Notes on Crichton, Davis, Wright, Castillo, Flaherty and more

The MRI on reliever Stefan Crichton's right shoulder didn't reveal any structural damage, the good news attached to his assignment to the 10-day disabled list.

Crichton will go home to Houston for a few days before reporting to the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota.

"It's the first time he's ever had anything wrong with his elbow or shoulder," said manager Buck Showalter. "It's a little frightening to those guys the first time they have an issue. He felt a lot better about it today."

First baseman Chris Davis stopped by Showalter's office today to discuss his progress from a strained right oblique.

"He's trying to push for a little more activity," Showalter said. "I asked him, 'Do you think you might make it after the break?' And he said, 'I was hoping to make it before the break.' At least it's good that he's thinking that way and he's feeling better.

"When they do get to the point where they try to do some things and he doesn't feel anything, he goes into pretty quick mode after that."

Mike Wright, on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis, is ready to start throwing in Sarasota. The athletic training staff is setting up a throwing program for him.

Catcher Welington Castillo was ready to play last night in the second inning, a good sign that he would avoid the disabled list. Castillo injured his left knee and was scratched from the lineup after slipping on the dugout steps at Rogers Centre, but he's behind the plate tonight.

"I think it scared him more than anything," Showalter said. "The people who saw it - I didn't see it - said it was a pretty ugly fall. Those spikes and those slick stairs. I've fallen on those stairs, but I have an excuse."

Infielder Ryan Flaherty, on the DL with a strained right shoulder, still hasn't been cleared to throw.

"It's a slow process," Showalter said. "I know it's frustrating for him. He wants to push it. He did, he started throwing once and he didn't have a good result, so they've slowed that down a little bit."

Chris Tillman remains the starter tonight while his wife is past due with their first child.

"He told me today that she's very uncomfortable," Showalter said. "I asked him, 'How's it going?' And he said, 'Status quo.'"

The Orioles announced earlier today that they signed their top draft pick, left-hander DL Hall, and a press conference has been set up for later this afternoon.

MASNsports.com's Steve Melewski reported that Hall received a $3 million signing bonus.

There was still plenty of chatter about Ubaldo Jiménez's masterful outing last night in Toronto, his best since signing a four-year, $50 million deal. Jiménez allowed only two hits in eight scoreless innings, with one walk and eight strikeouts, in a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays.

"I didn't want to say anything in the dugout, but the first two or three innings I'm looking around going, 'Are you guys watching this?' It was legit," Showalter said. "You could tell he had a confidence and a tempo to everything.

"That was as good as you'll see a pitcher throw, let alone Ubaldo. He's had some good games where it got away from him in the sixth or seventh. Last night, it never had that feeling in any point in the outing."

The MASN cameras caught Showalter giving Jimenez a playful pat on the face in the dugout after the eighth.

"Well, it was hard not to kiss him," Showalter said.

For the Rays
Mallex Smith CF
Corey Dickerson LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Logan Morrison 1B
Steven Souza Jr. RF
Wilson Ramos C
Tim Beckham 2B
Trevor Plouffe DH
Adeiny Hechavarria SS

Jacob Faria RHP