Machado hearing scheduled for Wednesday

Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that third baseman Manny Machado's hearing on his appeal of a five-game suspension will take place Wednesday in Baltimore. Executive vice president Dan Duquette will attend the hearing with Machado. A verdict may not be handed down until this weekend, which suits the Orioles, who would prefer to have Machado available for Friday night's doubleheader against the Rays. The Orioles will add Kevin Gausman as a 26th player and he's scheduled to start Game 1. They would need to make an additional roster move if Machado begins serving his suspension, calling up an infielder and sending down a reliever. Machado was given a five-game suspension and fined an undisclosed amount after throwing his bat on June 8 in retaliation for two inside pitches from Athletics reliever Fernando Abad, which caused the benches and bullpens to empty for the second time in the three-game series. Machado also was in the middle of the first scrum two nights earlier after taking exception to a tag from third baseman Josh Donaldson. Machado apologized to the Orioles, their fans and the Athletics in separate interviews on June 9. Abad was fined an undisclosed amount, but he did not receive a suspension despite twice throwing at Machado. The Orioles, citing precedents, are confident that Machado's suspension will be reduced.