Notes on Cashner, rotation, Britton and more (tied 2-2)

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Andrew Cashner will make his first appearance in a Grapefruit League game with Sunday night's start against the Phillies in Sarasota, which will air live on MASN.

Left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. starts Thursday afternoon against the Blue Jays' Aaron Sanchez at Ed Smith Stadium. The teams meet again the following day in Dunedin with Miguel Castro opposing Marco Estrada.

Castro will be making his Grapefruit League debut after working two innings Friday morning in a B game against the Pirates.

Chris Tillman is throwing a simulated game Thursday morning in Sarasota.

Manager Buck Showalter remains intent, more so than previous springs, on keeping certain starters away from division opponents and the Twins, who play the Orioles on opening day at Camden Yards.

"If you see one of our starters pitching against Minnesota, you'll know he's not one of the first three," Showalter said.

Showalter said most of his key starters will have three A games under their belts. Otherwise, more instrasquad games will be arranged and Twin Lakes Park is a short drive from the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

"They'll get enough reps," Showalter said.

Dylan Bundy threw 63 pitches this morning in his four-inning simulated game. Brad Brach followed with 21 pitches in one inning. The hitters included Colby Rasmus and Caleb Joseph.

Chance Sisco caught and made 10 throws to second base after the Orioles brought over baserunners from minor league camp. Bundy held runners, and umpires worked the game.

"We simmed the heck out of that game," Showalter said. "Got a lot out of it."

Showalter said Chris Davis won't play for at least two more days, so the first baseman misses the home-and-home series against the Blue Jays.

"It's going to be a little while," Showalter said. "I asked Brian (Ebel) about the Toronto two-game series and he didn't think so."

Closer Zach Britton continues to make impressive strides in his return from right Achilles surgery, but there's no public timetable for his return. He can't come off the 60-day disabled list until May 28.

"The doctor thinks he's X-weeks ahead of schedule," Showalter said. "He's doing well. The biggest thing is, talking to the doctors and talking to Brian, the setbacks from this aren't a two- or three-day setback and that's what we can't have. That's a month longer, so we can't have it.

"I think they're still doing the throwing with the boot on to be safe, but we talk about it every day about where he is. They filmed him on the treadmill and sent it to the doctor and he knows what (Britton) is supposed to be doing and not doing. His arm's going to come quickly. That's not something we're going to have to wait a long time on."

Another player will be cut from the camp roster following today's game.

Jesus Liranzo, who was optioned to Double-A Bowie earlier today, is expected to continue starting this year with another starter piggybacking off him. The same type of schedule used by left-hander Tanner Scott.

Update: Mike Wright Jr. allowed one run over three innings, on Willy Adames' opposite-field homer to lead off the third. He gave up two hits, walked one, struck out three and threw a wild pitch. He threw 54 pitches, 33 for strikes.

Wright has allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings in his three starts.

The Orioles scored twice in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Jonathan Schoop walked against left-hander Anthony Banda and raced home on Danny Valencia's double. Austin Hays broke the tie with an RBI single to center field.

The Rays tied the game in the bottom of the fourth against Rule 5 pick José Mesa Jr. Micah Johnson tripled and scored on a single by Christian Arroyo, who was out going for the double.