field. The Orioles didn't provide an explanation, but manager Buck Showalter hinted about the change earlier this afternoon while taping the "Manager's Report" on 105.7 the Fan. Showalter said he wanted...

A few early notes

A few early notes
Orioles Rule 5 outfielder Joey Rickard is still scheduled to have his right thumb examined Wednesday in Baltimore. Rickard, on the disabled list with a slightly torn ligament, could be cleared to begin baseball activities. Manager Buck Showalter said reliever Darren O'Day wouldn't have been available to pitch tonight if the Orioles kept him on the active roster. The Orioles initially thought that O'Day might avoid the disabled list by skipping the series in San Francisco and gaining...