masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgKANSAS CITY – The Orioles’ move toward adding a pitcher for a seven-man bullpen. and not one with six pitchers, now seems inevitable and is likely more a matter of when and not if.
For the second day in a row at Kauffman Stadium, manager Buck Showalter has said as much. He’s had relievers he intended not to use over the last two games and the bullpen has given up late runs in losing both of those games.
“I have a pretty good idea how we are going to end up,” Showalter said. “Lot of that…

KANSAS CITY – The Orioles’ move toward adding a pitcher for a seven-man bullpen. and not one with six pitchers, now seems inevitable and is likely more a matter of when and not if.

For the second day in a row at Kauffman Stadium, manager Buck Showalter has said as much. He’s had relievers he intended not to use over the last two games and the bullpen has given up late runs in losing both of those games.

buck-showalter-smell-baseball.jpg“I have a pretty good idea how we are going to end up,” Showalter said. “Lot of that (using a six-man ‘pen) had to do with April and the off-days. When, if – kind of a little bit of both. The last couple of nights have been a good example of why we’re probably going to end up at seven.”

Showalter was asked if he gets frustrated whenever he goes into a game and knows he doesn’t have a full compliment of bullpen pitchers available.

“No. They’re all capable of doing the job that needs to be done,” he said. “The game last night, after the wild pitch, we scored one run. It is hard to hang it on anything but we all kind of dwell on that.

“Keep in mind this is kind of all because Zach (Britton) is not here. That is where it all is coming from. We have some people capable of doing those jobs and will. We have some people down below that are going to make good contributions when it all kind of settles out. I know Dan (Duquette) is aware of it and he’s doing everything he can to try and put our best 25 out there.”

Showalter said catcher Welington Castillo, who is on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis, threw to bases today at Double-A Bowie and it went well. Castillo is going to DH in both games of the Baysox’s doubleheader tonight. The plan is for him to catch tomorrow and join the team Tuesday for the start of a series in Detroit.

Showalter indicated shortstop J.J. Hardy could get tomorrow off to give him two days in a row when you factor in Monday’s off-day. He said he hopes to get Adam Jones a day off soon, too.

The Orioles will start right-hander Kevin Gausman on Sunday. Lefty Wade Miley and right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez are expected to start the first two games of the series in Detroit.

Peña and Tillman again: Francisco Peña is making his second start at catcher tonight since being recalled when Castillo went on the DL. Peña is again catching Chris Tillman, who is set to make his second start of 2017.

Tillman threw five scoreless innings on three hits with Peña back there last Sunday against the White Sox in his season debut.

“I think if he establishes his fastball, he’ll be real good,” Peña said. “You saw that first outing, he scuffled a little bit in that first inning. But after that he started locating his fastball better and used all his pitches and he was real good after that.”