Showalter pregame on Mariñez, Phillips and more (game update)

ARLINGTON, Texas - Orioles right-handed reliever Jhan Mariñez gave up two runs in the last of the fourth last night, and then got hurt while warming up for the last of the fifth during the O's 17-8 loss at Texas.

Today Mariñez went on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain. The Orioles recalled pitcher Evan Phillips from Triple-A Norfolk. He was one of the four players the Orioles acquired Tuesday from Atlanta when they traded Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day to the Braves.

"Jhan had an MRI and he won't be able to pitch in the 10-day period," manager Buck Showalter said. "So, it's not significant. Feel like it is something that should manage fairly quickly. I think the plans are for him to go Sarasota."

Mariñez went 2-3 with a 2.78 ERA for Triple-A Norfolk in 38 games. He had pitched in eight games for the Orioles, going 0-0 with a 5.63 ERA. Over eight innings he has allowed nine hits and five earned runs with nine walks and three strikeouts.

Phillips will become the 25th Maryland native to play for the Orioles when he gets in a game. He was born in Salisbury and spent the first two years of his life in Ocean City before his family moved to North Carolina. He was assigned to Norfolk after the trade, but didn't get in a game for the Tides. And as Showalter pointed out today, that was a good thing. Because the Orioles needed to call him up today. For Triple-A Gwinnett before the trade, he was 4-4 with a 1.99 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. He was a midseason International League All-Star, and his last five outings with Gwinnett were scoreless. He pitched in four games last month for Atlanta, allowing six runs over 6 1/3.

"Excited about getting him here," Showalter said. "We were hoping to get him an outing or two there (at Norfolk) but he pitched three days ago. He was going to pitch last night. Kind of a blessing in some ways they got rained out. I was getting the box scores from the minor leagues about the fifth inning to see what our options might be. I don't think I've ever been happier about Norfolk getting rained out. He's excited. I know a lot about him and have seen a lot of film on him."

Phillips becomes the fourth player from the recent trades - which brought the Orioles 15 players - to make the Baltimore roster.

Will the Orioles use the rest of this season to look at more of those players?

"I think the ones that are equipped to do it," Showalter said. "Evan has pitched in the big leagues. I know the Yankees were very close many times. I know Aaron (Boone) said they were really kind of trumpeting Cody's (Carroll) promotion a couple of times. They really liked him. In fact, they talked about him a lot this spring. I guess he really must have cut them up in the spring. Guys who are equipped and ready for it.

"Obviously, (Breyvic) Valera and (Jonathan) Villar have played in the big leagues. That's kind of a question for Dan (Duquette) to answer. I don't really see anybody on the near horizon. Stuff-wise, obviously, kids who are 18,19, 20 years old that are playing in A ball, that's not going to happen. I'm going to let it shake out, and if Dan thinks it's the right thing to do, we'll do it."

There was more discussion today about Danny Valencia's one-batter pitching appearance last night, when he struck out Joey Gallo looking at a 91 mph fastball.

"We knew we were going to hear about it for a while. They've been showing the tape of him coming off the field, the presentation. The expression, proud of himself. Now, all the pitchers are wanting me to be sure I get him back out there for an extended outing. I hope that doesn't happen, either. Understand we've already heard this," Showalter said about Valencia telling reporters he can throw harder than 91 mph.

To date this year, 44 position players have pitched, and that is the most ever in one season in the majors. Showalter isn't sure why we've seen so many. He has said he hates having to put a position player on the mound.

"It's not resistance (to doing it). If you can get ahead of it enough, you keep it from happening. We take a lot of pride in that. I'm not sure what it says in today's game. I think what it has placed importance on is having a position player on the bench that can do multiple things. You used to always break camp with an emergency catcher, and now you break camp with an emergency pitcher," he said.

O's fall behind: Making his first big league start since June 29, right-hander David Hess made two errors on one play as he and the Orioles fell behind Texas 1-0 in the first inning tonight. With Rougned Odor on first with one out, Elvis Andrus chopped one to the third base side of the mound and it glanced off Hess' glove. He retrieved it and threw past first base, allowing Odor to score. Hess got an error for not fielding the ball cleanly and another for the throw. O's are down 1-0 in the third.

Baltimore's Jonathan Villar is 1-for-2 tonight with a single and line out. He is 3-for-7 in his first two games with the Orioles after the Jonathan Schoop trade with Milwaukee.

Another big deficit: The Rangers have blown it open against the Orioles again. They knocked Hess out and scored seven runs in the fourth to lead 8-0. They led 13-1 after the fourth last night. Rouged Odor hit a grand slam in the inning. Hess allowed seven runs (five earned) over 3 1/3 and his ERA is 6.58. Donnie Hart gave up the Odor slam. But before that, Joey Gallo and Robinson Chirinos went back-to-back against Hess.

O's on the board: There will be no shutout. The Orioles got RBI singles in the fifth from Villar and Tim Beckham and trail 8-2.

Phillips debuts: Right-hander Evan Phillips pitched two scoreless on 25 pitches tonight in his O's debut. He was acquired in the trade with Atlanta on Tuesday. He became the 25th Maryland-born player to play for the Orioles. Phillips was born in Salisbury. O's are down 8-3, with their latest run coming on a Chris Davis double in the sixth.