Keeping the defense together, and other notes (updated)

The Orioles' defense continues to make plays on a nightly basis that grab the attention of manager Buck Showalter, his coaching staff and the media.

Showalter wondered today how many times catcher Matt Wieters, third baseman Manny Machado, shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and first baseman Chris Davis were in the same lineup last season at their normal positions - as they are tonight to close out their series against the Blue Jays.

The magic number is 18.

Wieters was returning from "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow. Hardy began the season on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury. Schoop missed three months after spraining his right knee. Davis kept moving to right field or serving as the designated hitter.

"We didn't really have that team together on the field," Showalter said. "It's been a while. It's fun to watch."

It's shocking when a play isn't made, such as the ground ball last night that took a tricky hop and glanced off Machado's glove for an RBI single.

"Manny got a bad hop, the ball dove down," Showalter said. "I was kidding him in the dugout, 'That's the best sinker you'll see all season.' The ball was here and all of a sudden the bottom just fell out of it. When you see something like that, everybody just kind of goes, 'Wow.'

"They challenge each other, feed off each other. They've got a little thing going where they grade each other. They kind of do the, what is it, 'The Voice?' What are some of those shows that people watch?"

Brian Matusz is expected to come off the disabled list on Saturday, with Kevin Gausman following two days later. The Orioles face some tough decisions regarding the corresponding roster moves.

We only know that two pitchers will be removed.

"They're all difficult, but I think our guys understand that this is a 40-, 50-, 60-man attack on the season," Showalter said. "We're going to keep making depth a priority. I said it in the spring, it's one thing to have inventory.

"I don't like that word. Inventory and depth are two different things, two completely different things. You can have a bunch of inventory. You've got old clothes in your closet, but you don't wear them. That's an inventory of clothes, but nothing that you're going to go out in public in. Well, I do. I get chastised about it."

The Orioles won't necessarily send out a pitcher simply because he can be inserted into Triple-A Norfolk's rotation and fill a glaring need.

"You don't make a move because the Norfolk rotation is in need of a starter," Showalter said. "I think you can send someone down there to start who may not fill that role when they come back here. Our big thing is our best 25. I'm not sure if the people we sent out, nobody's smart enough to know if they're better or worse, but I do like the fact they're all still in our system and still available.

"Those aren't fun conversations. They know what's coming. They know. But you don't want to send somebody out just because they have an option. Sometimes, that's the tie-breaker if it's 50-50. I understand that. I think everybody does.

"You look at the clubs you're getting ready to play. It's pretty obvious who has done well against, say, the Yankees or Tampa or Kansas City. You look at ballparks. You try to get every little edge that you can."

Showalter hasn't guaranteed that Matusz returns on Saturday and Gausman on Monday, but the odds favor it.

"It looks like Matusz Saturday in Kansas City. It could be Friday if we wanted to push it. We're thinking Saturday," Showalter said, leaving himself a little wiggle room.

"Gaus' next day to start would be Monday. We'll see how he feels today."

Pressed on whether Gausman is more likely to be activated on Monday instead of Tuesday, Showalter said, "He's got a chance. He's got a chance to pitch for us in his next outing. We'll see how it all fluctuates.

"I almost went there. Nice going. I got six hours sleep last night so I'm pretty sharp today."

Showalter also hasn't confirmed that Vance Worley is starting Saturday night in Kansas City.

"See how we get through tonight and tomorrow maybe," he said.

A third roster move may be pending with Jimmy Paredes set to begin an injury rehab assignment on Tuesday. A position player's assignment ends after 20 days - it's 30 for a pitcher - unless he agrees to extend it.

Paredes is swinging from both sides of the plate and playing the outfield at extended spring training.

"The idea was to get 20 at-bats down there before he went out and that should be done by Sunday, and then he goes out to an affiliate and plays on Tuesday," Showalter said. "That's the plan. As far as how much he needs, he's been playing mostly left field and right field. We'll probably start to move him around a little bit."

Showalter was surprised to learn that the Orioles hadn't experienced a walk-off win on a passed ball before last night.

"That's why guys who have been around a little bit don't get bored, because something happens every night where I go, 'I've never seen that before,'" he said. "We've had like three defensive plays ... I've never seen the shortstop covering third on a reverse rundown. There will be something tonight."

The Orioles could use a deep start from Chris Tillman tonight, but he's 4-10 with a 5.79 ERA and 1.383 WHIP in 20 starts against Toronto. The current group is batting .321 against him.

"Chris has pitched a little better against them here, but there's a lot of people who have had trouble there and it's one reason why they won the American League. And they've had trouble with them in their home park, too, and he might tonight. But I didn't want to bump him around there," Showalter said.

"It's like I told the players in the advance meeting, we had something they wanted last year and they came and took it from us. And they have something we want. I think he wants to figure it out and there's one way to do it. If you keep creating that distance from it, sometimes you've got to look it right in the face and get after it. It is what it is. If they're worth their weight, and I know Chris is, they'll welcome the challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing how he does tonight."

Update: Tillman threw 38 pitches in the top of the first inning and fell behind 2-0. Marco Estrada threw 28 in the bottom of the first, allowing a run and loading the bases with no outs.

We're on quite a pace here.

Tillman has thrown 55 pitches in two innings. Josh Donaldson had an RBI double in the first and Justin Smoak walked with the bases loaded and two outs.

Joey Rickard led off the bottom of the first with an infield hit, the ball actually going through Donaldson's glove. He's reached base in all 14 games.

Rickard stole his first base in the majors and scored on Machado's single. Machado tied his career high with a 14-game hitting streak.

Adam Jones doubled and Davis walked to load the bases, but Mark Trumbo was called out on strikes with the count full - the pitch was low, but plate umpire Dan Bellino disagreed - and Wieters grounded into a double play.