NEW YORK - The Orioles are listing Scott Feldman, Zach Britton, Miguel Gonzalez and Chris Tillman as their probable starters for the Rangers series that begins Monday night at Camden Yards. However, that's subject to change.
Wei-Yin Chen said he felt great Saturday while throwing 43 pitches in his bullpen session, and manager Buck Showalter said Chen will start Tuesday or Wednesday night.
Showalter also said Britton is a candidate for Tuesday or Wednesday, which adds to the intrigue - or the confusion, depending on how you view it.
It's possible that Britton could start Tuesday and be optioned to Triple-a Norfolk the following day to create room for Chen. Or the Orioles could remove a position player and go with a short bench before the All-Star break.
Stay tuned.
"That was a great bullpen session yesterday," Chen said, "but I have no idea when I'll pitch again."
He hasn't pitched for the Orioles since May 12. Both sides are ready to reunite.
"He'll pitch Tuesday or Wednesday," Showalter said. "We're waiting on a couple things, see how we get through the next couple of days. But he'll pitch Tuesday or Wednesday. He's ready to go."
The break could cause some adjustments with the roster.
"With the four days, you've got a lot of possibilities," Showalter said. "Some guys, we may consider sending out just to stay active. We'll see what our needs are, like we did last year."
Chris Davis will participate in the Home Run Derby if captain Robinson Cano chooses him. Cano can't discuss the roster until Monday.
"We haven't talked about it, I haven't heard anything about it," Davis said. "If I have the opportunity to, absolutely. Just as much as the All-Star Game means to me, as a power hitter, it's something I've watched since I was a little kid and it's something I always wanted to do. If I'm asked, I'm definitely going to do it."
Davis isn't worried about the derby ruining his swing.
"I play Home Run Derby every day in BP," he said.
"The biggest thing for me is to not go out there and get hurt. I'm not going to swing and try to blow out my back, but every day in BP, we get loose, we work on stuff, and then the last few rounds are, 'All right, let's see who can hit it further.' I've been practicing for a few years."
Would Showalter like to see Davis in the derby?
"I don't think I've got a choice," he replied. "If I do, it will be with the sound off. I can tell you that.
"The biggest pressure here is (coach) Einar Diaz. Einar's going with him. I think he's going to be in it, right? Is that a safe bet?
"No, I don't mind it. If Chris wants to do it, that's fine. I'm all for what they want. I did tell him that if he gets into it, realize that a ball that scrapes the fence for a home run counts as much as one of those 'Wow' home runs."
Davis' 85 RBIs this season would have led 15 teams in Orioles history and tied for the lead on two others.
According to ESPN Stats, Manny Machado's 39 doubles are the second-most before the break in major league history. Edgar Martinez had 42 in 1996.
Machado's 47 extra-base hits were the most in the majors before the break by a player under 21 years old.
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