Rookie Chris Ellis threw a bullpen session this afternoon at Camden Yards and remains a candidate to start this weekend against the Rangers.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was waiting for a health update after head athletic trainer Brian Ebel monitored the session.
"I should know here in about 20 minutes. Hopefully, he's good to go," Hyde said.
"If he's good to go, he'll pitch probably Saturday. And then (John Means) Sunday."
Hyde confirmed the infielder Ramón UrÃas won't play again this season due to a right adductor strain. He's eligible to return from the 10-day injured list on Oct. 2 in Toronto, but the club is shutting him down.
UrÃas showed the club that he can contribute in 2022, whether as a utility player or a starter at third base, second base or shortstop.
"I think we have a lot of decisions to make," Hyde said. "I thought Ramón's year definitely put him on the map. Someone for us to discuss about being part of the infield next year. He did a lot of really good things for us this year. Played multiple positions, took good at-bats, put up some numbers. Was solid defensively in three spots. So, disappointed to see his season end, but I'm sure he's going to be on the radar for us next year."
Bruce Zimmermann
"We're going to watch him pitch tonight, re-evaluate and kind of see where we are pitching staff wise, see about Ellis," Hyde said. "Some of these guys are putting some innings in. Maybe we'll piggyback. I don't know what we're going to do yet. But deciding about Chris is a big factor in a lot of things."
Anthony Santander is hoping to get back in the lineup Friday night and worked out earlier today to test his left hamstring. He avoided the injured list yesterday and is day-to-day.
"Better today," Hyde said. "Probably still a day or two today, but it does feel better today."
Santander felt the hamstring grab as he chased J.T. Realmuto's walk-off triple Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Hyde said he worried that Santander might miss the rest of the season "the way he was walking off the field after the game."
"He had a big limp," Hyde said. "I think we dodged a little bit of a bullet there and I think that he's just going to be sore probably for the rest of the year."
The Orioles have gone four games in a row without hitting a home run, tied for their second-longest stretch of the season. They went five games without a homer from June 22-26.
Cedric Mullins has grounded into only two double plays in 90 opportunities, the lowest percentage (2.2 percent) in the majors.
Means' 0.988 WHIP leads the American League and is the sixth-lowest in the majors with a minimum of 138 innings.