Duquette weighs deals for "this year and future years"

The Orioles suddenly are playing again like a club that hasn't conceded the 2017 season, no matter its placement in the standings and the wild card race. The optimism comes and goes, just like the run production that resurfaced in the first inning.

To be determined is how many of the current players will be part of any attempts to make another run at contention.

Majority owner Peter G. Angelos met early this afternoon with executive vice president Dan Duquette regarding the direction of the club, according to multiple sources. Duquette has received permission to move any of his top three relievers - Zach Britton, Brad Brach and Darren O'Day - as MLB Network's Ken Rosenthal reported.

Other players also are on the table, including outfielders Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim and catcher Welington Castillo. However, I can confirm that third baseman Manny Machado and center fielder Adam Jones remain untouchable.

Duquette wrote in a text message that there's "nothing new" and the Orioles "are discussing things with other clubs to improve our club for this year and future years."

"It is that time of year," he wrote.

So, does that make the Orioles a buyer or seller? Guess it depends on the deals.

They'd certainly like to bring in another starter and also improve the depth in their farm system, whether to fill future spots on the 25-man roster or enable Duquette to package players in a trade for a bigger piece.

Meanwhile, the Orioles fell behind 1-0 just two pitches into the game on Shin-Soo Choo's home run off Dylan Bundy. But they responded with a six-run bottom of the first inning.

The first six batters reached against Rangers starter Tyson Ross, and the Orioles equaled their most productive first inning of the season.

Adam Jones reached on an error, Manny Machado walked and Jonathan Schoop delivered a two-run double for a 2-1 lead. Chris Davis followed with a two-run homer, the ball bouncing off center fielder Carlos Gomez's glove and landing over the fence.

Davis was 1-for-14 with six strikeouts since coming off the disabled list.

Mark Trumbo singled and Trey Mancini hit a two-run homer, his 15th of the season, to expand the lead to 6-1.

The Orioles sent nine batters to the plate and Ross threw 33 pitches.

Bundy loaded the bases with two outs in the second and retired Choo on a ground ball to Schoop. The Orioles continue to lead 6-1 as they prepare to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Update: Davis hit a grand slam off reliever Austin Bibens-Dirkx in the fourth to give the Orioles a 10-1 lead. Nine runs are charged to Ross, seven of them earned.

Davis has two home runs and a career-high six RBIs tonight. He has eight career grand slams and 19 multi-homer games.

Update II: Machado's bases-loaded infield hit with two outs in the sixth scored Smith and increased the lead to 11-1.

Bundy turned in his 13th quality start in 19 outings by holding the Rangers to one run over six innings.