SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis isn't in the Orioles lineup today, but he must be feeling better.
The Orioles first baseman joked with the media this morning upon returning to his locker, offering an update on his bout with bronchitis in typical Davis fashion, complete with gravelly voice and mock cough aimed near the cluster of digital voice recorders.
"How's it going?" he asked, sounding more like an elderly woman from the Bronx. "Feeling a lot better today. How are you guys doing? Make sure you clean this thing when you get done. I don't want you to get the bronchitis."
But seriously ...
"I feel a little weird today, probably just from getting worn out over the last three or four days," he said. "But yeah, I feel gooder. Good enough to be here."
But good enough to play? The Orioles sent him home again yesterday and waited for the medication to do its job. Manager Buck Showalter hadn't posted his lineup while Davis was interviewed.
"I'm sure we'll leave that to ol' number 2-6 back there," Davis said. "I'm sure he's working on some witchcraft or something. Yeah, I'm sure I'll be in there, probably playing right field and center field, maybe throw a bullpen, do some blocking drills, leadoff every inning and then go back and forth between here and Twin Lakes, maybe get some extra, extra ABs to make up for the time lost. We have days off around here."
Mark Trumbo is starting at first base today and Hyun Soo Kim is the designated hitter. Trey Mancini is making his first appearance in the outfield, starting in right. Nothing for Davis.
Davis was asked about the "level" of his bronchitis, which threw him like a bucking bronco.
"What's like the top level?" he asked. "Like a level 4? Or are we talking a level 10? I had it bad enough to not be here for three days. I came in a couple days. I just talked to our docs and our trainers and they thought it was a good idea for me just to not be here.
"The last time I had bronchitis I was probably like a child, so I don't really have anything to compare it to. It definitely didn't feel good."
No doubt, but better than last summer's flu that knocked Davis off his feet.
"That was like, I don't know what that was all about," Davis said. "Somebody was mad at me for something, but that was awful. There are very few times when I feel like I can't at least get out of bed and shuffle around, but yeah, that was probably the worst feeling I ever had."
For the Orioles
Aneury Tavárez LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Hyun Soo Kim DH
Mark Trumbo 1B
Trey Mancini RF
Joey Rickard CF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Ryan Flaherty 3B
Caleb Joseph C
Kevin Gausman RHP
For the Phillies
Chris Coghlan DH
J.P. Crawford SS
Howie Kendrick LF
Michael Saunders RF
Maikel Franco 3B
Brock Stassi 1B
Cameron Rupp C
Aaron Altherr CF
Jesmuel Valentin 2B
Jeremy Hellickson RHP
Update: Pedro Ãlvarez passed his physical and signed his minor league contract. The Orioles announced him as an infielder/outfielder.
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/