Britton plays catch, Tillman readies for next rehab start

Orioles closer Zach Britton ventured outdoors this afternoon and threw on flat ground. He didn't wait for his appointment with a hand specialist. He feels good and wants to proceed with the next step in his eventual return to the mound.

Britton played a "firm" catch from 90 feet and also threw his four-seamer and sinker.

"I felt good," he said.

Britton hadn't talked to manager Buck Showalter and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells while meeting with reporters, but he's scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Once that's completed without any discomfort in his forearm, the Orioles will decide whether a brief rehab assignment is necessary.

The appointment with a hand specialist was made to figure out ways to strengthen the area and prevent the discomfort from returning. It wasn't a standard examination.

"I threw already without seeing him, but that wasn't something that was going to prevent me from throwing," Britton said.

Britton can come off the disabled list on Wednesday. Is it a realistic possibility?

"I can't really give you a serious answer right now," Britton said. "Once I talk to Buck and Richie after they meet, I'll have a better idea. But I felt good, so at this point in the season, it's not like I need to build up arm strength or anything like that. It's just about getting off the mound now."

Britton felt the discomfort in Toronto after throwing his breaking ball. He didn't attempt it today, but noted that the sinker grip is similar.

"My hand's going to be in that position on a breaking ball, too, so if I don't feel it on a fastball, I'm not going to feel it probably on the breaking ball," he said. "If it's healed, it's healed."

Chris Tillman will make his third rehab start Thursday in Potomac after joining Single-A Frederick. He pitched for Bowie again on Saturday in Harrisburg and threw 58 pitches in 3 2/3 innings.

Tillman has allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings at Bowie, his pitch count increasing from 42 to 58. He's walked one batter, struck out six and surrendered two home runs.

In his next outing, Tillman likely will be restricted to around 70 pitches with the Keys. While he'd like to cover nine innings, he said, "I'm sure it will be somewhere around five or six innings."

Tillman said he felt much better Saturday.

"I feel like every time it's getting a little better," he said. "At first, it was kind of tough to see the progress just because we're taking it so easy. Don't want to cause anything as far as setbacks, but we're starting to amp it up and I'm definitely starting to see the progress and the strides that we're making."

The Orioles need a fifth starter on May 2 and Tillman would be working on normal rest, but he isn't certain that it's a realistic goal.

"I think it all depends on how it goes," he said. "I'm not going to get ahead of myself and say, 'Yeah, I'm going to be back,' but I think it all depends how it goes. I want to see a few things this next outing and kind of ... We'll talk it over after Thursday."

A positive sign was Tillman's ability to get loose more quickly in Harrisburg.

"This last one was probably by far the best one getting loose," he said. "It was kind of back to where I was last year. I've seen the progress and we're getting to the point where it's easier to get loose now. We're figuring out what it takes."

Tillman feels like he's at spring training. The date is April 24, but it may as well be late March. A May 2 start with the Orioles would feel like opening day.

"I'm looking at it as my spring training and I think you kind of have to," he said. "If not, I think you're cheating yourself. You've got to go out and establish your fastball command first and then all the other stuff will come off that. I think that's the way I'm looking at it."

Showalter said outfielder Joey Rickard will play left field and bat second tonight at Single-A Delmarva. Rickard will remain with the Shorebirds on Tuesday and might come off the disabled list the following day.

Outfielder Seth Smith didn't require treatment today on his right hamstring and he's starting in right field, his first game since Tuesday night in Cincinnati.

ESPN has picked up Monday night's game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Showalter used the word "transparent."

For the Rays
Corey Dickerson DH
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Evan Longoria 3B
Brad Miller 2B
Steven Souza Jr. RF
Logan Morrison 1B
Tim Beckham SS
Shane Peterson LF
Derek Norris C

Chris Archer RHP