A few more health updates

Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard has avoided surgery on his right thumb as the offseason moves through October.

Rickard didn't play after July 20 due to a torn ligament in the thumb sustained in a collision with the right field fence at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles transferred him to the 60-day disabled list on Aug. 31.

They're hoping that Rickard won't need surgery over the winter and compromise his availability in spring training and perhaps opening day. A second opinion from hand specialist Dr. Brian Schofield in Sarasota confirmed the prescription of rest.

The news so far has been encouraging.

Rickard was 5-for-14 in his last four games before the injury. Manager Buck Showalter has often cited Rickard as a crucial loss - a Rule 5 pick capable of playing all three outfield spots and bringing a rare element of speed - that left the club scrambling for a replacement until executive vice president Dan Duquette acquired Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs on Aug. 31.

Stubbs recently underwent a minor surgical procedure on a toe on his left foot. He's a pending free agent after going 3-for-22 with 11 strikeouts in 20 games with the Orioles, who included him on their wild card roster.

The Orioles arranged an MRI for first baseman Chris Davis, who played most of the season with discomfort in his hand. He never went on the disabled list and the club wanted to be certain that he won't need surgery.

"There's so many things like that that are going on, you're always careful about telling truths that hurt innocent people, and Chris wanted nobody to look at it as an excuse," Showalter said on Oct. 6.

"He had some discomfort there and it was a challenge for him the last couple months of the season."

Davis homered in five consecutive games from June 7-12, went 11 games without one, then homered in five of the next seven. He went 19 games without a home run from July 15-Aug. 6, but hit five within a four-game span from Aug. 17-20.

The power came in waves.

Davis opened September by hitting five home runs within nine games, but he came up empty in the last 15 games and the wild card game. His slash line fell from .262/.361/.562 in 2015 to .221/.332/.459 this season.

"We did the X-rays and everything," Showalter said. "It's just sometimes you're in a sport where you can't give something time to get back to 100 percent and I could stay that about probably 10 or 15 guys."

Reliever Darren O'Day has avoided surgery on his right rotator cuff after a strain forced him back on the disabled list on Aug. 13. He was reinstated on Sept. 18 and tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in the wild card game, stranding two inherited runners.

O'Day made his 21st postseason appearance, including 10 with the Orioles.

Note: The Orioles' annual minicamp will be held Jan. 8-11 at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota.

Invited players will report on the 8th and work out the next three days.