Orioles injury updates and lineup vs. Marlins

Zach Eflin begins his injury rehab assignment Sunday at Double-A Chesapeake, as he works to return from lower back discomfort. Eflin will face hitters in Florida next Friday and “should be ready to go,” according to interim manager Tony Mansolino.

Cade Povich, recovered from left hip inflammation, starts Sunday at High-A Aberdeen and will pitch again next Saturday before the Orioles consider reinstating him.

First baseman Ryan Mountcastle will accompany the team to Tampa after the break and report to Norfolk on July 22, as he recovers from a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. He’s eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list on July 30.

“He’s starting to look pretty good,” Mansolino said. “We’re getting excited about him.”

Adley Rutschman took batting practice today from both sides of the plate to test his left oblique strain and will catch Kyle Bradish for two innings next Saturday in Florida.

“He looked great,” Mansolino said of Rutschman. “Swinging the bat hard from both sides, so checked all the boxes.”

Keegan Akin, sidelined with left shoulder inflammation, travels to Florida on Monday and then begins his rehab assignment with Norfolk.

Meanwhile, the Orioles will try to stay hot.

They don’t have much choice.

Last night’s 5-2 victory over the Marlins moved them seven games below .500 and only six back for the last Wild Card. They’ve won six of their last seven and are 27-16 since lugging a 16-34 record on May 24.

Beating the Marlins this afternoon would move the Orioles six games under .500 for the first time since May 3. And there’s the revenge factor, with left-hander Trevor Rogers facing his former team for the first time since last summer’s deadline trade.

Rogers has a 1.57 ERA and 0.872 WHIP in five starts to cement his place in the rotation. He tossed eight scoreless innings against the Rangers in his only appearance at Camden Yards.

Jordan Westburg is at third base again today. Tyler O’Neill is serving as designated hitter and Jacob Stallings is catching.

Jackson Holliday has increased his OPS against right-handed pitchers from .523 in June to 1.010 in July. He’s the leadoff hitter again today.

The Marlins are sending right-hander Janson Junk to the mound. The Yankees selected Junk in the 22^nd round of the 2017 draft out of Seattle University, and he’s been traded twice and selected on waivers twice before Miami signed him as a free agent in February.

Junk has a 3.12 ERA and 1.038 WHIP in nine games this season, including four starts. He’s walked only four batters and surrendered one home run in 43 1/3 innings. The Marlins inserted him into the rotation after his 5 2/3 scoreless relief innings against the Nationals on June 14, and he’s allowed only two earned runs this month in 12 innings.

Most recently, Junk held the Reds to an unearned run and one hit in six frames.

Right-handers are batting .227 with a .492 OPS against Junk, and left-handers are batting .284 with a .709.

The Orioles have never faced him. Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano are each 1-for-2.

For the Orioles

Jackson Holliday 2B
Jordan Westburg 3B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan O’Hearn 1B
Ramón Laureano RF
Colton Cowser LF
Tyler O’Neill DH
Cedric Mullins CF
Jacob Stallings C

Trevor Rogers LHP