Wondering how the Orioles make room on their roster

As the Orioles rotation is lined up, the next five starters should be Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman against the Mariners and Ubaldo Jimenez, Mike Wright and Miguel Gonzalez versus the Marlins in Miami.

Bud Norris is one of eight Orioles currently on the disabled list, joining Matt Wieters, Wesley Wright, Jonathan Schoop, Everth Cabrera, Kevin Gausman, Ryan Flaherty and Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia. Norris can return on May 26.

Manager Buck Showalter already is bracing for some difficult roster decisions, another reminder that the Orioles lack flexibility. They're loaded with players who are out of options.

"We're going to come to a point where we're going to have to make a lot of decisions," Showalter said. "Whether it's a Wes Wright, whether it's a Gausman, whether it's a Cabrera, whether it's a Flaherty, whether it's a Wieters. There's a bunch of them that are getting ready to start coming up.

"I'm ready for them."

Showalter doesn't necessarily mean that he's got it all figured out. He's just eager to be at full strength. Wieters hasn't played this season. Wright has made two appearances. Schoop has played in nine games. Flaherty has been on the DL twice with a groin injury.

Pitcher Tyler Wilson and infielder Rey Navarro can be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Navarro already has been sent down once this season. The Orioles won't carry three catchers, putting Ryan Lavarnway on thin ice.

Cabrera could come off the disabled list Friday to replace Navarro. Does Flaherty replace Cabrera when he's activated? We can't forget that Cabrera no longer has options.

Does Mike Wright eventually lose his spot? What about T.J. McFarland once Wesley Wright is ready? Will the Orioles continue to carry Garcia?

Here's the current 25-man roster:

Pitchers
Brad Brach
Zach Britton
Wei-Yin Chen
Miguel Gonzalez
Tommy Hunter
Ubaldo Jimenez
Brian Matusz
T.J. McFarland
Darren O'Day
Chris Tillman
Tyler Wilson
Mike Wright

Catchers
Caleb Joseph
Ryan Lavarnway

Infielders
Chris Davis
J.J. Hardy
Manny Machado
Rey Navarro
Jimmy Paredes
Steve Pearce

Outfielders
Alejandro De Aza
Adam Jones
David Lough
Travis Snider
Delmon Young

I ran Chris Parmelee's name past someone in the organization, and the subject of roster inflexibility came up again. Parmelee is playing extremely well at Triple-A Norfolk, but how would the Orioles make room for him?

Chen is on the hill tonight in the second game of the series. He's posted a 2.53 ERA in seven starts, though he's won only one of his three decisions.

Chen has worked six innings or more in five of his starts and seven or more in three. He's registered five quality starts, including four in a row heading into tonight. Chen has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six starts and three or fewer in all seven.

Chen is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA in six career outings against the Mariners. Last year, he went 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA in two starts, allowing one run, walking two and striking out 11 in 15 1/3 innings.

The current Mariners are batting .167 (14-for-84) against Chen. Third baseman Kyle Seager is 1-for-17 . Nelson Cruz is 1-for-6, but I'd still pitch around him, no matter the numbers.

Seattle left-hander Roenis Elias has allowed three earned runs or fewer in all four starts this season while going 0-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings. Both of his career appearances against the Orioles came last season, when he surrendered one earned run in five innings on July 27 in Seattle and one earned run (two total) in 5 2/3 innings on Aug. 1 at Camden Yards. Elias struck out 13 batters in the two games.

Machado is 3-for-5 with a double off Elias.