masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgFORT MYERS, Fla. – Orioles closer Zach Britton threw another impressive bullpen session today and manager Buck Showalter said the reliever is “real close” to pitching in his first game.
“Whatever he does next, if it’s not in a game, it will be the last thing he does before he goes in a game,” Showalter said. “Let’s see how he feels tomorrow. I’ll ask Roger (McDowell) when he comes in.”
Chris Tillman has an important bullpen session scheduled for Saturday morning. The Orioles could get…

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Orioles closer Zach Britton threw another impressive bullpen session today and manager Buck Showalter said the reliever is “real close” to pitching in his first game.

“Whatever he does next, if it’s not in a game, it will be the last thing he does before he goes in a game,” Showalter said. “Let’s see how he feels tomorrow. I’ll ask Roger (McDowell) when he comes in.”

Chris Tillman has an important bullpen session scheduled for Saturday morning. The Orioles could get an indication whether the right-hander is capable of pitching no later than April 15, when the club needs a fifth starter.

zach-britton-pitch-white.jpgTillman would be eligible to start April 9 with his assignment to the 10-day disabled list backdated to March 30.

Britton and Tillman threw bullpen sessions on Wednesday. Tillman is getting an extra day of rest before stepping on the mound again.

Tillman received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right shoulder in December, which will cause him to start the season on the DL.

“He felt good today. We’ll see how he is tomorrow,” Showalter said.

“If you look at his schedule, he can’t really miss one. If he does something tomorrow that alters his schedule, then everything kind of changes. So, I guess you could say tomorrow is one that would put him back into the flow with everybody else.

“We’re really trying to find out where he really is with this. With all the throwing he’s had off the full mound, if he’s going to have an issue, I think it’s going to happen tomorrow.”

Showalter said shortstop J.J. Hardy had “a great day” at the complex. As I wrote earlier, Hardy fielded ground balls and hit on the field for the first time.

“If he feels good tomorrow, then it’s just a matter of when he’s ready to play in a game,” Showalter said. “So he and Zach were encouraging today.”

First baseman Chris Davis has bronchitis.

Left-hander Richard Bleier apparently will stay in camp rather than join Team Israel for the second round of the World Baseball Classic. Bleier would have notified the Orioles if he intended to leave.

“I don’t think so,” Showalter said. “It’s his choice. We’ll support him either way.”

Update: Ubaldo Jimenez allowed three runs and three hits and walked two batters in a 31-pitch first inning. Only 16 were strikes.