Notes on Hardy, Clevenger, Wilson and Davis (start of game delayed)

KANSAS CITY - The tarp is off the field and the sky is clearing over Kauffman Stadium. I'm still soaked from the walk to the press gate - my shoes should be dry by Labor Day - but it's not about me.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy is flying to Dallas and will meet up with the Orioles on Friday. He can continue treatment for a strained groin.

Catcher Steve Clevenger also is flying to Dallas on Friday and will come off paternity leave.

Tyler Wilson is scheduled to throw a 40-50 pitch bullpen session today in Gwinnett as he recovers from a strained left oblique.

"We'll see how that goes and and let Scott McGregor and them figure it out," said manager Buck Showalter. "We're hoping he'll throw some sort of a game down there and head up."

Chris Davis hit his 35th home run last night and also struck out twice to raise his total to 165, tops in the majors. The Cubs' Kris Bryant is next with 150.

If Davis finishes with 40 or more home runs, is it OK if he also strikes out 200 times?

"Me talking or him talking?" Showalter asked. "First of all, don't think Chris just says, 'Oh...' It bothers him. But he doesn't ...

"Is it OK? I'd like to see him hit .300 and strike out 50 times a year. I'd like to see him never strike out. He would, too. There's always things that come with... You've got a great fielding shortstop who may not be able to hit. You've got a plus-plus runner who doesn't have much power. We're always trying to make everybody perfect. I wish it was that way, I wish it was that simple.

"It's been a challenge for him, but the production's been there. That's why it's in such demand in baseball, because run production is hard. I try not to impose the way that I was brought up in the game. It was a big thing back then. I can remember striking out one time in Little League and crying in the dugout the last game of the season."

Showalter got his revenge.

"He helped me put a roof on my mother's house and halfway through it, about five years ago, he reminded me of the strikeout. Really," Showalter said. "Took him deep next time, though, in the playoffs. I got him later, too, in high school. Every time I faced him, I was going to wear him out.

"I'll take the contact-to-damage ratio, but there are so many times that you've got a man on third and one out, infield back. But you have to swing the bat to hit 35 home runs, and when you swing the bat ..."

Strikeouts happen.

Showalter also noted that Davis' walk total is up. He's tied for 18th in the majors with 57.

"A guy can be hitting .200, but if he's got a lot of power, his walk totals will be up," Showalter said. "Mark Reynolds walks 70-80 times. What does that tell you? Pitchers always respect power, and they pitch accordingly."

Davis, Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop hit two-run homers last night. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cueto had never allowed three homers with runners on base in one game. He also hadn't allowed a pair of multiple-run homers in a game since 2009.

Update: The Royals announced that the game won't start on time due to a pending storm. They're hoping it begins within an hour of the scheduled 1:10 p.m. (local) time.

Also, the Virginian-Pilot confirms that outfielder Dariel Alvarez is joining the Orioles in Texas following today's game.