NEW YORK - Instead of accompanying his teammates to Toronto later today, Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman will fly back to Baltimore and undergo an MRI on his right elbow.
The MRI most likely will take place on Monday while the Orioles open a three-game series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Tillman lasted only three innings today before manager Buck Showalter, concerned by a drop in his starter's velocity, summoned left-hander Randy Wolf from the bullpen.
Tillman said the elbow felt...
NEW YORK - So much for the Orioles having too many starters for their rotation.
Manager Buck Showalter has mentioned the need for depth in case a pitcher is knocked out of a game with an injury. He usually talks about a line drive up the middle, not stiffness in an elbow, but his point is made.
We won't know the severity of Chris Tillman's injury until later today or after the team arrives in Toronto, but the timing is both good and bad.
The good: The roster has expanded this month, with...
NEW YORK - Chris Tillman is struggling with his command in the early innings, having thrown only 18 of his 34 pitches for strikes through the second.
Tillman has walked two batters and thrown two wild pitches. Worse, he's also served up a two-run homer to Chris Dickerson that's given the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Dickerson is starting in center field because Curtis Granderson injured his right hamstring during yesterday's game. Dickerson didn't have a major league at-bat this season before...
NEW YORK - Robert Andino is starting at second base in today's series finale against the Yankees.
So much for a platoon at second base.
Andino is 2-for-5 lifetime against Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes. Omar Quintanilla is 1-for-4 with a home run, but he's mired in an 0-for-24 slump.
For the Orioles:
Nick Markakis RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nate McLouth LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 1B
Chris Davis DH
Manny Machado 3B
Robert Andino 2B
Chris Tillman RHP
Robinson Cano is 8-for-14...
NEW YORK - I'm heading to Yankee Stadium for the finale of this three-game series, with Chris Tillman looking to exorcise his Bronx demons. Or exercise them, if that's an easier task.
Tillman has an 8.42 ERA in six career starts against the Yankees, and it jumps to 10.69 in four starts in New York. He surrendered five runs (four earned) and eight hits in five innings back on July 31.
Tillman is 4-1 with a 2.96 ERA in five road starts this season. Maybe he can lean on that statistic for...
NEW YORK - Jason Hammel gave up an infield hit and walked a batter in his first inning tonight at Single-A Frederick. The Orioles want him to go five innings and to get his pitch count to 70-75 before they decide whether to activate him.
If Hammel stays on the disabled list, he'll be assigned to Double-A Bowie and pitch in the Eastern League playoffs. Otherwise, he could make a Sept. 6 start for the Orioles at Camden Yards.
UPDATE: Hammel shut out the Carolina Mudcats on three hits over five...
NEW YORK - Pedro Strop faced three batters today and didn't retire any of them. A walk, another walk and an error on shortstop J.J. Hardy turned a 3-2 lead into a 4-3 deficit.
Strop wasn't charged with a run, but he was saddled with his fifth blown save. Before today, he had allowed three runs and five hits in his last two appearances, covering 1 1/3 innings. He can add two walks to that line.
"I didn't bring the stuff I usually bring command-wise," he said. "I felt like my command was...
NEW YORK - The first inclination is to dwell on the seventh inning of today's 4-3 loss to the Yankees, when the Orioles couldn't find the plate and a two-run lead disappeared. However, they couldn't build a bigger lead against a pitcher, David Phelps, who was willing to walk the ballpark. Opportunities were lost, and so was a game.
"A lot of people bend but don't break," said manager Buck Showalter. "Our guys have done that in the last couple of games, too. They've had some...
NEW YORK - The Orioles are 8-54 when they trail after the seventh inning.
That's the task facing them today after a 3-1 lead went up in smoke.
The Orioles walked three batters in the bottom of the seventh, with Pedro Strop losing Derek Jeter to force in the tying run with two outs. Shortstop J.J. Hardy committed an error on Nick Swisher's bouncer with the count full, allowing Eduardo Nunez to score and give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
Hardy committed his sixth error on a ball that appeared to...
NEW YORK - Troy Patton threw on flat ground from 60 feet on Thursday, and the Orioles will check on his right ankle today before confirming the next phase of his rehab schedule.
"First time he's gotten the ball in his hand and able to put pressure (on the ankle). First time he's thrown and landed on the ankle," said manager Buck Showalter. "That was a good first step. I haven't gotten the report today. We should get something a little after noon today, with him and (Stu)...
NEW YORK - Matt Wieters is catching a day game after a night game this afternoon. Omar Quintanilla gets another start at second base.
For the Orioles:
Nick Markakis RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nate McLouth LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Chris Davis DH
Mark Reynolds 1B
Omar Quintanilla 2B
Manny Machado 3B
Wei-Yin Chen LHP
For the Yankees:
Derek Jeter DH
Nick Swisher 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Jayson Nix 3B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Ichiro Suzuki...
NEW YORK - We have a 1:05 p.m. game in the Bronx today. I hope you slept fast.
I wanted to give you something to read with your morning coffee before I post the lineup. Here's a quote yesterday from manager Buck Showalter, which came after a reporter asked whether he tends to look up or down at the standings.
In other words, is he more focused on the Yankees or the teams he's trying to stay ahead of in the wild card race.
Showalter fired off his answer without hesitation, and he repeated...
NEW YORK - Miguel Gonzalez hadn't pitched in 11 days before taking the ball tonight at Yankee Stadium. Some pitchers would be too strong, would lose their feel and their command. Others, like Gonzalez, simply dominate.
Gonzalez tossed seven scoreless innings, striking out a career-high nine batters and lowering his ERA to 3.31.
"We had a couple changes," he said. "We have some new guys on our ballclub. I think that's what set me back a little bit more. They told me they were going to...
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter met with reporters outside the visiting clubhouse following tonight's 6-1 victory over the Yankees, and Miguel Gonzalez was the hot topic, as you would expect.
Gonzalez seems to enjoy the pressurized settings. The better the opposing pitcher, the more he dials it up.
"Obviously, when you're facing one of the best pitchers in the league, you've kind of got nothing to lose," Showalter said. "Nobody expects anything. But he's pitched here before...
NEW YORK - Manager Buck Showalter pointed out yesterday that the Orioles weren't going to New York to soak up the atmosphere. He mentioned today that he looks "up" at the standings, not down to check on the teams giving chase.
Message received.
The Orioles have taken a 3-0 lead over the Yankees in the second inning on Chris Davis' sacrifice fly and Mark Reynolds' two-run homer.
Reynolds' ball landed in the first row of the second deck in left field, just above the red Modell's...
NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter needed a lead blocker today to get through the visiting dugout at Yankee Stadium and take a seat on the bench for his pregame session with the media.
This series is getting a lot of attention from national media and New York reporters who normally would hang in the home dugout during batting practice.
Is there more importance attached to these next three games?
"I'm sure there is on paper and on math," Showalter said. "Our guys were very focused...
NEW YORK - Wilson Betemit also arrived at Yankee Stadium today, joining Xavier Avery, Luis Exposito and Steve Tolleson as Friday additions to the expanded roster. Betemit will be activated from the disabled list after playing two rehab games at Double-A Bowie, where he hit a grand slam last night.
The group of call-ups will expand. These are just the guys who reported early.
Zach Britton is expected to start on Sept. 4. Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter and left-hander Zach Phillips also figure to...
NEW YORK - Randy Wolf will officially become a member of the Orioles this afternoon at Yankee Stadium. His debut could come this weekend as the second left-hander in the bullpen.
Wolf has made only five relief appearances in his 371 major league games - allowing six runs and 10 hits, and striking out 11 in nine innings - but he figures to stay in the bullpen unless there's an injury or two in the rotation. Manager Buck Showalter keeps saying that both roles are options for Wolf, which is...
NEW YORK - The Orioles are 17-9 in August, including 12-4 at home, the most wins in any month this season. The last time they won 17 games in any month was August 2010.
So, how long has it been since they won 18 games in a month?
Try September 2004.
Tonight, the Orioles will try to equal that mark. They've got one chance remaining before we flip the page on the calendar.
The Orioles have played eight road series against the American League East, winning six of them. They've taken two...
The Orioles trail the first-place New York Yankees by three games in the American League East. They begin a three-game series tonight in the Bronx.
You can do the math.
It's another monumental challenge, with the Orioles sending out two rookie starters and a 24-year-old with a career 10.69 ERA in four outings in the Bronx. But I wouldn't bet against Miguel Gonzalez, Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman. Not with the way this season is unfolding.
Gonzalez hasn't pitched since Aug. 20. That's...
