Chris Tillman will re-enter the rotation on Saturday (game update)

DETROIT - He has struggled badly with a 11.91 ERA and a 2.824 WHIP through three starts, but right-hander Chris Tillman is getting another shot in the Orioles rotation.

Manager Buck Showalter said today that Tillman will start Saturday at Camden Yards against the Cleveland Indians. After Andrew Cashner starts tonight, Kevin Gausman and Alex Cobb will round out the series the next two days in Detroit. Dylan Bundy is expected to pitch on Friday and then Tillman is back in the rotation. Tillman could be used out of the bullpen tonight in an emergency situation only however.

Showalter said three pitchers threw bullpen sessions today including Tillman, and also Bundy and Cobb. Tillman will have a second bullpen session before his Saturday start.

"It wasn't a heavy workday (for Tillman), but we thought it would be beneficial for him to take two workdays," Showalter said before the Orioles open a three-game series against Detroit. "He was good today, really good."

Tillman has allowed a combined 32 hits and walks over 11 1/3 innings in his three starts. His average fastball velocity has been 89.8 mph, 89.0 mph and 89.7 mph in his outings. Lefty batters are hitting .550 (11-for-20) against him. Since the start of last year, Tillman is
is 1-10 with a 8.28 ERA and the Orioles are 8-14 in his 22 starts.

Showalter was asked what will have to be better and/or different for Tillman on Saturday?

"Chris and I talked today, we talk some every day," Showalter said. "Got to get back to being Chris. He understands the seriousness of it. Falls underneath the Captain Obvious. Chris knows when it is right and when it's not. Time for him to take a step forward."

Tillman allowed six runs and seven hits in two-plus innings on Friday at Boston. Some wondered if that he would be his last Orioles start. Now we know he is getting his next chance in a few days.

Meanwhile, the Orioles selected the contract today of infielder Luis Sardiñas from Triple-A Norfolk. He will start at second base and bat eighth tonight in the frigid conditions at Comerica Park.

"He was with us a little bit last year," Showalter said of Sardinas. "There wasn't room for him breaking camp. I wanted to get David (Hess) back pitching. We wanted to make sure we had somebody in the bullpen to cover Dylan (Bundy on Sunday) if we had a three-hour sleet delay. Luis is a versatile guy. Kind of neutral splits, left and right. Can play multiple positions. Something that we need."

Showalter said "in a perfect world" he would like to keep Tim Beckham playing mostly at third base.

"We got caught into a situation there with only three guys on the bench. We are trying to stay away from moving guys like Chris (Davis) to third base or the outfield. We may be back to three position players after we leave here. We'll see.

Showalter was asked today what his struggling hitters are doing to try to get their bats going? The Orioles have scored three runs or less in three straight and 11 of 16 games to date.

"Everybody is different. Everybody's got a little trigger. We play such a feel game and it is hard to have that. These guys with a track record, I trust them and someone is going to pay down the line. Believe me, they're frustrated by it. There is a lot of trust involved here. I think we are going to be a good club when everything shakes out."

Showalter told reporters today that minor league left-hander Chris Lee is doing well and pitched today at extended spring training in Florida. He went three innings and 42 pitches, after throwing a bullpen session on Saturday. Lee sustained an oblique injury while facing his only batter in spring training.

The O's skipper added, "He's healthy and making good progress."

Detroit gets early lead: The Orioles trail the Tigers 2-1 at the end of three. Victor Martinez hit his first homer of the year, a two-run shot in the second, after a walk to Nicholas Castellanos. The Orioles got one back on Trey Mancini's line drive homer to left in the top of the third off Francisco Liriano. Mancini drilled a 1-1 curveball 376 feet for his second homer of 2018. He ended a nine-game RBI drought. Andrew Cashner is at 58 pitches through three innings.

O's tie, then trail: Adam Jones delivered by RBI single in the fifth to tie it 2-2 but the tie didn't hold long at all. An RBI triple by Jeimer Candelario in the last of the inning moved Detroit back ahead 3-2. He hit a shot to right-center field and it scored Leonys Martin, who had reached on a one-out bunt single.

Cashner was solid: Cashner was replaced by Brad Brach with his club down 3-2 in the seventh. He went six innings allowing seven hits and three runs on 91 pitches. He's allowed just four runs in 19 innings his past three games.